Each day of December this year, I’m highlighting one of my favourite albums of 2024. Counting down the list, we start with #31 on December 1st and go all the way down until we’ve reached #1 on December 31st. Today, #4 on my Album of the Year list: Niko B – ‘dog eat dog food world’.

Niko B. The personification of modern British tongue-in-cheek. The rapper from Milton Keynes whose real name is Tom Austin (his stage name is a reference to GTA 4 protagonist Niko Bellic) could easily be written off as a novelty if you’re just familiar with his viral hits such as ‘Who’s That What’s That’ or, more recently, ‘Why’s this dealer?’. However, on his debut album, Niko B proves that he’s actually way more than just a guy writing funny lyrics and rapping with a refreshing flow. ‘dog eat dog food world’ is a surprisingly creative piece of content, combining all the renowned silliness with a satirical and playful delivery on original and vibey beats while staying true to the core: life in its realest form.

You wouldn’t necessarily expect it, but there’s many things to say about Niko B’s debut album. From having found all his beats (except for those on ‘miniclip’) on YouTube, to his quirky British culture references, back to sampling Japanese trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki’s ‘Romance’ (on ‘trespass coat’): ‘dog eat dog food world’ is as genuine as it is surprising. And it’s just so much fun to listen to. As always, Niko B bombards his listeners with references directly taken from life in middle England, portraying what it’s like to grow up in one of the countries least attractive places. Slapping his personal touch and straight up hilarious lyrics on alternative R&B, bedroom, lo-fi, and hip-hop beats makes for a constantly progressing and sonically interesting DIY-album. Cheeky as it may be, Niko B seems to have grown up a little, too. On ‘i’ve smoked weed 9 times and have had one good experience’, for example, where Austin raps about his ashtray being the size of a 4×4 truck and quitting the ganja. Fair enough.

All in all, this album is just peak Niko B. Every song is a hilariously honest story. No filters or whatnot. And while you might think not much is going on in Milton Keynes, you’d be surprised hearing the tales of a local 23-year-old boy. No gang violence or drug crimes, but instead playing video games, drinking J2O in the pub, and being denied entry after showing your ID. Nothing glamorous; just life. As simple or boring as it can get. Don’t rule out a little bit of excitement, though, like that time Niko B attempted to fly a plane. “How hard could it be, I’ve played GTA 3, just keep shit 180 degrees”. Niko B’s simplicity combined with wit, humour, and a bit of a zany delivery makes for a really fun album. Perhaps not the best one of this year, but certainly an album that I have enjoyed to the absolute fullest. Truly a pleasure to listen to, over and over again.