London's Maxsta drops grimey new mixtape: 'The Maxtape 1.5'

Today marks a new release from one of UK grime's freshest young artists. Maxsta is following his Lord of The Mics 5 outing with The Maxtape 1.5, a sequel of sorts to his debut project that he put together in 2009 at the age of 17. The mixtape features some of the heaviest hitters in the genre including Dot Rotten, who made a significant dent in the UK singles chart with his smash "Overload". "Got Gassed" is the first single to drop from Maxsta's new tape and has been described as a grime anthem after some extended air play on BBC's 1Xtra radio station and support from key player DJ Cameo, Mistajam and Toddla T. Other highlights come in the form of the tape's "Intro" featuring Elf, which establishes a hyperactive tone with venomous bars and heavy production. "Cold" plays as an example of the ability of UK hip hop to produce radio ready music that maintains and elevates the realness of the scene. The Maxtape 1.5 is out today on iTunes, you can stream a few tracks and watch the video for lead single "Got Gassed" below.