Meet Bradford’s Authentic New Talent… Game-Changing Rapper Blazer Boccle

Fast-rising alt-rap artist Blazer Boccle is Bradford and proud. Hailing from the newly acclaimed City of Culture 2025, his music has authenticity at its core, blending genres and boasting witty wordplay on realist topics such as family and relationships, drug culture, race, the police force and politics. 
Blazer recently signed to NQ – becoming a vital part of the trailblazing group of talent hailing from the North of England. He sits alongside the likes of Aitch, Mitch and MIST, artists also signed to the Manchester-based label, which prides itself in having northern roots but a global influence – a kick back at a London centric ‘UK’ industry.

Today, Blazer announces the release of forthcoming EP, Where Dreams Go To Die, and shares playful new cut ‘Boppin’. Fuelled by grit, clever bars and a driving bassline, the track is a social commentary to life in Northern towns. Despite serious subject matter, Blazer’s mischievous charm is what makes the track and video, for fans of Mike Skinner and Slowthai. 

Congratulations on the release of your new single ‘Boppin’! What’s this one about?

Boppin is about the monotony of my daily life and the experiences/characters you encounter.

The music video looked really fun to make, filmed on location in your home of Bradford. How was the idea and filming process?

I wanted all my videos to link together but for them to also be able to stand individually with different themes. My last one was very dark, so I wanted to make this one more comical and to show a different side to myself and my city. The filming process was crazy. We did it all in one day, I jumped out of a window, rode a horse, got locked up and took a corner shop hostage…all before dinner.

The new track follows the release of last month’s ‘Undateables’. Tell us a little bit bout that release and how it might compare with ‘Boppin’.

Well ‘Undateables’ is the first song off my upcoming EP, but visually it’s the ending to the story the visuals tell. ‘Boppin’ takes you back to the start of the story and the next video will bridge the gap between the two. ‘Undateables’ was a very personal song, looking inwards and it’s very heavy lyrically, whereas ‘Boppin’ is very much more about me looking outwards and talking about the things going on around me.

When did you first begin rapping and writing your own lyrics?

I think I wrote my first lyrics when I was 9 years old and then just messed about with it here and there until I was 19 …I then started taking it more seriously.

You’re Bradford and proud! How would you describe the music scene in Bradford and surrounding areas?

The music scene in Bradford and West Yorkshire is bubbling at the moment… there’s a lot of great, but very different music coming through. I think we are all finally finding our own identity and not copying what we see coming from down south. We’re wearing our northerness proudly.

Your sound is very recognisable. What music genres and/or artists were you bought up with? Can we hear any of these influences in your new music?

I was brought up with a lot of different music. My sister listened to a lot of niche and bassline, whereas my mum was into a lot of neo-soul, R&B and rock…she is a worldie, haha! My uncles from my dad’s side were very heavy into rap like 50 Cent, Nas, Jay, DMX. I think they influenced me to make music and to understand the different layers of how things are achieved in music. But for me, the biggest influences you can hear in my music are more to do with the culture of my city and the things I’ve been through.

Do you have any dream collaborations?

I’d love to work with Lily Allen, I think we would make something cool as fuck. Fat Boy Slim would be an experience too.

I’d love a chorus off David Gray… and Lauryn Hill!

You’ve just announced your forthcoming EP Where Dreams Go To Die – what can we expect from the record?

I think if you listen to it from start to finish you’ll think I’m funny, you’ll think I’m disgusting, you’ll think I’m stupid, you’ll think I’m clever, you’ll be confused, you’ll wonder why I even bother, you’ll wonder how anyone can even live this way…you might not even like me at all after it. But you’ll be entertained.

Listen to ‘Boppin’ here. EP Where Dreams Go To Die is set for release 16th September.