FEATURE: Spotlight: Revisited: Chy Cartier

FEATURE:

Spotlight: Revisited

Chy Cartier

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FOR this latest…

edition of Spotlight: Revisited, I am talking about an artist I first covered at the start of last year. Even though I included her in my Spotlight feature just over a year ago, Chy Cartier has achieved so much since then. An artist capturing this new wave of appreciation and interest, I am going to end with a review for her debut album, NO BRING INS. One of the most accomplished and finest artists in Drill, this is someone who is blazing a trail and proving she is one of the best on the scene! In a genre that is still male-dominated, Chy Cartier is changing the conversation and the view. I want to come to some interviews first of all. Ones where we get to know more about this incredible artist. I want to start off with a 2024 interview with Wonderland Magazine. She talked about the success of BOSSED UP and the attention it brought her. This was, and is, an artist doing things her own way:

“I’ve just finished writing a freestyle that’s out soon,” 19-year-old Rap prodigy, CHY CARTIER – born Chyna – tells us. “It’s about how life’s been after “Bossed up”, and prior to the song blowing up.” Finding fame, going viral, or topping the charts – it’s all written in the stars for this North London rhymer. And with that, she’s witnessing her life change at a rocketing speed already: “Having people in my area coming up to me and asking for pictures, that’s when it felt real!”

Released in late 2023, the life-altering track is stamped with the heavy-handed lyrics – a ferociously quick-witted and open-armed comment on the disparities and injustice in austerity Britain – that Chy’s now become synonymous with. It turned the heads of chart- toppers like Central Cee, Little Simz, and Stormzy, who’ve gone on to champion her as one of the most promising newcomers in the UK Rap scene; and rightly so. “I’ve spent a lot of time on my craft and my sound – from word play and rhyming patterns to my tone. When it comes to my music I have my blinkers on.” Forget a fork in the road, Chy Cartier’s only ever known her own path. “Just focus on your art and let it do the talking, everything else is just noise.”

Unlike her lionhearted lyrics and stinging delivery, she keeps uncharacteristically tight-lipped on any possibilities of collaborating with her new found fans – or her upcoming debut EP at large. But Chyna, the Sierra Leonean-Jamaican teen, and Chy Cartier, the unapologetic wordsmith, are not the same person. “I would say Chy Cartier is definitely an alter ego. I’m really quiet and reserved normally. Chy Cartier gets on the mic and gets everything off her chest [laughs]”.

In February, End Clothing spoke with a North London-based rapper ahead of the launch of Nike’s experimental Air Max Dn8 sneaker in Hyper Pink. If you have not discovered Chy Cartier then make sure that you redress that. An artist I was compelled to seek out and spotlight last year has made big strides since then:

“Looking back on Chy Cartier’s musical career so far, what initially stands out is her dedication to delivering an inventive take on UK rap that is wholly her own. While still early in her career, Chy – real name Chyna – has forged her own path through the notoriously treacherous music industry independently, building a loyal fan base eager to hear more of her quick-witted lyricism and see more of her captivating personality.

Blowing up in late 2023 with her already iconic single BOSSED UP, the 20-year-old North London-based rapper has carved her own lane in the somewhat overcrowded UK rap scene. Capitalising on her distinctive sense of style, impeccable beat selection and her memorable adlib, “BAP”, Chy’s presence, lyricism and attitude has created the perfect foundation for a UK rap star to be born, even without support from the industry, guest features or placements. Organically building a dedicated fan base, Chy’s talents are speaking for themself, and the proof is in the impact she has made amongst the upper echelons of UK rap. For Chy, this initial positive reception has been paramount in propelling her forward and has kept her motivated in making more music: “seeing how people connect with my energy and my lyrics, you know, it just makes you want to continue what you do and be the best at it.”

With co-signs from the likes of Central Cee, Skepta, Corteiz’ Clint, Novelist and many more, Chy seems set on her course to music stardom. With a distinctive sense of originality, her flow, wordplay and lyricism has seen her craft a strikingly fresh and modern sound, filtered through a sense of nostalgia for the late ‘90s and ‘00s. As I ask Chy about what originally drew her to music in a moment of respite during the Air Max Dn8 shoot for Nike, it’s clear that her connection to music has been longstanding and familial in origin: “I've been rapping since the age of seven, so I feel like music's always been a part of me. Growing up, my mum used to play different music in and around the house. Garage, hip hop, rap, R&B, all different genres. Music was just always my way of expressing myself.”

Expanding on her first foray into making music, Chy reminisces about her formative experiences performing for her family: “I remember one time when I was little, I performed one of my first ever rap songs to my older cousin and my mum and just seeing their reactions, how they were amazed, it really made me realise that I had something special.” From this original performance, Chy graduated to rapping at school; “I always used to rap, like in the school playground, and all of my friends would gather around the older kids, and just hype it up.” To those that know Chy, it likely seemed as if destiny was being fulfilled when she first started dropping music. Following the release of her Show Me Love Freestyle back in 2022, where she first exhibited her unique style over a beat sampling the iconic 1993 house track by Robin S, Chy has gone from strength to strength, delivering hard hitting raps over beats with an experimental sonic palette that offer a truly novel approach to the genre. The tracks that Chy has dropped so far are always rooted in a darker sound with a “menacing bass”, as she puts it, but subtly pepper influences from a wide variety of different genres, exhibiting the breadth of her musical passions. On branching out further, Chy made her intentions clear: “I definitely want to tap into dancehall and I want to explore more rock sounds. I feel like that’ll be hard!” Perhaps it’s this openness to different sounds and influences that has been imbedded in Chy since her younger years that is propelling her forward at such an impressive rate – when one note rappers will be left in the dust after trends change, Chy will be there with a fresh sound and her trademark “BAP”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Samantha Taylor

Before getting to a review for the incredible NO BRING INS, I want to feature an interview from Hypebae. I think it is important to know as much about Chy Cartier as possible. This is an artist who is going to be massive. Someone already showing signs of greatness. The more music she puts out there, the more eyes that are on her! It is interesting to read which artist and song lit a fuse in her. A pivotal moment that changed the course of her life:

“Grime was the defiant spirit of the U.K.‘s music scene in the ’00s with legends like Dizzee Rascal and JME brining the genre to the global stage. Grime rose with artists like Stormzy and Skepta, and continues to resonate today with chart-topping Brighton boy ArrDee and genre-adaptions from Little Simz.

Amidst this ever-growing scene, Chy Cartier emerged. Brought up in a household where rap, R&B, and hip-hop were always playing, the artist was naturally drawn to the energy and lyricism of the genre. But it was hearing Nicki Minaj‘s “Beez in the Trap” on TV that truly sparked something in her. From that day, Cartier began writing her own lyrics and performing them for her family, quickly realizing she had a talent worth pursuing.

What sets the North London-based artist apart today is her use of what she describes as a “dark, mean bass,” which defines the tone of her music. For those familiar with Cartier, it’s clear she challenges labels with her unique lyricism.

At just 20 years old, she’s already released 16 singles over the past three years, including the breakout hit “Bossed Up,” which has been pivotal to her success. Despite the challenges women face in the rap scene, she’s managed to carve out her own space. “People tend to second-guess female artists a lot,” she explains. “It’s harder for women to break through because there’s always that question of, ‘Are you really writing your own lyrics?’”

We caught up with the rising star ahead of her highly anticipated mixtape, No Bring Ins, to hear about what’s next in this exciting chapter of her career.

On How Her Musicality Has Evolved

While my musicality has improved over time, my approach hasn’t changed much. I’ve always focused on studying rap, especially rhyme schemes, and breaking down how they work. Growing up, I analyzed my favorite artists and how they structured their bars, like using patterns such as A, A, B, A, B. Lately, my process has shifted — while I used to write alone at home, I’m now more open to collaborating with producers; something I learnt when working on this mixtape. We bounce ideas off each other, and once that dark, mean bass comes in, everything just falls into place naturally. Music is now a true extension of me, and when it’s right, it feels effortless.

On Inspirations Behind No Brin Ins

After “Bossed Up,” I’ve been working with different producers who really get my sound. The project has a mix of chilled tracks around 95 BPM and some high-energy ones closer to 145 BPM. I’ve been collaborating with BKay who’s also from North London, on a new sound we’re calling “The Bounce,” which started with my track “YO.” Making this mixtape has been pretty smooth — it’s all about sharing my journey since “Bossed Up.” Over 10 months, I recorded 70 songs, then chose the ones that felt right for the final cut.

On Her Dream Collaborations

I’d love to work with people like Nicki Minaj, Drake, Future and Skepta. There are so many others — it’s hard to name them all. I’d love to get to a point in my career where I can collaborate with the legends. I feel like that would be a real moment of knowing I’ve made it.

On Her Future Plans

I’d love to get into acting at some point. Once I’ve put my all into music, it’s definitely a path I want to explore — whether that’s as an actor, writer, or director. I’ve never done anything like it before, but as a natural entertainer, I feel like my skills could translate well”.

I am going to end with a review from NME. Saluting a fearless talent who is the future of British Drill, they commended an artist “fusing gritty lyricism and a unique vocal flow, the north London rapper is carving out her own lane and leaving a mark on the scene”. There have been so many positive reviews for NO BRING INS:

“Chy Cartier, north London’s newest rap princess, isn’t waiting for permission to make her mark. From the first seconds of her debut mixtape, ‘No Bring Ins’, she makes her position clear – she didn’t come to play. She came to conquer.

UK rap’s self-proclaimed “prettiest problem” has already made big moves before this release. She scored a spot on the NME 100 for 2025 with her raw energy and attention-grabbing way with words. The Tottenham native has earned co-signs from local heroes and British rap heavyweights Skepta and Headie One, and has absorbed the legacy of her area and made it her own by fusing grace and grit. She’s not just taking steps into the UK drill scene; she’s quickly making her way to the top.

‘No Brings Ins’ should only take Cartier higher. She laces every track with cutthroat lyricism and riot-starting energy, not just rapping but attacking the beat, slicing through bass-heavy production with a flow so slick it’s disrespectful. On viral singles ‘Yo’ and ‘Different Kettle’, she unleashes grimy, chest-thumping anthems that practically dare you to test her and maintains that attitude on the likes of ‘Real Boss Chick’ and ‘Weakest Link’. The latter shows the star at her most unshakeable. “Bitches know I’m big boss, rich forever, stuck up,” she proclaims. “Oh, you don’t like me, why not shut the fuck up!”

When the 20-year-old first broke through with her 2023 single ‘Bossed Up’, she was mocked online for her unorthodox flow. But ‘No Bring Ins’ doesn’t just embrace her idiosyncratic delivery; it takes centre stage alongside her poetic edge. On ‘Locked In’, her intentionally rambling flow becomes a skillful use of enjambment as she raps: “Statue of Liberty, gonna walk before me, the way I’m standing on this business / Before I beg for a seat, at your table, I’m able, I bought mine”. But it’s ‘SN’ where Cartier marries her poetic ways with pop-drill most expertly. Her hunger over the low-end, bass-driven pop-grime instrumental feels like a spoken word poem about her transition from the streets to a life of luxury.

Debut projects are all about establishing who you are and what your sound is. On this cohesive and fun mixtape, Cartier sets about proving that she can’t be boxed in – pop, grime, drill, and now R&B are all in her domain. The latter is evident on the sultry ‘Crazy’, on which she flexes her storytelling abilities with a romantic tale and shows off her singing chops with unexpectedly lush vocals that deliver an instantly infectious hook: “I know you’re the one, that’s not a maybe / Bitch, don’t make me sin and go crazy”.

‘No Bring Ins’ is raw, cocky, and unapologetic statement piece from an artist who’s already moving like she owns the place. And, if Chy Cartier continues in this form, soon, she just might”.

It has been good revisiting Chy Cartier. Following the release of NO BRING INS, there is going to be this incredible and exciting new phase of her career. I know she has a few gigs coming up but there will be more soon I am sure. If you do not know about Chy Cartier then do go and seek her out. She is someone worth…