If Dizzee Rascal is the ODB of UK hip-hop, and The Streets its Eminem, then the Nigerian-born TY is is LL Cool J: the smooth, sensitive brother who can nevertheless bring the ruckus when it’s time. “Upwards” is TY’s debut solo album, after appearances on recordings by, among others, former Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen. It’s yet another sign that hip-hop from across the pond is coming into its own, embracing partly the American esthetic but decrying its materialism and violence. Peep the wide array of beats by producer Drew: bass-heavy broken beat on “Wait a Minute,” the Blood,Sweat & Tears sound of “Music to Fly To,” a bit of Afrobeat with Allen on drums for “The Willing,” and lots of Rhodes piano and live musicianship everywhere else. Look here for live footage of TY and his band from the North Sea Jazz festival this past July.

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