5 4 3 2 1 with MC Hammersmith

For those who haven’t already had the pleasure, meet MC Hammersmith, the world’s leading freestyle rapper to come from the ghetto of middle-class West London.

He’s been delivering his smart solo freestyle rap for nigh on a decade now. And it’s fab.

He’s a much in demand, multi-award winning player at comedy festivals around the world. and his clever word work has been rewarded online; his videos have racked up more than 100 million views and he has half a million followers on TikTok.

MC Hammersmith dropped his debut album, Mother’s Fettuccine at the tail end of 2023, a collection of 10 tracks including I’ve Definitely Got A Gun, I’ve Literally Got Millions of Guns and Why Does Nobody Listen? I Said I’ve Got Guns.

It also boasted the Post British Boy Raps In Car riot with lines including ‘rhymes so cold you’ll need double glazing’ and ‘Your girl costs you lots financially, my girl cheap because she’s imaginary’. There are lots more smile raising moments, but they aren’t polite enough for this page.

MC Hammersmith is returning to Edinburgh Fringe this year, which is great for him as he lives there, but a bit of a trek for ’fampton followers. Fret not – he’ll be live at The Underground on Saturday, May 3 with his improvised rap comedy based on your suggestions. Thinking caps on, people – give him cool stuff to work with.

Get your weekend all ‘rapped’ up – book your space by visiting royalandderngate.co.uk and check him out at mchammersmith.com

He told Pulse Music’s Sammy Jones what makes him musically happy…

Five favourite songs and why

I’m going to say these:
Big L – Ebonics (incredible writing, production is banging)
Rakim – Guess Who’s Back (incredible writing, production is banging)
Jurassic 5 – What’s Golden (incredible writing, production is banging)
Big Pun and Big L – Where You At (incredible writing, production is banging)
One Pound Fish Man – One Pound Fish (catchy, fish is cheap)

Four musical inspirations

The flow of Big Daddy Kane. The freestyle artistry of MC Juice. The jazz fusion of A Tribe Called Quest. And the affordable prices of One Pound Fish Man.

Three subjects that get your creative juices flowing…

I like to watch battle rap. I find loads of battlers really inspiring. Battlers like Tay Roc, especially, who have an endlessly creative array of gun bars. I sometimes sit and watch battle rappers verbally eviscerate each other with haymaking punchlines, and then think to myself – “what’s the version of this put-down that’s true to my life?” I find that helps me make punchlines which work mechanically, but are also incredibly English and tame. That’s funny to me.

Speaking of English and tame, I also like rapping about subjects which I know lots about, but which don’t automatically lend themselves to hip hop on the surface. For practice, I regularly freestyle about National Trust properties, which is also funny to me.

The biggest subject which gets my creative juices flowing though is, of course, the One Pound Fish Man. Have a look! One pound fish!

Two biggest compliments your music/comedy has received
Somebody once tweeted me after a gig in Edinburgh and said they brought their mum to the gig, and now she won’t stop saying “motherfu**er”. My legacy! It lives on!

One reason why people should come to your show at The Underground
I have a surprise support act, and yes, he will be selling merchandise* after the show!

*fish