ALBUM REVIEW: Guvna B – The Village is On Fire

Allo Mate Records

Released: 26.05.23

“The colour of my skin is what inspired this anthology“, Isaac Borquaye – better known as Guvna B – candidly reveals on Bridgeland Road, which opens his tenth LP. A stalwart of the UK rap scene for well over a decade, the two-time MOBO winner has consistently never shied away from hard truths, championing marginalised communities through his multifaceted lyricism.

Inspired by a self-endured racial aggravation, The Village Is On Fire finds Borquaye unflinchingly grappling with the aftermath of unprovoked violence, generously doling out relatable musings on marriage and fatherhood, and benignly extolling the virtues of self-actualisation. Altogether, it’s an affectingly evocative and intuitively cohesive set, steeped in hard-won tenets – earnestly asserted yet never preachy – and, most impressively, never devolves into bathos.