Young Fathers are a Scottish progressive hip hop group formed in Edinburgh in 2008. Their second EP, Tape Two (2013), won the Scottish Album of the Year Award. In 2014, they won the Mercury Prize for their debut album Dead. A second album, White Men Are Black Men Too, followed in 2015. Their third album, Cocoa Sugar (2018), peaked at number 28 on the UK Albums Chart and earned the band their second Scottish Album of the Year Award. Their fourth album, Heavy Heavy, was released in 2023 and earned the band their third Scottish Album of the Year Award.
Young Fathers | |
|---|---|
 Young Fathers in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
|
| Website | young-fathers |
History
editFormed in Edinburgh in 2008 by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham 'G' Hastings, the group started performing in nightclubs when the band members were all in their teens.[1]
In 2012, they signed to LA-based label Anticon and released their introductory mixtapes, Tape One and Tape Two, with Tape Two winning the Scottish Album of the Year Award[2] ("The SAY Award").
The trio then signed to Big Dada and released their debut album, Dead, which was released in 2014. The album gained critical attention and went on to win the Mercury Prize. Dead entered the UK albums chart at number 35 and topped the independent UK album chart.[3]
Following an extensive world tour the band decamped to Berlin to begin work on their second album, White Men Are Black Men Too, which was released in April 2015.[4] It peaked at number 41 on the UK Albums Chart.[5]
In June 2017 Young Fathers played in the Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre as part of M.I.A.'s Meltdown Festival.[6]
Six tracks on the T2 Trainspotting soundtrack feature Young Fathers, including "Only God Knows", written specifically for the film. In a statement the director Danny Boyle described the song as "the heartbeat for the film".[7][8]
Young Fathers' third studio album, Cocoa Sugar, was announced with the single "In My View" on 17 January 2018. The album was released on British independent label Ninja Tune on 9 March 2018.[9] The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 28, making it the band's highest-charting album.[10] It won the Scottish Album of the Year Award for 2018.[11]
The trio released their fourth studio album, Heavy Heavy, via Ninja Tune on 3 February 2023.[12] The album peaked at number 7 on the UK Albums Chart, won the Scottish Album of the Year Award, earned the band three Brit Award nominations and was also shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.
While not an overtly political band, Young Fathers have spoken about issues such as racism and the treatment of refugees[13] Due to their support of the BDS movement, the band was dropped from the 2018 Ruhrtriennale line-up.[14]
The band were featured on the FIFA 19 and FIFA 23 soundtracks, with the songs "Border Girl" and "Rice" respectively. [15][16]
Members
edit- Alloysious Massaquoi (Vocals, percussion) was born in Liberia and moved to Edinburgh at the age of four, where he attended Boroughmuir High School.[17]
- Kayus Bankole (Vocals) was born in Edinburgh to Nigerian parents. He spent several years living in Maryland and Nigeria before moving back to the city of his birth, in his teens. He went on to attend Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh, the same school as Alloysious and the two became close friends.[18] Bankole has commented that Scotland's history in relation to slavery[19] should be taught in schools to help overcome systemic racism[20][21]
- Graham "G" Hastings (Vocals, production) was born in Edinburgh and grew up in the North Edinburgh housing scheme of Drylaw.[22]
Alloysious Massaquoi
Kayus Bankole
Graham "G" Hastings
Touring Musicians
- Steven Morrison - Drums (2009–present)
- Edwin McLachlan - Drums (2023)
- Kimberley Mandido - Backing vocals (2023–present)
- Amber Joy - Backing vocals (2023–present)
- Callum Easter - Guitar, keyboards (2023–present)
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCO [23] | UK [10] | UK Indie [10] | AUS Hit. [24] | BEL (FL) [25] | BEL (WA) [26] | GER [27] | IRL [28] | SWI [29] | US Sales [30] | ||||
| Dead | 21 | 35 | 1 | — | 102 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| White Men Are Black Men Too |
| 19 | 41 | 6 | 20 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Cocoa Sugar |
| 9 | 28 | 4 | 13 | 37 | 173 | — | 79 | 89 | —[A] | ||
| Heavy Heavy |
| 2 | 7 | 2 | —[B] | 73 | — | 98 | 84 | — | 65 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Mixtapes
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Tape One |
|
| Tape Two |
|
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Sales [10] | UK Indie [10] | FRA [33] | |||||||||||
| "Straight Back on It" | 2008 | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||||||||
| "Automatic / Dancing Mantaray" | 2010 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "Fevers Worse" | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "The Guide" | 2013 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "I Heard"[34] | — | — | 196 | Tape Two | |||||||||
| "Queen Is Dead"[35] | 33 | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Low" | — | — | — | Dead | |||||||||
| "Get Up" | 2014 | — | 39 | — | |||||||||
| "Soon Come Soon" | 63 | — | — | Non-album single | |||||||||
| "Rain or Shine" | 2015 | — | — | — | White Men Are Black Men Too | ||||||||
| "Shame" | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Only God Knows" (feat. Leith Congregational Choir) | 2017 | 5 | — | — | T2: Trainspotting | ||||||||
| "Lord" | 2018 | — | — | — | Cocoa Sugar | ||||||||
| "In My View" | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Toy" | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Border Girl / Cocoa Sugar" | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||||||||
| "Geronimo" | 2022 | — | — | — | Heavy Heavy | ||||||||
| "I Saw" | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Tell Somebody" | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Rice" | 2023 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Remixes
edit- "Girlfriend (Young Fathers Remix)" by Phoenix from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Remix Collection) (2009)
- "Nicotine Love (StraightFace Remix)" by Tricky (2014)
Guest appearances
edit| Title | Other artist(s) | Year | Album/EP |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Turn Up the Dial" | Simian Mobile Disco | 2009 | Temporary Pleasure |
| "Leader" | Stanton Warriors | 2011 | The Warriors |
| "Voodoo in My Blood"[36] | Massive Attack | 2016 | Ritual Spirit |
| "He Says He Needs Me" | 3D | Assassin's Creed (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | |
| "#UNIVERSALBASICINCOME" | Massive Attack, Guy Standing | 2020 | Eutopia |
Music videos
edit| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| "Deadline" | 2012 |
| "Rumbling" | |
| "Sister" | |
| "Romance" | 2013 |
| "The Guide" | |
| "I Heard" | |
| "Queen Is Dead" | |
| "Low" | |
| "Get Up" | 2014 |
| "Shame" | 2015 |
| "Old Rock n Roll" | |
| "Lord" | 2018 |
| "In My View" | |
| "Toy" | |
| "Holy Ghost" |
Notes
edit- ^ Cocoa Sugar did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 14 on the US Heatseekers Albums Chart.[31]
- ^ Heavy Heavy did not enter the ARIA Albums chart, but peaked at number 23 on the Australian Digital Albums Chart.[32]
