One of Brixton's many emerging rap talents during the 2010s, London MC Ard Adz combined the lyrical style of hip-hop's golden age with the sounds and flows of his home city. After finding success alongside childhood friend and fellow MC Sho Shallow, Adz embarked on a solo career, releasing his debut album Adam in 2018.

At the age of 15, Ard Adz got into hip-hop with friend and performer Sho Shallow. Together, the pair ran online video channel WindyMusicEnt, releasing mixtapes Salute Me or Shoot Me (2011), L.I.F.E. (2011), P.A.I.N. (2011), G.H.E.T.T.O. (2013), and Salute Me or Shoot Me 2 (2014) alongside a plethora of music videos. Citing influences from Jadakiss to Notorious B.I.G., Adz's rapping incorporated many of the flows of hip-hop's golden age, while retaining the defining characteristics of London rap. After the pair split to pursue music independently, Adz released 2017's Hard 2 Smile EP and the No Rain No Flowers EP, bolstering his streaming numbers with minor hits "What's Gwarning" and "1 Life." His debut album, Adam, was released the following year, with features from J' Boy, Tizzy, and Brandz, among others. This new material was characterized more by the sonics of his contemporaries -- Adz adopted the synths, piano lines, and drum patterns characteristic of 2010s London hip-hop. He returned in early 2019 with singles "Saudi" and "Habibti" before being featured on AJ's hit "Bad & Boujie" alongside Geko and Koomz. ~ David Crone, Rovi