The Curious Case of Lancey Foux

Unlike many of his peers in the UK rap scene, Lancey Foux is an artist that can not be easily described. Coming up first as a young talent in the modelling industry and stepping into then a very grime dominated era with his own unique sound, there is evidently no telling what the rapper dares to do differently but, what is it about him that makes him so distinguishable? And how was he able to keep himself relevant throughout the years? 

Early Music & Influence 

If we were to decipher him strictly for his short yet diverse music catalogue, Lancey Foux can be seen as a music act who does not shy away from experimenting different genres. Taking a look at one of his earliest songs ‘No Intro’ for example, what may now seem like just a drill-inspired track with hard 808 drums was then still unheard of in the UK music market. In a way, we could say that Lancey Foux was always one step ahead of his time and a naturally forward thinker. Moreover, the artist of Uganda origins makes great use of his singing voice to harmonise throughout his first 2015 mixtape entitled ‘Pink’. Again, as far as what was then available for rap enthusiasts in the UK, no one really sounded anything similar to the wave Lancey introduced. Not only did he play around with the sound of his music but also, Lancey was one of the first UK artists to openly rap in American slang. This is evident as he drops american words such as ‘drip’ and more, which would explain his huge popularity amongst American rap listeners. To conclude this, whatever the sacrifice he must take to stand out from the UK crowd, the rap vocalist always finds a way to make his music contribution memorable. 

In terms of where the East London based rapper draws his inspiration from, Lancey Foux has said in numerous interviews before that the majority of his influence derives not directly from his UK surroundings however, the United States. One of his biggest influences being Young Thug and maybe also, the chicago drill sound back in 2012 having led the way to the unique sound Lancey Foux is famously known for today. As of recently, he also makes mention of his father listening to a lot of music from congolese-artist Kofi and his childhood memories having left a major impact on his music taste. In conclusion, whether it is the use of autotune to his vocals, who he chooses to collaborate with, the variation of american inspired instrumentals or the character he portrays through the music, Lancey Foux makes sure to stick to his own lane and therefore, standing out from his peers. 

Fashion 

Another supplement to his distinguishable appearance compared to what we’re used to seeing from UK rappers is his particular sense of fashion. Appearing at first with skinny jeans and dangling punk chains as an add-on in the 2019 music video ‘Today and tomorrow’, Lancey Foux quickly then

took a step further dressing up in avant-garde fashion brands such as Rick Owens, Vivienne Westwood and more. This is because parallel to his ongrowing music career, Lancey is also known for modelling for the most respected fashion houses such as Givenchy under the creative director Mathew Williams as of late. In an interview in 2021 with Montreality, Lancey explains that his father used to work as a dry cleaner which gave him the opportunity to view a variety of clothes and implement his own style as a result. Today, he can be found hanging out with fashion icons such as Michele Lamy and to the world, recognized as a man of his own category. 

To go even further on how much his clothes play a part into his persona, Lancey describes to the Our Generation Music that he dresses up depending on his mood. Contrary to famous rappers who want to flex expensive clothes and pretend that they care about high fashion, you can tell that the model-rapper truly holds an appreciation for clothing, treating each garment he owns as a piece of him and for some who may think he dresses quite eccentric, it is clear as day that it only comes as naturally to him. 

Recently, Lancey Foux was vaguely accused by A$AP Bari for ripping off Playboi Carti’s aesthetic that can be only described as goth-like. Although it is unclear whether Lancey truly draws any styling ideas from the Atlanta born rapper, a conclusion can be made that both young artists coincidentally enjoy similar outfits and due to sharing mutual celebrity friends and rap audiences, looking somewhat similar in certain occasions. 

Future Legacy 

Regardless of the criticism, Lancey is an artist where whatever he comes across, he makes it his own. He doesn’t run after trends, making sure that persistence is the key to his success instead. While many of his peers stick to their guns, Lancey is not afraid to try new things, always pushing the envelope of his own sound and appearance. Although it is too early to envision which legacy he will leave behind, we can all be assured that he’ll remain in his own lane and always release fresh new music for us to ravish upon.