I Know You'd Love To Hate This

Stand-up comedian, MTV wünderkind and now, with the release of his debut album, rising pop star. Richard Blackwood is nothing if not versatile.

I Know You’d Love To Hate This drips with savvy retro charm, due in large part to the guiding presence of Junior Giscombe, veteran producer and (happily for Blackwood) the singer’s uncle.

The album features two reworkings of Giscombe’s old hit ‘Mama Used to Say’ along with sassy eighties-influenced tracks ‘1234 Get With the Wicked’ and ‘Run For Ya Crew’. While ‘Summertime Bop’ owes a debt to the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff, on ‘Someone There for Me’, the vibe is steered just to the right side of super-smooth.

As a rapper, it’s often hard to say whether Blackwood is being self-delusional, generic or just plain ironic. Track after track, lyrics are burdened down with the stuff of a Puffed Daddy complex. Shrill voices chorus “We love you, RB” while Blackwood reiterates, in one variation or other, that “RB runs the show”.

That said, I Know You’d Love To Hate This is a cut above your average pop mart fare. Will Smith just might have a competitor for his throne.