AJ Tracey

want to showcase growth, to hammer home that the UK is a melting pot of cultures, and that I’m proud to be British—no matter how hard people try to make it about ‘us versus them’.” It’s been four years since AJ Tracey last dropped an album. In that time, more than 40 songs have leaked, multiple tours have been delayed by the COVID pandemic, and life—both public and personal—has been truly lifeing for the 30-year-old rapper. Don’t Die Before You’re Dead is the product of that tumultuous period, and it packs a serious punch. “I realised I hadn’t been doing enough growing—learning new things, going to new places, spending time with my mum, studying Islam. It was necessary for me to take my time,” he reflects on his hiatus. “I went to therapy, had difficult conversations, spent time with my mum, and finally made peace with my dad. He’s just a human who made

mistakes.” Older, wiser, stronger, satisfied; Don’t Die Before You’re Dead marks AJ Tracey’s coming-of-age. A bold love letter to the UK, the album fuses grime, garage, and R&B to create a sonic landscape for an ambitious and deeply personal exploration of trauma. It mines everything from family dynamics and faith to PTSD and falling in love. “I’m trying to give everyone an updated version of me,” he says. Keeping it close to home, features come from UK talents like Jorja Smith, Aitch, Headie One, and the MTP crew. 3rd Time Lucky confronts his mother’s recent battle with cancer with striking vulnerability. “It’s like her life started on hard, I pray God to restart on novice,” AJ spits over mellow beats and searing choral progressions, his emotion palpable. “I wanted to set the tone early. This isn’t just another braggadocious AJ record,” he explains. “I don’t usually talk about my private life, but once you’re in the public eye, you’ve sold your privacy in exchange for success. I feel emotionally stable enough to talk about my life now.”