Local Spotlight: Lil Cucc On His Journey, His Secret Identity, and His Sophomore Album

Nobody knows who Lil Cucc really is. The British rapper, producer, and rising star has worked hard to keep his work up until now relevant and personal without letting his secret identity slip... but the side that we, as fans, are permitted to see is intriguing enough on its own.

Taking Soundcloud rap by storm in early 2018 with his collaborative single with Fat Bunt (the interestingly-titled 'Anal Penis Bumhole'), Cucc has since released two full-length solo albums, as well as an outstanding Christmas EP. Though his debut, Songs of Gays, was unanimously adored by critics and his ever-growing cult following alike, it could easily by argued that Higher Education: First Year In Review, his most recent LP, is a far more artistically complete work. Recently, MOPE sat down with Lil Cucc to chat about the album, and get a bit of an insight into the mind of one of hip-hop's brightest young prospects.

From the get-go, it's clear that the man himself is buzzing with excitement about his new project. When asked about the reaction from fans and first-time listeners, he laughs. "So far its been the usual cocktail of amusement and concern for my mental health. As expected, interest has flocked towards the featured artists." Cucc gives a wry smile "That perhaps something about me, but I'm pleased to see that the Cucc family is steadily expanding."

These said featured artists are the icing on the cake of First Year In Review, and Lil Cucc has a lot to say about each of them. "The process [of collaborating] varies quite differently from artist to artist." He says, "I've been working with Yxng Kids and Schmuel Dick the longest, and our writing sessions are typically a joint effort, though they've become more independent with each project. I think they reached new heights with this album and I couldn't be happier for them. Yxng Gooch and A$AP Bendy, on the other hand, are both absolute liabilities." When asked to expand on that, he grins, clearly relishing the opportunity to spill the beans on his friends, "I had to hold their hands through each of their respective verses, so they were really brought in more for the performance aspect."

Cucc's most aggressive and outspoken returning collaborator is the aptly-named Lil Cunt. "Lil Cunt is a joy to work with. By the far the most independent of all the features, he's proven himself to be consistently trustworthy when it comes to handing over an instrumental and watching it transform. I expect nothing but fireworks from the man."



As previously mentioned, this second album from the British rap prodigy feels like far more of a comprehensive body of work than his first effort. There are clear overarching themes to the record, and I asked him to expand on them.

"This album has been a much more long term project than any that have come before it, pretty much perfectly starting and ending in line with my first year at university. The last thing I do for an album is decide the name, so I can't say the theme was entirely intentional," he chuckles, "but taking a step back from the tracklist, it all just seemed to line up: the very first verse expressing concerns about upcoming exams; 'No Homo' essentially being a love letter to my flatmates; 'Keep It Simple' dealing with the trials and tribulations of partying and attempting to pick up girls... These topics are, of course, approached in a comedic manner, but - whether intentionally or not - the subject matter of each song was always dictated by something closer to home than I realised at the time. Where 'Songs of Gays' read more like a mixtape, the aim going into this album was to create a complete and cohesive album experience."

Lil Cucc continues, "I also wanted to use the interludes to act as the kind of devil on my shoulder when its comes to the creation process. The intent was - again - comedic, but hopefully it struck upon the conflict of making what I enjoy making and making what I think other people will enjoy hearing. The most personal track, 'Outro', was an important inclusion, and provided me with a chance to get some things off of my chest. The intent was to deal with themes of philosophy, motivation, and work ethic, though the meandering path it takes eventually leads to a misdirected conclusion." He laughs again, "Ultimately it's just me talking shit for four minutes."

Though clearly Lil Cucc is immeasurably proud of his new record as a whole (and rightfully so), it's interesting to see what he considers to be the standout moments across the track listing.

"As far as moments go, Matt's biblical verse on 'Intro' never fails to put a smile on my face, and I can't help but dream about how crazy the live set for 'Backseat Bukkake' would be." He says, before looking off wistfully into the distance, "In terms of pure bars, it would be difficult to look further than 'The Welsh National Anthem'; "See a lamb with the biggest back / Put designer on her ribs that's racks on racks" and "Come straight like that no farm-based wordplay / But from day one I'm putting penis in ewe". Of the many gems on 'Keep It Simple', the line "I don't have a foreskin though b, I just have a three skin / I lost one in an accident I had in my last threesome" is one I predict will be talked of in Lil Cucc folklore for many years to come."



Speaking of Lil Cucc folklore, it'd be wrong to talk to such a cult artist without asking him about his image. As aforementioned, nobody knows for sure who the man really is - his identity is shrouded in secrecy, and any photo you'll ever see of him will feature sunglasses and a low hat at the very least. MOPE questioned him on this bold artistic decision.

"I’ve often been tempted to promote my work publicly on personal social media accounts, but have always been put off by the desire to one day obtain a job. Unfortunately there’s a direct conflict between the career ambitions of Lil Cucc and the career ambitions of his alter ego, not to mention the strain it would put on his relationship with his parents." He grimaces. When asked if the term "alter ego" is apt, and if the personalities play off of one another at all, Cucc says, "I think Lil Cucc and his alter ego have a fairly similar sense of humour. I’d say he’s more of an exaggeration of me rather than a different entity. When I first made songs I'd be the only person to hear them, so I’d say it comes from a place of being unfiltered and silly more than anything else."

But how did this all come to be? Where did the legend of Lil Cucc start, and how did it get to the stage where he has two world-class records and a Christmas EP under his belt? He says that it's been a few years in the making. "I first messed about on GarageBand attempting to make EDM inspired by my favourite album - Until Now by Swedish House Mafia... and that was incredibly unsuccessful." Cucc smiles, "It wasn’t until I listened to Culture by Migos that I realised how incredibly recreatable that sound was, and thus ‘K-Clere Trap’ was born. It's the only song on my SoundCloud that isn’t under the Lil Cucc persona, and it details my turbulent upbringing. This whole thing also coincided with the first release from [comedy music duo] Tiny Meat Gang, who have ended up being a great source of inspiration throughout my short career. Lil Cucc, at least in his final form, wouldn’t be fully realised until his collaboration with Fat Bunt in early 2018, coming in with the immortal line “bitch I ain't gay, but I still like willy”."

And now, it seems, we've come a long way. Lil Cucc has gone from sitting in his bedroom trying to ape Swedish House Mafia on GarageBand... to sitting in his bedroom making timeless trap and hip-hop bangers on GarageBand. What everybody really wants to know, though, is where Lil Cucc goes from here. How do you follow up an album like this? The news straight from the source is bittersweet: "Unfortunately Lil Cucc is going to take a much needed break for a while, but fans can expect me to return with a rejuvenated sound. Only time will tell who and what shapes that sound, but rest assured that I intend to keep my audience on their toes. Whatever the new chapter brings, I'm aiming for it to be the most diverse and ambitious iteration of your boy yet."

If that's not an exciting promise, I don't know what is. Stay tuned for more from Lil Cucc, but in the meantime you can check out Higher Education: First Year in Review in all its glory below - and you really, really should.