Conscious Route picture by Ben Glasgow 

Story Untold

Conscious Route

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Story Untold

Conscious Route

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Conscious Route links up with respected UK hip-hop veteran, Manage LAB79 (also known as Manage Beats), for this new single, their first work together since their last collaborative single, ‘Humble Sons.’ Opening with an Read more

Conscious Route links up with respected UK hip-hop veteran, Manage LAB79 (also known as Manage Beats), for this new single, their first work together since their last collaborative single, ‘Humble Sons.’ Opening with an understated, jazz-influenced brass line and acoustic guitar plucks, Manage Beats’ production maintains a relaxed, almost ethereal edge throughout, where the drums drift in and out yet always stay subliminal rather than up-front and neck-snapping.

This calm backdrop provides plenty of space for Conscious Route to weave his lyrical path as he pays homage to hip-hop artists including De La Soul, Nas, LL Cool J, Wu-Tang Clan, Pusha T, EPMD and Chester P. Recognising the strand of consciousness that worked through all of their music, Conscious Route questions the motivations of those who present stereotyped and cliche negative rap messages that are successful through trends like drill.

Unafraid of asking difficult questions of the culture, ‘Story Untold’ wonders why those who bring positive messaging struggle to get the same backing as those who are fostering negativity through the culture. Conscious Route points out that the best hip-hop has always been accountable, always tried to teach rather than glamourise negativity, and so he fights back, “diminishing the vultures, uplifting the movement.”

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Conscious Route is a rapper, MC, poet who was born in London before moving to Edinburgh over a decade ago. In 2020, he unleashed the collaborative ‘Lost Routes’ album, alongside producer True Note, which went on to receive a 4-star review in The Scotsman upon its release. His next album, ‘Belterz’ also received 4-star reviews from The Skinny Magazine and The Scotsman, while several track from his most recent album, ‘Shadows,' have already been getting praise, with ‘Jazz Unsung,’ and 'Plastic Bag' being played on BBC Introducing Scotland and ‘Jazz Unsung’ selected by taste-maker and DJ Tina Edwards for British Airways’ Next Big Thing in 2024, meaning the song was placed on rotation on all Scotland flights through to 2025. Other tracks from the album have received support from stations like London’s Itch FM, Kane FM and Rinse FM. The Smooth Selection Instagram platform gave the ‘Shadows’ album a 4 star review calling it, “an Impressive range of tracks with diverse, interesting styles filled with passion!” 

The latest review from The Scotsman saw “Shadows” receive a second 4 star review; “Conscious Route joins forces with self–taught producer Sanjeev Mann, aka Supermann on da beat, for his latest album of thoughtful hip –hop, taking aim at shouty rappers on the flinty querulous ‘Overstood’ and deploring industry values on ‘Super Smooth.’” (Reviewed by Fiona Shepherd).

 ‘Shadows’ brings moments of deep introspective reflection offset by moments of b-boy bravado as Conscious Route and Supermann on da beat use an interesting and changing, yet cohesively hip-hop, soundscape to take aim at wannabes, fake MCs, and the music industry itself. It has been supported worldwide, including ‘Day Ones’ being named in the top tracks of 2023 on London based Itch FM Exposure Show with DJ Sammy Jay and on Sheffield-based Mama RaRay’s Break & Bass Fam show.  The album has received worldwide coverage with multiple songs played on radio and digital broadcasting platforms. It also was given a featured spotlight on PortlandMetroRecords.com, and was featured on Blacksmith and Frenic’s Rinse FM show.

Other recent releases, ‘Trojan’ and his feature on ‘Dragons Jaw’ by Post Coal Prom Queen, were named as tracks of the week on BBC Introducing Scotland.  Elsewhere, ‘The Sensory EP,’ received worldwide airplay on Rapstation 365 radio, being played by the UK’s DJ Shorty on the London Chip Shop show, then re-spun by the legendary Chuck D in the USA. His ‘Lost Routes Flip Tape’ was supported by Tom Robinson’s BBC 6 Music’s ‘Fresh On The Net BBC Introducing’ mixtape show and he has seen his music named among the Herald’s top 100 Scottish tunes of the year in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024. The track, ‘Galactic’ was featured on the BBC 6 Introducing Mixtape and on BBC Introducing Scotland, where Shereen Cutkelvin said, “Can I just say this trio together are absolute fire! I mean it just all works so perfectly together, it’s by far the best track I heard here, like he’s just taken the bar so high, he’s knocked it off to a whole other room.”

Meanwhile, the live music scene has seen Conscious Route support Dabbla, Dead Prez, Akala, Marlowe, Wiki, Jelani Blackman, Onyx, Manga Saint Hilare, Dizraeli, and, most recently in 2025, Pan Amsterdam and Jeru The Damaja, to name a few. Plus, guest appearances with Pro Focus supporting Souls of Mischief and Kryptik Supporting Fliptrix in 2024.

Conscious Route also added musicians to bring brass, keys, and guitar along with some of Scotland's most talented guest rappers and singers to create ‘The Collective,’ which saw him headline the Queen's Hall Edinburgh, and perform at Kelburn Garden Party, among other events in the UK in 2024 and 2025.

 

Story Untold by Conscious Route

Produced by Manage

Conscious Route links up with respected UK hip-hop veteran, Manage LAB79 (also known as Manage Beats), for this new single, their first work together since their last collaborative single, ‘Humble Sons.’ Opening with an understated, jazz-influenced brass line and acoustic guitar plucks, Manage Beats’ production maintains a relaxed, almost ethereal edge throughout, where the drums drift in and out yet always stay subliminal rather than up-front and neck-snapping. 

This calm backdrop provides plenty of space for Conscious Route to weave his lyrical path as he pays homage to hip-hop artists including De La Soul, Nas, LL Cool J, Wu-Tang Clan, Pusha T,  EPMD and Chester P. Recognising the strand of consciousness that worked through all of their music, Conscious Route questions the motivations of those who present stereotyped and cliche negative rap messages that are successful through trends like drill.  

Unafraid of asking difficult questions of the culture, ‘Story Untold’ wonders why those who bring positive messaging struggle to get the same backing as those who are fostering negativity through the culture. Conscious Route points out that the best hip-hop has always been accountable, always tried to teach rather than glamourise negativity, and so he fights back, “diminishing the vultures, uplifting the movement.”