Rapper Kano invites local talent to drop bars in Birmingham booth this weekend

Brummies are being invited to show off their rap skills this weekend, in a bid to win the chance of studio time with British rapper, songwriter and actor Kano – and all they have to do is replace 3 bars from the artist’s hit track ‘Pan-Fried’ in a specially made recording booth at the Bullring.

To be part of the undiscovered talent in Birmingham, rap and grime enthusiasts simple need to head along to a specialist recording studio experience, which is being set up at the Bullring tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday.

The booth is open to all of Birmingham’s most talented members of the public to come and drop their own version of the 3 bars, to be in for a chance of featuring on Pan Fried and winning a studio session with Kano himself.

Set up in partnership with adidas Originals and JD Sports, the Birmingham Bullring is hosting the specially made booths as part of a campaign to celebrate the iconic Superstar shoe with an initiative entitled ‘3 bar Superstar’.

Actor and musician Kano has given over his track ‘Pan Fried’ wiping out 3 bars from the track and inviting the JD audience to submit their own 3 bars in its place.

Birmingham is the third and last city in the UK tour, having launched in Manchester and London last week.

Kano’s ambition is to search, celebrate and shine the light on emerging talent via the 3 bar gap opportunity, as one entry will be selected and win a recording session and be mentored by himself.

adidas / JD Sports

Sharing his words of wisdom, Kano said: “Do what’s best for this piece of music but also bring yourself to it as well. Don’t try and emulate what the artist before yourself has done. Try and bring your stamp. Uniqueness and creativity, those are the key things to stand out in a featured verse.”

With three bar superstar, adidas and JD are helping new musical voices to be heard from around the UK. Kano is a vocal supporter of encouraging undiscovered talent and references the importance of “the role that music can play in terms of giving young people a voice. I was that young kid growing up and interested in music and found that it was a way to express myself.”

Who is Kano?

Nicolas Völcker

Kano – real name Kane Brett Robinson – is a British rapper, songwriter and actor from East Ham, London.

A significant contributor to grime music, the 34-year-old is widely considered one of the pioneers of grime music and culture, alongside artists such as Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. In 2004, Kano released his debut single “P’s and Q’s”, which was an underground hit within the grime community.

Kano’s London Town, released in 2007, featured his highest-charting single ‘This is the Girl’ featuring Craig David.

After signing to Parlophone, and six years without a studio release, Kano released his fifth album Made in the Manor in 2016, which became Kano’s most successful album to date.

It was critically acclaimed by music critics and charted at number eight in the UK Albums Chart, becoming Kano’s highest-charting release, as well as being considered one of the best albums of 2016 by numerous publications. It was shortlisted for the 2016 Mercury Prize and won Best Album at the 2016 MOBO Awards.

This special adidas Originals and JD Sports recording booths will be set up in the Bullring Birmingham all weekend (Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd February only).