Born Tyron Kaymone Frampton, slowthai is billed as one of the most exciting acts in British rap, and it makes sense. He’s spry, twisted (the music video for the nervy “Inglorious” visually references A Clockwork Orange), and confrontationally political (see “Nothing Great About Britain”). And while the media machine has likened him to famed grime rapper Dizzee Rascal, the Northampton rapper is well equipped to make a name for his own damn self.

Tonight, slowthai plays at the Crocodile as a part of his first full US tour, appropriately dubbed the Coming to America tour. Seattle is lucky to be one of the stops. I’ve heard his shows are absolutely mental.

Slowthai dropped his debut record, Nothing Great About Britain, back in May to critical acclaim. The record criticized the state of British politics (things are going to shit) and nationalism while weaving his own personal experiences growing up on a council estate in Northhampton into the mix.

Slowthai's sound has an edge unlike other music I've heard in this genre recently. It's grimy in an almost literal way, with a punk clanginess to it. His track "Doorman," a collaboration with the quintessentially millennial electronic music producer Mura Masa, nearly snarls. It'll compel you to beat your chest and mosh with passersby on the street. Despite some valid criticism regarding the quality of his lyrical content, I think the Northampton rapper has an X factor, an energy that can't be reproduced, bought, or acquired. Have you seen his grill!?

I also want to note that the other UK rap heavyweight featured on slowthai's "Inglorious," Skepta, gives a shout-out to Gaspar Noé, an Argentine-French director best known for his extremely explicit depictions of violence and unsimulated sex in movies: "And it's just me, my laptop and my bank card/I'm directing movies like Gaspar/I drive the Wraith like it's Nascar." Clearly, Noé's first name works well within this couplet, but still—how random. I think about this line a lot!

The slowthai show is at the Crocodile tonight—doors are at 8 p.m. and there are still tickets for sale. Enjoy accordingly.