Stanisland Magazine

A rare strike sees the UK rapper fail to drive his sound home

AJ Tracey rolls back the years to reunite with his former crew My Team Paid (MTP) for a track including former members Big Zuu, D7, Ets, Wax, Sketch, Jay Amo, and General Courts.

Paid in Full is a brand new single that audibly references the rapper’s early grime years. As a sequel to Crush with Jorja Smith, the single is part of his forthcoming album Don’t Die Before You’re Dead.

What Paid In Full Sounds Like

While it’s impressive to see AJ slam on the breaks to recall his early years, it also signifies an openness to explore himself in different forms.

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While the track is intriguing, there’s a lack of detailed innovation, even if it recounts a historical sound profile.

Lyrics like “Studio hype’s all cool, that’s fine, Real life, catch bine and you’ll flatline,” showcase the London lyricist’s sharp quill—however the music says different.

Snares indicative of the sub-genre’s signature percussion are spread throughout—but any drive feels lacking. Tracey’s ability to whip up a penmanship of venom quickly vaporises, evaporating into the background noise of Friday’s new releases thanks to a light and underwhelming production.

Equally, the music video is a little cliche, lacking substance and is a textbook UK visual production except for a minimal injection of animation .

The Verdict

Despite showcasing his ability to sling a natural-as-they-come musical stance, once the dust settles—it’s found wanting. His fans will still eat it up, even if it lacks his direction for peak performance. Overall, this latest release plays it very safe—it’s more album filler than a mark of substance. While commercial UK rappers eat well, there’s a clear disconnect from greats like Jehst and Melanin 9.

How to Hear it

You can watch the video on YouTube or alternatively stream it via Spotify and Apple Music. The album—Don’t Die Before You’re Dead—is due for release on the 3rd June 2025.