In 2018, aged just 13, Nemzzz started uploading tracks to SoundCloud. "I was relentless and rebellious, I had tunnel vision," he says. He caught the attention of his now-manager, but in those early years, he struggled to break out. "I tried a lot of sounds, trying to see what works, what sticks. It wasn't really going that well. So I took a break. I had to give myself a reality check because it wasn't working."

In his ascent, Nemzzz has managed to garner global success while also retaining his outlier status, which is somewhat cemented by his Manchester postcode. Like Aitch before him, in a London-centric space, Nemzzz has brought regional rap scenes to the foreground. And while he feels the pull of the capital, he has no intention of leaving the city he calls home and the people who make him feel safe. Nemzzz is only the second British rap star that Central Cee has collaborated with, nodding to their "shared outlook on the game." Dilemma is a standout feature on Rent's Due. Together they foster a gritty sense of paranoia, Nemzzz's verses languid and hypnotic against Central Cee's accelerated flow.

Nemzzz's unstoppable rise hasn't gone unnoticed by the fashion world. Like his music, his approach to style is about forging something unique rather than following what came before, effortlessly integrating Burberry and Louis Vuitton pieces into his wardrobe of streetwear staples. "Fashion is art, it's about showing people how you feel," says the rapper, who has been profiled in Vogue and invited to GQ's annual Men of the Year Awards, sat front row at Burberry's Iconic London Fashion Week show, and collaborated with cult British streetwear brand Carsicko on a sell-out tracksuit. Since then, Nemzzz has become an increasingly familiar face within the fashion world, attending Paris Fashion Week with appearances at Vetements and continuing to establish himself at the intersection of music and luxury fashion.