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Jyrelle Justin O'Connor (born 6 May 1999), known professionally as Loski (formerly Lil' Nizzy), is a British rapper and singer from Kennington, London. He is part of the Kennington-based UK drill group Harlem Spartans.

Loski began his career in 2012 under the name Lil' Nizzy and in 2016 under his current moniker he released his breakout single "Hazards"; this was followed by "DJ Khaled", which both became underground hits.

On 13 April 2018 he released his debut mixtape, Call Me Loose, and on 1 March 2019 he released his second mixtape, Mad Move. In 2020, Loski released his long-awaited debut studio album, Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story. On 15 October 2021 he released a 10-song EP titled, Censored EP and on 30 June 2023 he released his fifth project titled, See You At The Gates, after being sentenced to 7 years in prison for possessing a loaded revolver. He was then released on 1 October 2024.

Early life

Jyrelle Justin O'Connor was born in Kennington, London on 6 May 1999. His father was Ty Nizzy, a member of the PDC rap group and "an originator of road rap", according to The Guardian. His mother, Dionne Greenland, studied English literature and history while attending university, which Loski said inspired storytelling within his songs. O'Connor said in an interview with VICE that both of his parents supported him in pursuing a musical career.

O'Connor moved from Kennington to Borehamwood to live with his grandmother at the age of 12 following a group of boys putting a gun to his head. He attended Hertswood Academy. In 2013, he was reported as missing from his house.

Career

During O'Connor's early musical career, he went under the name Lil' Nizzy, in reference to his father, Ty Nizzy, member of legendary road rap collective PDC . He released a song alongside Danks in 2012.

Under the name Loski, he released his breakout single, "Hazards", in 2016. Other early songs included "Money and Beef", "DJ Khaled" and "Teddy Bruckshot".

In March 2018, Loski was signed to Sony Music Entertainment. The following month, he released his debut mixtape Call Me Loose, which peaked at number 44 on the UK Albums Chart and was named as one of the inspirations for Scorpion by Drake. In an article with MTV, Loski stated that the mixtape was about "the neighbourhood, friends, everything growing up". The following year, he released the mixtape Mad Move, which peaked at number 41. An article in Versus noted that the mixtape "sees the south Londoner plant himself firmly at the fore of the genre."

In 2020, Loski released his debut album, Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story, which peaked at number 39 on the UK Albums Chart and was noted as being "several albums at once". Robert Kazandjian, writing for Clash, stated that the album was divided into three acts, with the album as a whole mainly centered around legal issues.

In September 2021, Loski announced his debut EP, Censored. The EP was released on 15 October; an article in Trench noted that "although the extensive cast of producers keep the Censored's sound close to Loski's drill roots, the rapper's evolution is laid bare as he attacks each track with an effortless display of lyrical greaze."

Criminal convictions

In 2015, while O'Connor was 15 years old he was convicted of possession of a sawn-off shotgun. In 2016, O'Connor was sentenced to prison after being found in possession of a knife. He was released in 2017.

On 9 April 2019, he was stopped by police while travelling to Willesden; they found him in possession of a revolver. O'Connor was charged with possession of a firearm, intent to endanger life, and possession of ammunition as a result; his first trial resulted in a retrial as a result of his prosecutor falling ill, while the second resulted in a hung jury. He was found guilty of possessing a prohibited firearm on 5 January 2023 and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. O'Connor was then later released on 30 September 2024.

Discography

Studio albums

Mixtapes

EPs

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Awards and nominations

References

1. ^ Taylor, Diane (3 February 2020). "Rapper Loski tells court drug dealer forced him to carry gun". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
2. ^ "ACE Repertory". ASCAP. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
3. "Loski | Gigs in Scotland". gigsinscotland.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022. A pioneer of the early U.K. drill scene, Loski (aka Loose, Big Skii) built his name in the game as part of iconic Kennington collective Harlem Spartans.
4. "#ONTHERISE LOSKI LOOSE (HARLEM SPARTANS): TOP 5 SELECTED!". watsonrose.co.uk. 15 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022. Loski AKA Loski Loose (also the son of Ty Nizzy from the notorious Brixton rap crew PDC) is a young micman that's doin' bits this year, and is positioning himself for an ascent into a higher tier of importance in the scene.
5. ^ Patterson, Joseph (6 March 2021). "One to watch: Loski". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
6. Gloria, Sweeney (20 November 2020). "Loski Talks Debut Album, Harlem Spartans, Jail & More". Mixtape Madness. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
7. ^ "Rapper and gang member jailed for seven years". Crown Prosecution Service. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
8. ^ Herlock, Ethan (3 April 2020). "'I'm Still Playing Catch Up – I Just Gotta Kill It': Loski on His Journey to the Top of Drill". VICE. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
9. ^ Bassil, Ryan (11 January 2019). "Drill Artist Loski Is Dripping with Flair". VICE. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
10. Slater, Anna (11 February 2013). "Jyrelle O'Connor Greenland, 13, missing from Borehamwood". borehamwoodtimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
11. "HERITAGE: BEFORE HE WAS LOSKI, LIL' NIZZY WAS SPRAYING PURE HEAT OVER SOLID GOLD HIP-HOP INSTRUMENTALS (2012)". trenchtrenchtrench.com. 16 April 2018. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
12. ^ Rathod, Nikita (31 October 2018). "THE BREAK PRESENTS: LOSKI". XXL. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
13. ^ Taylor, Diane (27 May 2021). "Jury discharged after failing to reach verdict in trial of rapper Loski". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
14. Griffin, Alex (29 June 2018). "DRAKE REVEALS THESE UK RAPPERS INSPIRED 'SCORPION'". grmdaily.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
15. Navjosh (30 June 2018). "Drake Reveals The Music That Inspired 'Scorpion' Sessions". hiphop-n-more.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
16. Rowden, Claire (18 January 2019). "Loski Talks Drake Being A Fan & The Inspiration Behind Mixtape 'Call Me Loose'". MTV. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
17. Scrafton, Lewis (1 March 2019). "Loski Drops His Hard-Hitting New Mixtape 'Mad Move'". versus.uk.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
18. Adjei-Kontoh, Hubert (24 November 2020). "A Drill Story: Music, Trial & Trauma". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
19. Kazandjian, Robert (20 November 2020). "Loski - Music, Trial And Trauma: A Drill Story". Clash. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
20. W, Courtney (22 September 2021). "LOSKI ANNOUNCES NEW EP 'CENSORED'". grmdaily.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
21. Keith, James (15 October 2021). "Loski Returns To His Roots With New 10-Track EP 'Censored'". Complex Networks. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
22. Borode, Blessing (18 October 2021). "LOSKI DELIVERS NEW 'CENSORED' EP WITH FEATURES FROM SUSPECT, GEE SPLASH, SD". trenchtrenchtrench.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
23. ^ Taylor, Diane (21 January 2020). "Drill artist Loski caught with loaded gun, court told". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
24. Taylor, Diane (5 February 2020). "Trial of rapper Loski collapses as prosecutor falls ill". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
25. Burrell, Miriam (4 January 2023). "Brixton drill rapper 'Loski' guilty of possessing loaded revolver". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
26. ^ "LOSKI | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
27. ^ "British certifications – Loski". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 March 2022. Type Loski in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
28. Coaker, Nic (31 July 2018). "RATED AWARDS 2018: ALL NOMINEES REVEALED". grmdaily.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
29. "MOBO AWARDS 2020: SEE THE FULL LIST OF NOMINEES!". mobo.com. 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
30. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (11 November 2021). "Dave tops nominations at 2021 Mobo awards". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
31. Nazareno, Mia (16 September 2021). "Jorja Smith, Central Cee & More Take Home 2021 GRM Rated Awards: Full Winners List". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
32. "Drake up for 4 prizes at Urban Music Awards". music-news.com. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2022.

• 21st-century British rappers
• Black British male rappers
• English male rappers
• British hip-hop musicians
• Rappers from the London Borough of Lambeth
• UK drill musicians
• Gangsta rappers
• People from Kennington
• Living people
• 1999 births