Birmingham has long had a reputation for industry and the toughness of its musical output, and native son Stardom brings the same unrelenting intensity to his road rap. Born in 1989, Stardom (who keeps his real name a secret) got his start rhyming over UK garage beats in the early 2000s, but by 2011’s Served, he was spitting clipped verses alongside fellow Brummie rapper Zimbo over darkly dramatic beats infused with cinematic flair. Stardom’s voice is his not-so-secret weapon; he’s got a gruff, bassy bellow and a habit of sharpening his syllables like pencil points. But while his blunt bars are shaped by his years in underground rap, Stardom isn’t averse to more radio-friendly sounds: with songs like 2019’s “La Vida Loca” and “Strz”, he floats a more melodic flow over slinky, syncopated grooves indebted to Latin pop and Afrobeats.