A veteran and iconic figure within the U.K. grime scene, President T (formerly Prez T) started his career as a jungle/drum'n'bass MC before joining legendary crew Meridian in the early 21st century. With his singular flow, deep-bodied tone, and gripping narratives, the rapper found equal success in solo and collaborative work: in addition to being a key member of both Meridian and Bloodline, T's solo efforts included the classic mixtape Back Inna My Face (2008) as well as a collection of well-received albums throughout the 2010s. Born in Birmingham but raised in Tottenham, President T (born Anthony Harris) found his footing on the live circuit, perfecting his flow and delivery in drum'n'bass sets through the '90s. As these performances transitioned into garage, two-step, and eventually grime, the rapper found himself at the core of the emerging scene, linking up with local MCs to form the now-legendary Meridian crew. The group, taking its name from Tottenham's Meridian Estate, brought much of London's young talent under one banner, its roster including artists like Skepta, JME, and Big H (T's brother). With their roots in pirate radio and live sets, the crew continued to demonstrate their mic skills with explosive freestyles, as well as appearing on the first two volumes of the compilation mixtape Sidewinder. As part of the collective, Prez continued to develop his singular style, honing the angular flow and stacking bar structures on which he would build his name. With the Adenuga brothers splitting from Meridian to form Boy Better Know, Prez found a new outlet as founding member of Bloodline (Big H, Paper Pablo, Bossman Birdie) while keeping ties to the Skepta and JME-headed label. Under the Bloodline umbrella, Prez soon put his first rhymes to record, releasing the single "Large Way/Heard What I Said" on DJ Logan Sama's label Adamantium. His first mixtape, titled Back Inna My Face, Vol. 1, was soon to follow. Released through Boy Better Know in 2008, the tape offered a vast showcase of the rapper's unique flow and brutal tales, delivered over the raw electronics of the early grime scene. Despite the MC's established place within the scene, it was not until the mid-2010s that Prez issued another full-length release. Citing the approach of new label Star Work as a key factor in his productivity, Prez released second mixtape Greatest to Ever Touch Down in December 2015, bundled alongside a remastered copy of Back Inna My Face. Retaining the rapper's unmistakable delivery and street-level anecdotes, the project remained close to Prez's roots, scored by 2015 modernizations of the grime sound. Moving into the second half of the decade, T continued to expand his sonics, taking influence from modern production styles to complement his high-stakes lyricism. After finding his biggest hit to date with single "T on the Wing," the rapper released his debut album of the same name in December 2016, enlisting artists from JME to P Money for features. This would be the first in a series of albums released as the rapper's career continued to develop: the long-promised Stranger Returns arrived in early 2018, and was soon followed by fourth LP There's Only One (2018) and fifth album Passing the Bill (2019). While these projects saw Prez continue to experiment with production aspects from trap, modern hip-hop, and even drill, his authoritative tone, unique flow, and compelling tales remained at the forefront of his work. ~ David Crone