UK rap is taking inspiration from the world of sport more than ever becoming infused with a multitude of sport based ‘bars’ in each song. All the way from Dave at the very top of the game with his fan favourite song named after world class defender ‘Thiago Silva’, to up and coming, more underground artists creating a name in the scene, it will not be long before your ears prick up at the reference of a Premier League football in one of your favourite tunes.
An individual who is creating major waves right now in the UK rap scene is Hastings’ very own ‘Arka’. Arka is a youthful, cheeky and charismatic artist and his music mirrors exactly this image. Being a student at Nottingham Trent in his early twenties Arka’s lyrics typically reference girls, university, partying and last but certainly not least Football.
Juggling his uni work and also making big hits in the UK, Arka is often London based where he watches his beloved Fulham FC play in the Premier League. His surgance in the UK scene came after gaining viral TikTok hits with freestyles and snippets of some of his discography and bars. His audacious flow accompanied by his natural mischievous charm has resulted in the student collaborating with the likes of Declan Rice and Adidas Football, signing a deal with ‘NQ’ record label.
As football bars are such an integral feature in his music, here are the top ten times Arka references sport in his music:
10. “Stay humble, never been cocky, put a peng one in the ring like Rocky, and I can never be stuck with the same flow, them man shoot in the box like hockey.” – Arka In Park Freestyle Pt 2
Rocking a tidy Mexico home strip, Arka uses a cheeky metaphor about putting a ring on a girl linking into the massive 1976 movie about the boxer Rocky Balboa.
9. “I woke up feeling like Maradona, (look) ‘cah I handle the ting no pressure. Them guys have got white on the sidelines but me I’m all clean, no Tesla.” – Next Up? S4 E40
Waking up feeling like Maradona has multiple implications, perhaps with the majority of them connoting some misdemeanours. Yet, nevertheless, creative bars.
8. “I might bang 40 in a season, yeah, and do them up like Mitrovic.” – Biggidy Back
An avid Fulham fan referencing a record breaking goal tally by their Serbian talisman, that has to make the top ten.
7. “You don’t wanna see when me and the boys come through in a German C A R, what you want B A R?, put them on a screen like V A R.” – Arka In Park Freestyle Pt 4
A unique change of flow caused Arka to reference one of sports most controversial pieces of technology ever.
6. “Their bud there come quiet and that but our ting loud like Jurgen Klopp, now centre of the pitch like Ji-Sung Park, things went left like Heung-Min Son.” – Arka In Park Freestyle
In a retro Fulham shirt using one of the Premier League’s greatest managers to describe his ‘stuff’ being better than theirs, followed by a couple more pure Barclay’s references is pretty cool.
5. “I tell a man that’s his girlfriend loose, and he better keep her right in the check (Cech) no Petr.” – Working Late Freestyle
Using arguably the Premier League’s greatest ever goalkeeper as a pun has earned its spot in the top five bars.
4. “I swear, I swear, Ri-Cardo I got flair and that.” – Ricardo
For the pure vibes and summer feeling this song brings to the table it has to be inside the top five. A music video shot in Faro, Portugal using tricky winger Ricardo Quaresma as the chorus is admirable.
3. “I weren’t even meant to win, it’s got me feeling like 15/16 Leicester.” – Nice
A great analogy referring to his come up on the UK scene being similar to the 15/16 Leicester title winning season.
2. “I went away for a bit, but now it’s back to business, me I get wheels on the track, like it’s Paraolypmics.” – Next Up? S4 EP40
“Wheels on the track” meaning he’s getting his music repeated because it’s so good whilst making it a simile to paralympic sports is not only inclusive but imaginative to say the least.
1. “ I don’t wanna get too comfy and stay too long like Arsene Wenger, and he’s had a good run at the top but if he slips up then I’m on like Demba.” – Serious
Wenger possibly outstayed his welcome in his last couple seasons with the Gunners as Arka then goes on to reference a moment Liverpool fans wish never ever happened.
Alongside all these creative punchlines, Arka’s freestyles have become synonymous with football shirts as he sports a new one in each one of his new freestyle videos.
Watch out for the young rapper’s light-hearted and energetic rhythms this summer as he will continue to make a serious climb up the UK rap scene ladder.