The rapid rise of D-Block Europe has been incredible to watch. The duo has already sold out The O2 â one of London’s biggest arenas â three times over, and now Young Adz and Dirtbike LB are returning for an almighty run of four consecutive shows, promising special guests and some of the first ever live airings for their new album Rolling Stone.
Released on January 12, the record features guest appearances from Yxng Bane, Kodak Black, and Noizy, and builds on the group’s trademark “wavy trap” sound. Filled with wavering, atmospheric autotune, it went straight to number one in the UK Albums Chart.
Ahead of everything kicking off this Sunday, here’s everything you need to know about the south London hitmakers.
The early days
It all starts with Young Adz and Dirtbike LB, who met at school in Catford. “This is my best friend!” Adz told Complex. “I’m with him every single day. If you’re not gonna rap with me, I’m not really on it.” The pair take their name from their connection with the Yonkers rapper Jadakiss, who runs the hip-hip label D-Block Records.
Originally, he wanted Young Adz, then 15 years old, to appear on a track, but he soon decided to offer him a full-blown record deal instead, and launched the act as the European reps of the imprint. Though they’ve been releasing music for a decade now, their initial breakthrough came with early singles Large Amounts, Darling, and Nasty in 2017.
The big breakthrough
A year later, DBE put out their first mixtape with Yxng Bane, Any Minute Now. Breaking into the UK Top 20, and clocking in at under 30 minutes, it put them on the map. In 2019 their first ever solo mixtape Home Alone infiltrated the Top 10 – and Dave collab Playing for Keeps paved the way for the guest-studded follow-up PTSD. As well as Dave and Yung Bxne, it also featured AJ Tracey, Chip, Jackboy, Krept and Konan, K-Trap, Lil Baby, Lil Pino, and M Huncho.
Sequel mixtape Home Alone 2 followed in 2021.
Mainstream success
By the time 2020’s debut album The Blue Print: Us vs. Them came around, D-Block Europe were officially massive. The reviews weren’t necessarily glowing across the board – ”the music tends to a pretty strict pattern,” said The Guardian – but the duo’s formula is a hit.
After winning a nomination for Best Hip Hop Act at the MOBOs in 2020, they took home the prize the following year. In 2022, the same year as the release of their second studio album Lap 5, the duo bagged their first ever Brit nod for Best Group.
2023 saw the release of their 6th project, DBE World.
And the pace shows no sign of slowing. This year, they’re up for Song of the Year at the Brits with their Cassö and Raye collaboration Prada.
After this year’s Rolling Stone went straight to number 1, they smashed a record, securing the most Top 10 albums of any British rap act in UK chart history. The record was previously held by Mike Skinner’s The Streets.
"D-Block Europe in the building!” they said, celebrating their eighth Top 10 record. “Young black rockstars! Number 1! Rolling Stone...thank you. We love you. Gang gang, you know the vibes!"
And now, their O2 run is their biggest headline achievement yet. It all kicks off on February 4.
