ibe

About

" The new star of Finnish urban music "

It’s become something of a cliche to refer to an artist as “the voice of their generation”. But with Finnish rapper ibe, the description is apt. From his piercing blue eye staring out from press shots, to his seductive mix of rap, hip hop, trap, and pop, ibe’s music has clearly struck a chord with Finnish youth – he’s a leading light of the new wave of Finnish urban music. Critical acclaim and chart success have followed as quickly as his legion of fans; not bad for a 23-year-old self-starter.

Part of what makes ibe so enigmatic is his versatility as an artist – he drifts effortlessly between microgenres. “Something for everyone” states his artist page, and it’s true: energetic trap hop, more glacial R&B-style pop, straight up rap, and thoughtful, slower, almost spoken word tracks all form part of his work. He describes his relationship to his production as “a diary”, with personality and openness important values. That’s why listeners can find their own interpretations in his rhymes; he’s a universal lyricist, grappling with themes and fears we can all relate to.

And he’s prolific; since breaking through in 2017 with his self-titled debut album, he’s released four more records and numerous stand-alone singles. Third album ‘IBELIUS’ spent 32 weeks on the Finnish album chart; his fourth, 2020’s ‘perkele!’, charted for over a year. That last record saw him win Rap Album of the Year in the Emma Awards 2021, which followed numerous nominations – mainstream and critical success that finally reflected his standing with young Finnish music lovers.