Young Fathers

Biography

Young Fathers are a Scottish trio formed in Edinburgh in 2008 by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham “G” Hastings, whose multinational backgrounds helped shape a singular, genre-defying sound.[1][3][4] Massaquoi was born in Liberia and moved to Edinburgh as a child, Bankole is of Nigerian parentage and spent parts of his youth in Maryland (USA) and Nigeria before returning to Edinburgh, while Hastings grew up in the Drylaw housing scheme in the city’s north.[3][4] The three met in their early teens around Edinburgh club nights such as the Bongo Club, bonding over bass-heavy hip hop, bashment and dancehall, and initially styled themselves as a “psychedelic hip hop boy band” with choreographed moves and matching outfits.[2][3][4] Early singles like “Straight Back On It,” released via Scottish label Black Sugar Records, brought attention from UK music press and festival slots, but a shelved first album and label troubles pushed them into a more independent, experimental direction.[2][4]

Working out of a basement studio in Edinburgh, Young Fathers issued the mixtapes “Tape One” (2011) and “Tape Two,” whose dark, percussive, bass-driven sound led to a deal with US label Anticon and growing critical acclaim.[1][2][4] They signed to Big Dada and released their official debut album “Dead” in 2014, winning the prestigious Mercury Prize and rapidly becoming a touchstone of forward-looking UK music.[1][4][5] Their follow‑up “White Men Are Black Men Too” (2015), largely recorded in a makeshift Berlin basement studio, further blurred lines between hip hop, pop, noise, gospel, soul and indie, and they later moved to Ninja Tune, continuing a run of celebrated albums and a reputation for intense, politically conscious live shows.[1][3][5] Musically, Young Fathers are noted for rough-edged harmonies, heavy rhythm and chant‑like hooks, while lyrically they often address race, identity, religion and social injustice; although they resist being pigeonholed as a political act, they have become an influential force within experimental hip hop and Scottish indie, collaborating with major artists and appearing prominently on high‑profile film soundtracks such as “T2 Trainspotting.”[1][3][5][7]

Fun Facts

• When they first started out, Young Fathers deliberately presented themselves as a “psychedelic hip hop boy band,” complete with synchronised dance routines and matching outfits, before evolving into a darker, more experimental project.[2][4]
• Their debut full‑length “Dead” was partly created in a cramped basement studio in Leith, Edinburgh, and despite its lo‑fi conditions went on to win the Mercury Prize in 2014.[2][3][5]
• The group reportedly had an earlier album titled “Inconceivable Child...Conceived” ready for release, but it never came out after label issues, pushing them into a more DIY route that ultimately produced the “Tape One” mixtape.[2][4]
• Young Fathers contributed six tracks to the “T2 Trainspotting” soundtrack, including “Only God Knows,” written specifically for the film and described in coverage as a kind of gospel chorus for its climactic scenes.[1][5]

Members

• Callum Easter - keyboard
• Callum Easter - lap steel guitar
• Graham Hastings

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Roots Manuva - Early influence discovered by Kayus Bankole at Edinburgh’s Bongo Club, shaping his understanding of British rap and underground hip hop. (Influence heard broadly across early Young Fathers material including “Tape One” and “Tape Two.”) [Early–mid 2000s (influence), acknowledged in 2015 interview context.[3]]
• Blak Twang - Another British rapper Kayus encountered at club nights, contributing to the group’s grounding in UK hip hop aesthetics. (General stylistic influence on their early rapping and rhythmic approach rather than a specific track.) [Early–mid 2000s (influence), cited retrospectively.[3]]
• Sean Paul - Pop and dancehall influence; Alloysious Massaquoi recalls discovering Sean Paul and “amazing pop songs,” informing Young Fathers’ hook‑driven, rhythm‑centric writing. (Reflected in their melodic, chant‑like choruses across releases such as “Dead” and “White Men Are Black Men Too.”) [Early 2000s (influence), mentioned in later interview.[3]]

Key Collaborators

• Massive Attack - Key creative collaborators; Young Fathers worked on Massive Attack’s single and then joined their UK and European tour. (Single “Voodoo In My Blood” (2016); support slot on Massive Attack’s 2016 UK and European tour.) [2016 and subsequent touring period.[1][5]]
• Timothy London - Early producer and mentor‑figure, working closely with the band on their first (unreleased) album and singles during their “psychedelic hip hop boy band” phase. (Sessions for “Inconceivable Child...Conceived” and single “Straight Back On It.”) [Around 2008–2011.[2][4]]
• Black Sugar Records - First label partner, facilitating their initial singles, touring and festival appearances across the UK and Europe. (Singles including “Straight Back On It” and “Automatic,” plus associated touring.) [Circa 2008–2011.[2][4]]

Artists Influenced

• Scottish indie and experimental hip hop scene (various artists) - Young Fathers are described as part of Scottish indie music’s history and present, and their Mercury‑winning, genre‑blurring work is frequently cited in press as a reference point for newer Scottish and UK experimental acts. (Influence radiates from albums such as “Dead,” “White Men Are Black Men Too” and later releases, which expanded perceptions of what Scottish and UK hip hop could sound like.) [2014 onward, particularly post‑Mercury Prize.[5][7]]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. I Heard (TAPE TWO)
2. Voodoo In My Blood
3. Shame (White Men Are Black Men Too)
4. In My View (Cocoa Sugar)
5. I Saw (Heavy Heavy)
6. Toy (Cocoa Sugar)
7. Rice (Heavy Heavy)
8. Only God Knows
9. Tell Somebody (Heavy Heavy)
10. Geronimo (Heavy Heavy)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #alternative-hip-hop, #breakbeat, #breaks