Fugative

Aged just sixteen, Fugative’s twisted hooks and colourful rhymes belie his tender years. This ain’t no Disney reared cash cow cynically aimed at raiding the piggy banks of impressionable young girls. Fugative AKA Harry Byart is the real deal, a living and breathing testament to his music, striving to reach the top on his very own merits.

With little or no radio play Fugative was an Internet phenomenon, blowing up all over YouTube and Myspace. Better was to come with tongue-in-cheek follow-up ‘Jimmy Shoe’ which kicked off a massive touring stint that would take in over 160 shows across the country “It feels like I know every motorway in the UK now. People were beginning to know my name and I’m really proud of that.” Hysterical fans up and down the country were following his every move online or at the one of the many under 18 shows he performed. “I try and answer every email or message on Myspace personally. But it’s getting harder to keep up.”

The endless gigging was starting to pay off and Ministry of Sound came knocking. He recalls: “Jimmy Shoe’ was the record that got me a record deal. I did it all at home in two days, totally independent.”

Kirk Burrowes - the mogul who founded legendary Bad Boy Records with P Diddy - demanded a meeting. The man whose credits include Eminem and described the Brit teen as possessing “the intuitiveness of an artist twice his age.

Other artists began hitting him for beats and Fugative was asked to write for new a girl band along the way. Surviving on less than four hours sleep a night and with over 40 tracks recorded the Fugative’s album ‘No Goin’ Home’ was finally baked to perfection.

Certainly less abrasive than his better-known North London contemporaries N-Dubz, this lad’s Internationally flavoured output reaches out beyond the UK urban scene’s confines. Never mind that his future is destined to be bright. Fugative is already the finished article and this album’s sure to be one of the year’s highlights.