1Xtra launches first ever UK rap chart for 'fair playing field'

British rap artists will step into the spotlight later when BBC Radio 1Xtra launches the first ever dedicated rap chart based on UK listening figures.

DJ Kenny Allstar, who'll host the countdown on Friday nights, has one word: "Finally".

"If we have our own fair playing field where we can all be celebrated... it then feels fair and it feels exciting," he tells BBC Newsbeat.

Currently artists compete across genres for a spot in the Official Singles Chart, but Allstar says this is dominated by pop music, making it harder for other genres to be heard.

Perhaps with the exception of heavyweights like Central Cee and Dave, who broke chart records with Sprinter back in 2023 , "it's not easy for any artist to go against Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift every week," he says.

Compiled by the Official Charts Company, 20 rap singles from British artists will be ranked each week based on streams and sales in the UK.

It follows the launch of other genre-specific charts including for R&B, 'homegrown' albums and British Asian music.

Allstar hopes it'll give UK rap a boost as he acknowledges it has taken a bit of a beating recently with prominent artists like Skepta and Digga saying the quality of music coming from the scene has dipped.

"Future broadcasters and talent will benefit from this forever, I'm super gassed."

Allstar has long been a champion of UK rap and currently presents the Rap Show on BBC Radio 1, which he describes as "the show I always wanted as a kid".

This new role is "a pinch me moment," he says.

The Official Charts Company previously listed the 40 top selling R&B and hip hop tracks on its website, but there had been nowhere for fans to listen to the chart.

"It was literally just a bunch of numbers and text, so it kind of existed but not in this capacity," Allstar says.

Each week will likely see at least three or four new artists in the chart, giving emerging talent a chance to be heard by hundreds of thousands of listeners.

"What we can finally have is UK rap having its dedicated space where artists can just be celebrated," he says.

Eric Hunter, from the Official Charts Company, says the countdown will be "an amazing opportunity to shine a light on more artists, document the culture and give emerging talent a way to track their progress alongside their peers".

The company says UK rap is "one of the country's most influential and fast-moving music scenes" and the chart will celebrate both established names and the next generation of rappers driving the scene.

The debut show coincides with Skepta's long-awaited sixth studio album and Allstar says he expects to see the rapper feature in the chart.

"It's looking promising, but the only way you can find out is if you listen in," he says.

The Official UK Rap Chart will broadcast on 1Xtra each Friday from 22:00-23:00 and will be available after on BBC Sounds.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

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