British rap has never been so powerful.
In the mainstream, figures like Skepta, Central Cee, and Dave continue to dominate, releasing new releases and booking tour dates. But look to the fringes and you'll find a thriving UK underground scene experiencing explosive growth. Artists like Jim Legxacy, YT, and EsDeeKid are driving this momentum.
If there's been one constant throughout this rise, it's the 21-year-old rapper fakemink from Essex. His popularity soared last spring, and he received praise from some of pop culture's biggest names, including Clairo, Frank Ocean, Playboi Carti, Drake, and Timothée Chalamet. (He's also been linked to the promotion of Marty Supreme .)
He's become one of the most exciting rising rappers of the last few years. The question is, can he take it to the next level? He released his new album on May 22. Terrfed . With the album's release, let's take a look back at one of the most promising young rappers to emerge from the UK. Here's everything you need to know about fakemink.
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Who are Fakemink?
Katie Flores/Billboard via Getty Images
Vincenzo Camille, real name fakemink, is originally from Essex, England, and grew up in the small suburb of Basildon, about an hour's drive from London. He is of Indian and Algerian descent, which he revealed at X in the spring of 2025.
What songs by Fakemink made him popular?
Despite having been in the music industry for many years, Fakemink is best known for his feature on rising stars EsDeeKid and Rico Ace's 2025 track "LV Sandals," which was ranked among the best songs of 2025. .
While both EsDee and Rico deliver excellent verses, mink's chorus is undoubtedly the track's highlight. His choppy repetition of the word "Louis," coupled with his elevated intonation, makes this perhaps one of the most memorable choruses of 2025.
The song became one of the most popular singles from EsDee's debut project, Rebel , and helped bring mink into the spotlight. Even artists like Jack Harlow and Camila Cabello were seen enjoying mink's chorus.
Fakemink's Music Career Beginnings: When Did He Start His Career?
Fakemink has been creating music for many years.
In 2024, he told the publication No Bells : "I've been using FL Studio since 2015, I'm 19, so I've been using it for about nine years now.".
He initially released music under the moniker 9090gate before changing it to his current one. In a 2025 interview with Hyperpop Daily, he explained how the name change came about, calling it a "spontaneous" decision made while sitting on his ex-girlfriend's bed.
His Spotify profile, under the name 9090gate, still exists as a sort of archive of his old persona and continues to attract over 300,000 listeners per month.
What is Fakemink's musical style?
In fact, fakemink started out as a producer and only took up the mic after mastering FL Studio.
In an interview No Bells He spoke about his roots as a rapper: "When I was creating my music, I was listening to Drake's 'Headlines' and I copied the exact same snare drum pattern from 'Headlines,' which is the exact pattern used in jerk music. And I think jerk music is more like hyper-pop. But since I work with producers who exclusively make jerk beats, you could say I'm a jerk artist.".
Fakemink's sound is rooted in the restless rhythms of jerk, but it's difficult to pigeonhole him into any single genre. His music is a sonic cocktail, borrowing elements from a wide range of internet styles. The booming synths and bassline on the euphoric "Easter Pink" clearly demonstrate the influence of Crystal Castles. On "Kill Everything," he reworks a sample from Imogen Heap's "Headlock," previously used by ASAP Rocky, Lil B, Cochise, 41, and Duwap Kaine. Fakemink adds a refreshing indie-electronic edge, allowing the sample to stutter and shimmer in the background.
Vocally, mink constantly experiments with pitch, which is fully demonstrated on his debut album. London's Saviour , released in 2023. On some tracks, like "London Life," his voice sounds like he inhaled helium before recording, while on others, like "Loser Monologue," he uses his natural register or even lowers it slightly. Regardless of tone, mink's distinctive nasal voice dominates any genre or instrumental composition he tackles.
New listeners should start with his EP Wild One 2024, where mink further pushes the boundaries of the genre. Tracks like the slow, energetic "Chinchilla" and the upbeat, rhythmic "Blow Me" showcase the full spectrum of his eclectic style.
FakeMink Collaboration
Fakemink started out as a one-man project. He boasted in an Instagram live stream that he could "produce, record, write, mix, master, and record an album in three days," which is how he created it. Saviour's London album . As his popularity grew, this self-contained approach gave way to an expanding list of collaborators, from the British underground to artists from the US.
Having begun collaborating in his home country, he has collaborated with the aforementioned EsDeeKid on numerous occasions. The duo developed a strong chemistry not only on "LV Sandals," but also on tracks like "Tropical (Remix)" and "Slurricane," both of which develop a British interpretation of the jerk genre. Mink also collaborated with EsDeeKid's producer, Wraith9, on the ominous track "Fidelio." He has also collaborated with other rising British underground artists, including GhostInnaFurCoat, Fimigurrero, and Zukovstheworld.
In recent years, Mink has also established connections in the US. One of his first collaborations was with jerk pioneer Xavier So, based on their 2024 song "Shih Tzu." Xavier explained Complex , that Mink is his favorite British rapper, saying: "He's my homie because I was really good with him, you know?"«
Since then, Mink has released several songs with underground producer WeGoneBeOk, including "Music And Me" and "Look At Me".
Fakemink's supporters include Drake, Frank Ocean, Timothée Chalamet and many others.
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Mink is a prolific performer, and it all started when Drake invited him on stage during his three-day Wireless Festival. There, Mink performed "Music and Me" and "LV Sandals," a significant event that brought him to the spotlight and a wave of celebrity endorsements.
Shortly after, Frank Ocean followed mink on Instagram and shared a photo of the rapper wearing Homer jewelry for Face Magazine. Mink later went live on Instagram to share the valuable advice Frank had given him. "He's given me the best advice out of anyone in this industry. He's very understanding and a good listener. He's not a big talker. He talks when he needs to, but he really listens, and that's why I support Frank.".
Playboi Carti helped bring attention to his work by supporting Mink, inviting him to perform at a Los Angeles concert as part of his Antagonist 2.0 tour. Mink was spotted on stage to great acclaim and later performed "LV Sandals" at Carti's afterparty. Timothée Chalamet also gave him a surprise performance by appearing at Mink's concert in August. SZA shared his song "Truffle" on her Instagram story, and Clairo even followed him on Instagram.
Other notable artists seen collaborating with Mink include Yung Lean, Pinkpantheress, A$AP Rocky, Ecco2k, Plaqueboymax, Clipse, André 3000, Yeat, Lazerdim700, and Bladee.
Has Fakemink collaborated with Kanye West?
Yeezy has always been an artist with a knack for spotting new, promising talent, so it's no exaggeration to suggest that Mink has met one of his biggest inspirations.
There's no official confirmation, but several hints suggest the British rapper has at least reached out to Ye. Last year, amid all the hype surrounding Mink, he posted a cryptic Instagram story that appeared to feature a Chrome Maybach—Kanye's favorite car.
Mink's work also bears a strong Kanye influence, from his style of dress to his demeanor. During his performance at Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, he paused the show to perform "On Sight" and held his Yeezy Louis Vuittons to his ear in homage to the designer. In an Instagram Live broadcast, he declared himself "more than just a rapper," and later repeated several classic "Kanye lines," declaring he's better than any rapper "living or dead.".
Does fakemink have a conflict with Nettspend?
Mink and American underground rapper Nettspend initially struck up a friendship. They were spotted together at New York Fashion Week 2025, alongside Lil Yachty and Slawn. Later, in September of that year, the duo announced a joint track at the Grailed event in New York City.
For unknown reasons, Mink and Nett allegedly had a falling out and unfollowed each other on Instagram. In October, Mink posted on her Instagram Stories, saying, "Fake love won't get you anywhere, man," which fans assumed was directed at Nett.
Mink then released a track titled "Look At Me," co-produced by Nett's regular producer, WeGoneBeOk. Over a dark instrumental, Mink raps, "You pout, move like a diva / I got everything you want and need, uh / I'll let you try to hurt 'cause I'll hurt deeper.".
User fakemink denied it was a dig, but fans speculated the lines were a veiled reference to Nettspend, following his recent modeling work for luxury brands like Miu Miu and Marc Jacobs.
What did fakeMink say about the criticism at Rolling Loud and Coachella?
Supreme
Following criticism of his performances at the Coachella and Rolling Loud festivals, fakemink published a 600-word response on social media. He dismissed the backlash as unfair attacks from a new group of haters, adding that he had forgiven his critics.
«"I've come to terms with the fact that some minds are mere decoration. Being at the forefront requires a certain mental independence that most internet users generally lack," he wrote. "Mediocrity doesn't breed this level of emotional instability in strangers. No one ever lost sleep over someone else's decent personality.".
What happened to the secret guest on the show? «Terrified» ?
EtnaVeraVela
The day before the release, fakemink appeared on Zane Lowe's show to talk about what to expect from the album and how he worked on its creation. He said:
«"I'm so proud of this because I made it all from scratch. With the exception of two songs, two songs use samples. I tried to cut the samples the same way as in London Savior, so that they are properly camouflaged.".
The album, which he described as "lo-fi hip-hop if it were on the radio," is an eccentric and often captivating mix of genres, from EDM to rap. The album also features no guest artists. This wasn't originally planned. fakemink hinted at a secret guest appearance, and some fans speculated it would be Frank Ocean or Drake. But at the last minute, neither turned up. On Tumblr, he wrote that Dazed was "late.".
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