Young T & Bugsey: 'Don't Rush' duo deserve all the attention
Young T & Bugsey were arguably the stars of the show at Strawberries & Creem Festival 2019.
The dynamic duo were dripped out in two iconic Iceberg outfits which were most definitely a hit with our photographers (check out the snaps below), and their performances were even more head-turning for the crowds that turned out to hear them, in no fewer than 3 sets during the day!
Not only did they shut down the Main Stage with two of the anthems of the Summer - ‘Ay Caramba’ and ‘Strike A Pose’ - but they were also brought out in the Big Top Tent by Kenny Allstar, and then again on the Main Stage during the Beatfreakz’s epic takeover set (also featuring special guests, Ms Banks, Dappy, Deno, Amelia Monet, MO and Likkle Man).
In the last 9 months since then, the pair have gone from strength to strength with the quality of their new releases and shows, and also dropped their deservedly-praised debut album ‘Plead The 5th’ - which features their Top 10 with Aitch and ‘Don’t Rush’ featuring Headie One.
For those in the know, ‘Don’t Rush’ has been around for a minute now - however, in the last few weeks the tune has blown up internationally as a result of Coronavirus lockdown-related creativity/boredom, with the masses latching onto it and proliferating the track via social media.
The #DontRushChallenge was created on 22nd March by Toluwalase Asolo, a 20-year-old business management student, with seven friends. Fast forward a month, and their video has now amassed a staggering 2.1 million views on Twitter, and been replicated countless times.
The original #DontRushChallenge video shows each girl’s glow up from ‘quarantine bummy’, (which has become everybodies norm) to being dressed up ready for a night out, while passing around a virtual baton, in their case a make-up brush. It’s highly relatable and super stylish too, and clearly so engaging that the concept soon went viral and the rest is internet culture history.
The challenge has gained mass traction in a period of boredom and loneliness as a way of showing togetherness and celebrating diversity. There was no specific reason for the girls to initially use Young T & Bugsey’s tune, but the rappers have since jumped on the hype wave themselves by promoting some of the content being created by people around the world.
Some huge personalities across the globe have also taken part in the challenge with their friends - the likes of Cuppy from Nigeria, Skai Jackson and Storm Reid in Hollywood, not to mention Jess Glynn and Darko representing women in the UK music scene to name just a few.
The #DontRushChallenge has also been used as a way to showcase the diversity of culture for women of colour, with many of the challenges shining the spotlight on female figures from a particular country or industry. Young T & Bugsey have also been instrumental on their Instagram page by making sure women show out and represent. We found the two videos made by health care workers from the US and UK particularly moving considering the current circumstances.
In an unprecedented time of isolation and uncertainty, this light-hearted but positive-thinking trend has provided a way to bring people together - and empower women specifically to embrace what some short-sighted sections of society may consider ‘flaws’ as natural beauty and diversity.
Thanks to the #DontRushChallenge, ‘Don’t Rush’ the song has now charted in over nine different countries on major streaming platforms - driving lots of much-deserved attention to these two rising stars, plus providing incredible promo for their album which dropped in March too.
We doubt the rappers from Nottingham would have ever expected a song they made a year ago to be a global phenomenon, or to spread such light and positivity in an otherwise dark time. The power of human creativity plus the magic of social media proving again that there is no rule book to making a hit record in this day and age - and congratulations to the boys from all of us here at S&C Festival!
Listen to Young T & Bugsey’s hit tune ‘Don’t Rush’ here, or check out some of the best #DontRushChallenge efforts here.
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Take care & stay safe!
S&C Team 🍓