If the past few months haven’t felt imprisoning, imagine the feeling of making it out again. Euphoric scenes followed Potter Payper yesterday, walking out of HMP all smiles before unleashing his first release since being sent down on drugs charges in 2018; the four track EP 20/20 Vision. Potter’s return was announced by a friend’s Instagram video, showing him leaving prison.

Renowned as a masterful story-teller since his emergence around 2012, Potter often uses intelligent metaphors to depict his illicit, get rich or die trying lifestyle, unashamedly touching upon the consequences that led to repeated prison stints, altogether shaping Potter into the money-stacking street schemer he inevitably became. Over the course of his rap career, Potter received props from icons such Giggs, Stormzy, Charlie Sloth and many more. 

A gangster rapper way before the days of mainstream drill music, Potter became revered as one of UK’s most authentic emcees, not only on account of lyrical intelligence and undeterrable flows, but for truly living the mad life which he described. Having emerged close to a decade ago, going viral alongside Birmingham rapper KB, blowing up with an unforgettable Blackbox freestyle, releasing an acclaimed back-catalogue of mixtape releases including Training Day 1 & 2, One Time and many more despite spending half those years incarcerated - Potter Payper has become cemented as a UK rap legend in his own lane. 

Despite the ever-changing rap industry, Potter remains his same self, albeit with renewed 20/20 Vision. The four track EP, announced alongside his return, portrays Potter’s personal perspectives on a plate. Hopefully he can take the correct steps to maintaining his music and financial successes, without slipping back into penitentiary. 

Typical to Potter’s past projects, 20/20 Vision runs concurrently with recurring themes and fluid instrumental mixes blending each track as though it were one entirety. Kick-starting with ‘Never Left’, produced by 5ive, Potter brings high enthusiasm to an energetic beat, lyrically touching upon ‘Pride and honour’ perspectives, riding his time whilst forever shouting out his jailbird friends, being a gang boss, coming up of ‘cocaine, hope and a prayer.’ 

The second single, self-titled ‘20/20 Vision Freestyle’, doesn’t have a chorus, just straight-up rhymes relieving his criminality, the times spent always looking over his shoulder. To then becoming famous from a life spent rapping and trapping, making grands and wearing the finest fashion. Potter also portrays the consequences of his successes, over the melodic, booming instrumental produced by Cage x AJ. 

‘Filthy Free’ is a touching tribute to Potters friends no longer here, their families and more of his affiliates lifed off behind bars. Potter details dealing with the news whilst imprisoned, and how each incident fueled Potter’s desire to succeed more because of them. Overall the sentiment conveys Potter’s gratitude for not being filthy rich, but ‘filthy free.’

The final track, ‘PMW’ (Pussy, Money, Weed), is calm yet another heartfelt exhibition of Potter’s undeniable lyrical finesse, based on his own true experiences. Reflecting on a life spent trapping, having passion for OT whilst mashing work, always backing his people and forever grinding, ‘I can’t lie to you,’ says Potter. ‘Crime pays in a lot of ways, you’ve got to hold a bird before you know it’s not a game.’ 

Although the four tracks feature some of Potter’s deepest rhymes to date, as is often the case with EP’s there is a leaving feeling that Potter’s best may be yet to come. If that’s the case, then perhaps an album is already on it’s way? Nonetheless, the 20/20 Vision EP serves as a sentimental testament to time served, personal reflections on the lifestyle which led into it, friends that passed and ultimately, his happiness of once again being free. Upkeeping musically to the traditions of Potter’s past projects, the EP will certainly strike chords with his fans who have supported his journey since the beginning, whilst surprising and entertaining new-found followers respectively.

Make sure to listen through 20/20 Vision yourselves, show support and purchase via Spotify - HERE

Words by Evo @ethanevo