As if leaving his home, family and country to move to UK at the age of 15 wasn't tough enough, Versatile E harbored ambitions to make his mark in a notoriously difficult UK hip hop scene. With tenacity, raw talent and a strong work ethic, he took on the challenge. Within a year of living in London, he overcame the language barrier and wrote his first verse in English.

That was the late 90s. Paying dues back then was all about earning respect in a niche scene dominated by the likes of Roots Manuva, Skinny Man and Blak Twang. Having been taught English by an Albanian American teacher in Kosova (and absorbing the abundant amounts of East Coast hip hop at an early age), Versatile's rhymes were tinged with an American-ish drawl, which would not necessarily betray his true origins. His unique style and solid wordplay won over skeptics and Verse quickly grabbed the attention of fellow artists. It wasn't long before he was working with the MOBO-Award winning emcee/producer Funky DL.

Successful collaborations with DL eventually led Versatile to release three solo singles independently, all of which received plenty of airplay on London radio stations Choice FM, Kiss 100, Radio One, as well as pirate radio. Armed with a strong underground buzz, he continued his drive to create music that met the standards of the artists who inspired him. Quality over quantity would become the mantra.

Whilst musically things seemed to be going in the right direction, a war in his native Kosova meant that Verse had to change course and concentrate on supporting his family. Musical ambitions had to take a back seat to these more pressing demands.

Now, after a long hiatus, the 'finicky' rapper/producer is back to put his name on the map. His opening salvo 'It's Over', with its loping piano groove and infectious hook is a worthy return to the frontline. Armed with wry wit, on-point punchline and an insightful perspective on the game, this self assured emcee is ready to take hip hop back to its essence. Get familiar; this Verse plans to last longer than your average 16 bars.

LINKS:

• Listen to 'It's Over'