If you’ve spent any real time with UK rap and grime over the past decade, you already know that AJ Tracey is one of the scene’s most essential voices. Born Alistair Chukwuemeka Howard in Ladbroke Grove, West London, he’s built a catalogue that moves effortlessly between hard-hitting grime, melodic rap, and genre-blending bangers that hold up on repeat. Whether you’re coming in through his early mixtape grind or discovering him through his acclaimed self-titled debut album, there’s always a track that locks you in. This list rounds up the best songs of AJ Tracey — a proper deep dive into the greatest hits, fan favourites, and the underground cuts that serious listeners won’t want to skip. Put on a good pair of headphones (if you need recommendations, check out our headphone comparison guides) and let’s get into it.
Ladbroke Grove
If there’s one AJ Tracey song that the entire world knows, it’s Ladbroke Grove. Released in 2019 as the lead single from his debut self-titled album, this record hit like a freight train and announced him to audiences far beyond the UK underground. The production — a grimy, bass-heavy trap instrumental — locks into a groove that’s impossible to shake, and AJ rides it with total authority, rapping about his roots in West London with a pride that feels completely unforced. What makes this record truly special is how it balances accessibility with authenticity; it’s a crossover hit that never once sacrifices the rawness that made him a cult figure in the first place. The hook alone has a melodic stickiness that had it playing in clubs, cars, and headphone sessions across the globe for months.
Rain (with Aitch)
Rain is one of those collaborations that feels like it was always meant to exist. Pairing AJ Tracey with Manchester’s Aitch — two of the sharpest lyricists in their respective scenes — the track delivers a punchy, high-energy performance over a crisp, percussion-driven beat. Both artists trade flows with real competitive energy, and the interplay between AJ’s West London edge and Aitch’s northern cadence gives the record a dynamic contrast that keeps it moving from start to finish. Released in 2020, it quickly became a fan favourite and demonstrated just how naturally AJ could hold his own alongside another artist riding serious momentum. The mix is clean and radio-ready without sounding sterile — everything hits where it needs to.
Butterflies (feat. Not3s)
Butterflies showcases one of AJ Tracey’s most underrated qualities: his ability to craft a smooth, melodic record without losing his edge. Featuring the silky vocals of Not3s, the track glides on an afroswing-influenced production that was riding a huge wave in UK music around its 2017 release. AJ’s delivery softens just enough to match the vibe while still carrying a sense of street-level authenticity that separates him from pure pop acts. Not3s elevates the chorus with a hook that genuinely stays with you, making this a track that works just as well on a late-night drive as it does through earbuds on a commute. It’s a perfect example of the genre versatility that would go on to define AJ’s career.
Dinner Guest (feat. MoStack)
Dinner Guest is pure London rap excellence. Linking up with MoStack — one of the most beloved figures in the UK drill and rap ecosystem — AJ Tracey delivers something that feels cinematic and personal at the same time. The production carries weight, and both artists use the beat as a space to reflect on their come-up, their ambitions, and the realities of navigating success from working-class roots. MoStack’s charismatic energy meshes brilliantly with AJ’s sharper delivery, and the chemistry between the two feels genuinely warm rather than forced. If you want to understand why AJ Tracey commands such deep loyalty from UK music fans, this track offers a compelling answer.
West Ten (feat. Mabel)
Few tracks in AJ Tracey’s discography capture the feeling of nostalgia and longing quite like West Ten. Featuring pop powerhouse Mabel, the song pairs AJ’s introspective rapping about West London life with Mabel’s soaring, emotionally resonant vocals to create something genuinely moving. The production is warm and atmospheric, letting both performers breathe rather than cramming every second with noise. Released in 2019 and appearing on his debut album, West Ten became one of his most-streamed records and earned significant radio play — a testament to how naturally the pop and rap worlds can coexist when the songwriting is strong. Playing this one on headphones lets you catch every subtle texture in the mix.
Thiago Silva (with Dave)
Before either artist had major label backing or mainstream recognition, AJ Tracey and Dave linked up to make Thiago Silva — a record that would go on to become one of the most iconic grime tracks of the 2010s. Released in 2016, the song is a showcase of raw technical skill, with both artists delivering verses packed with rapid-fire internal rhymes, cultural references, and the kind of competitive energy that defines the best of grime. The production is no-frills and direct, keeping the focus squarely on the lyricism. Looking back, it functions almost as a historical document — you can hear two future stars operating at a level that few around them could match. Even years later, Dave and AJ’s chemistry on this track sounds completely alive.
Psych Out!
Psych Out! is AJ Tracey at his most playful and confident, and it absolutely works. The track leans into a bouncy, energetic production style that lets him flex both his technical rap skills and his feel for melody, moving through the instrumental with a loose, joyful swagger. There’s an infectious quality to the whole thing — it doesn’t demand your attention so much as it just grabs it and refuses to let go. The song captures a side of his personality that sometimes gets overshadowed by his harder records: charismatic, witty, and almost effortlessly cool. It’s the kind of track that belongs on every playlist covering the best songs across UK rap genres.
Kiss and Tell (feat. Skepta)
Linking up with grime royalty Skepta was always going to be a significant moment, and Kiss and Tell delivers on every expectation. Skepta brings his unmistakable presence to the record, and rather than overshadowing AJ, he elevates the entire track into something that feels genuinely historic. The production is direct and hard-hitting, and both artists treat the beat with the kind of focused intensity that makes grime at its best feel like a sport. It’s a track that rewards multiple listens — each play reveals new details in the flows and the interplay between two of the genre’s most distinctive voices. For headphone listeners especially, the mix rewards close attention.
Anxious
Anxious is one of AJ Tracey’s more personal and introspective offerings — a track where the emotional honesty hits harder than the typical braggadocio of his punchline-heavy work. The production creates space for reflection rather than demanding you move, and AJ fills that space with lyrics that deal genuinely with anxiety, pressure, and the mental weight of navigating fame and ambition. It’s a reminder that the best UK rap has always been willing to go inward rather than just outward, and this track stands among his most emotionally resonant work. For listeners who connect deeply with the storytelling dimension of rap, Anxious is essential listening.
Doing It
Doing It is all momentum. From the first bar to the last, AJ Tracey is in relentless attack mode — rapping with the kind of controlled aggression that reminds you why he built such a dedicated following before the mainstream came calling. The production is tight and punchy, giving him exactly the kind of instrumental that brings out his most technically precise performances. There’s a real sense of joy in how he navigates the beat, too — this is an artist who genuinely loves what he does, and you can feel that in the way every syllable lands. It’s the type of track that sounds best turned up loud, whether in the car or through a quality set of earbuds (something worth checking our earbud comparison resources for).
Floss
Floss is unabashedly a flex record, and it doesn’t pretend to be anything else — which is precisely why it works so well. AJ Tracey raps about success, style, and the spoils of his come-up with a wit and lightness that keeps the track from ever feeling hollow. The production carries a confident, swaggering energy, and the mix puts his vocals right at the front of the sound where they belong. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to walk differently. As a snapshot of where he was stylistically in his career’s upward trajectory, Floss holds up as one of his most entertaining pure rap records.
Necklace
Necklace captures AJ Tracey in a zone where melody and lyrical sharpness meet perfectly. The track has an almost hypnotic quality to it — the production loops beautifully, and his delivery finds the pocket of the beat with a natural ease that sounds effortless even when it clearly isn’t. There’s genuine craft in how the hook is constructed, sitting in the ear long after the track ends. For fans who prefer the melodic side of his catalogue, Necklace is one of the clearest examples of that skill fully realised. It’s smooth but never soft — there’s still grit underneath the polish.
Little More Love
Little More Love shows an entirely different dimension of AJ’s artistry — warm, romantic, and genuinely tender without ever tipping into saccharine territory. The production leans into R&B-adjacent territory, and his vocal performance here carries an emotional directness that’s different from his sharper rap deliveries. It’s the kind of track that demonstrates range: not every great rapper can make a convincing love song, but AJ pulls it off with sincerity. The record has resonated strongly with fans who appreciate the emotional breadth of his catalogue beyond the grime and drill moments.
Ain’t It Different
Ain’t It Different is perhaps the most impactful record AJ Tracey has been part of in terms of pure cultural moment. A three-way collaboration with Headie One and Stormzy, the track arrived in 2020 and became one of the year’s biggest UK rap moments — a meeting of three artists at genuine peaks of their respective powers. The production is dark and cinematic, and all three artists bring distinct energy that makes the track feel like a proper event record rather than a forced supergroup moment. AJ’s verse is sharp, assured, and holds its own among two artists who were both operating at career-high levels. This one belongs in any conversation about the greatest UK rap collaborations of the era.
Bringing It Back
Bringing It Back taps directly into AJ Tracey’s grime roots — a track where the production leans hard into the genre’s classic elements: fast tempos, electronic textures, and a combative, high-energy vocal approach. For fans who were there from the early days, this is the record that feels like an acknowledgment of where he came from and why that foundation still matters. The technical execution is spotless, and there’s a real sense of celebration in the performance — this is an artist honouring the genre that made him while simultaneously reminding everyone he’s evolved beyond simple nostalgia.
Cat Pack
Cat Pack is a group effort that crackles with collective energy. AJ Tracey features alongside a crew of collaborators, and the track benefits enormously from the chemistry between them — everyone sounds genuinely locked in rather than just showing up to collect a feature credit. The production keeps the energy high from start to finish, and the track functions as both a celebration of friendship and a display of collective technical skill. It’s the sort of record that works particularly well live, where the group dynamic translates into real crowd energy.
Blacked Out
Blacked Out is heavy and intentional — a track where the production creates a mood rather than just a beat. The atmosphere is dark and textured, and AJ Tracey responds with a performance that matches the instrumental’s gravity. There’s real thematic depth here, touching on themes of paranoia, loyalty, and the pressures of life in the spotlight. Sonically, it’s one of his most interesting production choices, and the way the vocal sits in the mix creates a sense of claustrophobic intensity that’s genuinely effective. For listeners who appreciate when rap artists prioritise atmosphere over easy hooks, Blacked Out rewards that patience.
Packages
Packages is direct, hard-nosed street rap that shows AJ Tracey at his most unfiltered. The lyricism is punchy and layered with double meanings, touching on the realities of road life with a frankness that never feels sensationalised or performative. The production is minimal and lets the words do the heavy lifting, which is exactly the right call — this is a lyricist’s track rather than a sonics showcase. It’s a reminder that before the crossover moments and the pop collaborations, there’s an artist who built his name on the street-level credibility that tracks like this represent.
Quarterback
Quarterback has the kind of competitive rap energy that references AJ Tracey’s love of sport and competition — the metaphor is executed with genuine wit rather than feeling like a lazy hook. The production is fast and aggressive, and his delivery matches it with rapid-fire precision that showcases the technical side of his craft. It’s an energising listen and works brilliantly as a workout track or anywhere else you need music to push you forward. The sport metaphors feel genuinely earned rather than borrowed — this is an artist who clearly brings that same competitive mentality to the booth.
LO(V/S)ER
LO(V/S)ER is one of AJ Tracey’s most interesting conceptual tracks — the title alone signals an artist willing to play with ideas and contradictions rather than settling for surface-level content. The production has a sombre, introspective quality, and the lyrical content navigates the push and pull of romantic and personal relationships with a nuance that elevates it beyond typical rap love song territory. The dual meaning embedded in the title — lover and loser existing simultaneously — gives the whole track an emotional complexity that reveals more with each listen. It’s the kind of record that reminds you why AJ Tracey’s best work operates at a different level from simple bangers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre does AJ Tracey make?
AJ Tracey primarily operates within UK grime and UK rap, but his discography spans a wide range of sounds. Over the course of his career, he has incorporated elements of afroswing, R&B, drill, and melodic rap into his music, demonstrating a genuine versatility that has helped him appeal to audiences beyond the core grime fanbase.
What is AJ Tracey’s most popular song?
Ladbroke Grove, released in 2019, is widely regarded as his breakthrough mainstream hit and remains his most-streamed and most-recognised record. It introduced him to a global audience while capturing the essence of what makes him special — West London grit wrapped in a hook that anyone can sing along to.
Has AJ Tracey won any major music awards?
AJ Tracey has received recognition from major UK music institutions including BRIT Award nominations, and he is consistently featured in critical lists of the most important artists in UK rap and grime. His debut self-titled album received widespread critical acclaim across UK music media.
Who has AJ Tracey collaborated with?
AJ Tracey has worked with an impressive range of artists throughout his career, including Dave, Skepta, Stormzy, Headie One, Mabel, Aitch, MoStack, and Not3s, among many others. These collaborations span different corners of the UK music scene and beyond, reflecting his broad appeal and respected status within the industry.
Where is AJ Tracey from?
AJ Tracey was born and raised in Ladbroke Grove, West London — a neighbourhood he has referenced repeatedly throughout his music, most famously in his breakout hit of the same name. His West London roots are central to his identity as an artist and deeply embedded in his lyrical content and musical sensibility.
Is AJ Tracey still releasing new music?
Yes, AJ Tracey continues to be active in the music industry, releasing new projects and collaborations. He remains one of the most respected voices in UK rap and continues to evolve his sound with each new body of work. Following artist channels and music platforms is the best way to stay current with his releases.