Sliime

Sliime is from Sharrow, Sheffield, England. His parents are from Bangladesh, and although growing up he was not focused on his South Asian/Bangladeshi heritage he began celebrating it when producing his music. His real name is not confirmed, and Sliime is often pictured in a face mask, further obscuring his identity.^[1]

In 2021 Sliime wrote the rap song "Allow It" to encourage people to have their vaccines for the COVID-19 disease. It was one of the first rap songs in the UK to address vaccine reluctancy.^[2][3] In July 2022 Sliime was named "artist of the week" on the BBC Asian Network, and in 2023 he performed live at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Dundee.^[4][5]

His single “The Hustle – Freestyle”, in both English and Bengali, was positively received, in particular for its "gritty, fast paced beat".^[6] In 2023 Sliime released the single "Lehenga", which he produced to "make South Asian women feel empowered about themselves and the way they dress".^[4] The track was a hit on social media, reaching c. 53 million views on TikTok, and peaked at number 5 in the UK Asian Music Chart.^[7][8] Subsequently, he was signed with Def Jam Recordings India to release further music.^[9] His 2024 single, "Bengali", is about the residual stigma surrounding migrants to the UK, and was playlisted by 1Xtra.^[1]

• Lehenga