“The Hempolics are the best band in the UK – but nobody knows it yet…” – Maxi Jazz
“Like Funkadelic playing reggae in a Brixton basement” – Clash Mag
“They could be my new favourite band of all time!” – Liz Kershaw, BBC6
The Hempolics are out to put those organic rootsy vibes back into music; with their fat radio-friendly hooks, bumping soundsystem bass and a wanderlusty, ineffably real sound all of their own…
Over years of recording top international talent The Hempolics enigmatic leader, Grippa Laybourne, has been carefully honing his own masterpiece and selecting a gang armed and dangerous enough to execute it. The Hempolics caused an instant stir with their debut single Serious which hit number one in the UK reggae charts and was playlisted on Massive Attack’s BBC takeover.
New debut album ‘Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Vol. 1’ has seen the band erupt with three singles playlisted by BBC6 Music and support from Steve Lamacq, Toddla T, Rodigan & Don Letts to name a few. This culminated in BBC6 Music shortlisting the album as one of the best of the year. Liz Kershaw also picked it on her ‘all killer, no filler’ best albums of the past 30 years and invited the band to play her BBC anniversary show after hearing them smash a live session for Lauren Laverne. It’s not just on radio that the band have been breaking with album track ‘Samurai’ synched to the worldwide trailer for Coen Brothers and George Clooney film ‘Hail, Caesar!’