Blanco (British rapper)

Angolan rapper and singer from Kennington

Blanco

Birth name| Joshua Emmanuel Pinto João Eduardo[1][2]
Also known as| Blanco Bourne
Born|  (1999-03-08) 8 March 1999 (age 26)[3]
Cazenga, Luanda, Angola[1]
Genres|

* British hip hop
* UK drill
* afroswing
* Brazilian Funk

Occupations|

* Rapper
* singer
* songwriter

Years active| 2015–present
Labels| Polydor[4] Believe UK
Formerly of| Harlem Spartans

Musical artist

Joshua Emmanuel Pinto João Eduardo (born 8 March 1999), known professionally as Blanco, is a British-Angolan rapper and singer. Beginning his career in 2015, he released his debut EP, English Dubbed, in 2019, and debut mixtape, City of God, in 2021. He is a former member of the UK drill group Harlem Spartans.

## Career

[edit]

Blanco began to write lyrics at the age of 15, taking inspiration from artists such as Skepta and 50 Cent. He would later join the Harlem Spartans collective through a youth centre in Kennington. In 2016, he released "Jason Bourne", which, according to New Wave Mag, certified his place as a well-respected drill artist.[1]

In 2019, Blanco released his debut EP, English Dubbed.[5]

On 24 August 2021, Blanco released his debut mixtape, named City of God after the 2002 film.[6] The mixtape was named within Complex's best albums of 2021,[7] with an article in Clash noting that the album saw him move away from a drill sound.[8]

On 18 August 2023, Blanco released his second mixtaped, named ReBourne. This saw him getting a BPI: Sliver[9] award, peaking at 66th on the charts in the UK, and 95th in Ireland.

On 15 November 2024, Blanco released his third mixtape named Gilberto's Son. The song, named after his late father,[10] was heavily influenced by his trip to Brasil.[10]

## Personal life

[edit]

Blanco is a supporter of football club Manchester City F.C.[11] He is of Angolan heritage.[12]

## Legal issues

[edit]

Blanco was jailed following an incident in the early hours of 15 February 2017, when a taxi containing Blanco and fellow Harlem member Mucktar Khan, better known as MizOrMac,[13] was pulled over by armed police. The police searched the pair and found a loaded gun on Blanco and a samurai sword he had attempted to conceal in his trousers; additionally, MizOrMac was wearing ballistic body armour and had a balaclava.[3] On 9 February 2018, Blanco was convicted of possession of a firearm and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. His co-defendant MizOrMac was sentenced to six years.[14]

## Discography

[edit]

### Mixtapes

[edit]

List of mixtapes, with selected details  Title  | Details

|

City of God |

* Released: 24 August 2021
* Label: Polydor

ReBourne |

* Released: 18 August 2023
* Label: Believe UK

Gilberto's Son |

* Released: 15 November 2024
* Label: Blanco

### EPs

[edit]

List of EPs, with selected details  Title  | Details

|

English Dubbed |

* Released: 15 November 2019
* Label: Polydor

### Charted singles

[edit]

List of charted singles, with selected peak chart positions  Title  | Year  | Peak chart positions  | Certifications  | Album

|
|
|
|

[15] | IRE
[16]
"The Great Escape" (with Central Cee) | 2021  | 62 | —  |  | City of God
"Brilliant Mind"  | 2023  | 66 | 95  |

* BPI: Silver[9]

| ReBourne

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Evans, Elle (29 April 2020). "Journeying Through The Career Of One Of The UK's Well Respected MC's - Blanco". newwavemagazine.com. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
2. ^ "Follow the Leader". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
3. ^ a b Porter, Toby (9 February 2018). "Would-be teenage gunman tried to hide Samurai sword down his trousers as cops swooped". londonnewsonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
4. ^ "Polydor's Blanco set for the big time". umusic.co.uk. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
5. ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (3 August 2021). "Blanco on his funky solo career and life in drill collective Harlem Spartans: "I want a Top 10 album"". nme.com. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
6. ^ Navaro, Cass (26 August 2021). "Blanco's Secret Jutsu". acclaimmag.com. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
7. ^ Patterson, Joseph; Keith, James; Abiade, Yemi; Itseli, Minou; Kavuma, Jason (21 December 2021). "Complex UK's Best Albums Of 2021". Complex Networks. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
8. ^ Hale, Joe (23 August 2021). "Blanco - City Of God". Clash. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
9. ^ a b "British single certifications – Blanco – Brilliant Mind". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
10. ^ a b "Blanco Searches For Reconnection On Latest Mixtape 'Gilberto's Son'". www.newwavemagazine.com. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
11. ^ Davey, Jacob (6 August 2018). "A Definitive List of the Football Teams UK Rap and Grime Artists Support". versus.uk.com. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
12. ^ Awoyngbo, Xaymaca (16 August 2021). "GRM Exclusive: A Geography Lesson With Blanco". grmdaily.com. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
13. ^ Horton, Helena. "Inside the secret Instagram groups fuelling gang violence and murder on the streets of London". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
14. ^ "Teenagers caught with loaded gun and samurai sword in Camberwell jailed". Southwark News. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
15. ^ "Blanco | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
16. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 11 November 2023.