Fresh off his collaboration with Eyeconic, Newcastle rapper NE-O reveals his favourite mixtape of all time to VIPER…

What’s your favourite mixtape ever?

Skepta – ‘Blacklisted’

Why is it so significant to you?

‘Blacklisted’ really reintroduced me to Grime and was one of the main reasons it became my favourite genre again in 2012. Of course not all of the tracks were Grime, but listening to UK MCs again made me wanna listen to nothing else.

Were there any artists or producers that you discovered through this tape?

It was the first time I’d heard of Krept and Konan, who became two of my favourite rappers.

Where exactly were you when you heard the mixtape for the first time? 

I was at my mate’s house, we listened to it from start to finish.

Did it come into your life at a significant time?

Massively! 2012 was my first year in high school and it shaped my taste in music.

How did the mixtape cover make you feel?

The cover is actually one thing about the mixtape that I would change, I wasn’t a massive fan of the pink background for some reason.

Describe the mixtape in three words?

Diverse, authentic and energetic.

What song is your personal favourite?

‘Ace Hood Flow’.

If you could put a price on this mixtape, how much would you pay?

To be honest, I couldn’t put a price on it because it was such a big part of me realising my own taste in music, which has shaped the artist I am now.

Did you have a physical copy?

I did! And I bought it on iTunes.