Blanco
Birth nameJoshua Emmanuel Pinto João Eduardo[1][2]
Also known asBlancobourne
Born (1999-03-08) 8 March 1999[3]
Kennington, London, England[1]
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
LabelsPolydor[4]
Member ofHarlem Spartans

Joshua Emmanuel Pinto João Eduardo (born 8 March 1999), known professionally as Blanco, is a British 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 part of the UK drill group Harlem Spartans.

Career

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]

Personal life

Blanco is a supporter of football club Manchester City FC.[9] He is of Angolan heritage.[10]

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,[11] 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.[12]

Discography

Mixtapes

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

EPs

List of EPs, with selected details
Title Details
English Dubbed
  • Released: 15 November 2019
  • Label: Polydor

Charted singles

List of charted singles, with selected peak chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[13]		 IRE
[14]
"The Great Escape" (with Central Cee) 2021 62— City of God
"Brilliant Mind" 2023 6695 Non-album single

References

  1. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Awoyngbo, Xaymaca (16 August 2021). "GRM EXCLUSIVE: A GEOGRAPHY LESSON WITH BLANCO". grmdaily.com. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  11. ↑ Horton, Helena. "Inside the secret Instagram groups fuelling gang violence and murder on the streets of London". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Teenagers caught with loaded gun and samurai sword in Camberwell jailed". Southwark News. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "BLANCO | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  14. ↑ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
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