Billyboy Fitch to launch new mixtape with gig at Victoria Vaults, York

Billyboy Fitch, who lives in Tang Hall, is to perform at the Victoria Vaults, in Nunnery Lane, on June 16 alongside emerging rappers from York and Leeds.

The 22-year-old, who attended St Lawrence’s Primary School and later Archbishop Holgate's School, was hooked on rap from a young age.

He grew up listening to the genre’s greats, including Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, which led to him creating a sound of his own and joining the rap scene in 2015.

Billyboy Fitch and Lunar C (left) worked together for the single 'The Re-Up' (Image: Billyboy Fitch)

The Victoria Vaults where Billyboy will perform (Image: Dylan Connell)

“From a young age I didn’t really have much to vent through," he said. "Music was my only way.”

Billyboy describes his music as drill (a subgenre of hip hop that started in Chicago in 2010) and takes most of his influence today from the UK’s scene.

As a child, he was friends with York rapper LEGO who competed in the ‘Don’t Flop Rap Battles’, which has amassed almost half a million YouTube subscribers.

“(LEGO) gave me a mixtape when I was eight and introduced me to Don’t Flop Rap Battles and ruined my life,” joked Billyboy.

'My name’s Billy, I am the Billy Goat' - the rapper during the filming of a music video in Heworth (Image: Billyboy Fitch)

Last year (2022) Billyboy performed a gig at the Wardrobe in Leeds and said it went so well that he decided to quit his job as a digger driver and pursue music.

After quitting his job, he bought a container for his parent’s land and turned it into a recording studio with the aim of recording his own music and allowing other emerging artists to do the same.

“I may as well be the one to help everyone,” he said.

Billyboy Fitch (Image: Billyboy Fitch)

The rapper currently works part-time at his friend’s scaffolding company and has just put the finishing touches on his new mixtape, ‘The Drill Tapes Vol. 1’, which will be available on most music streaming platforms.

He described it as “raw” and “in your face” and said he aims to follow it up with an album.

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Billyboy decided to perform the launch gig in at the Victoria Vaults to repay a favour he owed to the venue's owner who helped him with a music video.

The rapper said he was pleased to perform in York and hopes that this gig will lead to more shows of its kind in the city.

He explained how artists in York felt the blow after Fibbers, in Toft Green, closed in 2020 as it meant there were fewer places to perform.

The mixtape launch will take place at Victoria Vaults on June 16 (Image: Billyboy Fitch)

On the news, that the venue could reopen under the management of Jimmys, Billyboy said: “I really hope that could happen – there’s nothing more I’d love than for that place to reopen.”

At his upcoming show, Billyboy will be joined by other emerging artists including fellow York rapper Jakez - who will celebrate his 20th birthday on the night - alongside Mikey Phillips, Deeviant, Fendry and more.

Tickets are priced at £5 and include a signed CD of the new mixtape.

For tickets, visit the link in Billyboy’s Instagram bio (@billyboyfitch).