Taking a trip down ROUTE11

The Brockhampton-sized gap in the music industry has yet to be filled, nonetheless a British equivalent. However, look no further as Kingston-based student rap collective ROUTE11 have thrown their hat into the ring. Quirky beats and matching outfits are Brockhampton staples that we all have become accustomed to, but ROUTE11 are paving they’re on way to success. ROUTE11’s intention is not to be a Brockhampton homage band but acknowledges that the Houston-based collective are pioneers of the modern-day boyband. All five members of ROUTE11 met at their first-year accommodation but only started making music together in January 2022. The collective consists of vocalists and producers: ZXDIAK, Best One, DrizP, Sai2Sly, Karl Alcayaga and Joe Gladman.

When I interviewed the boys, their boisterous energy was clear to see as every member was on the edge of their seat eager to get a word in. Despite this, every member got a chance to speak their mind and this connection is visible in their songs. To effectively have five vocalists on a song is no mean feat but ROUTE11 have shown that they can do this with ease. “To put it quite bluntly, ROUTE11 you could say is the accumulation of contrasting styles that come together and help each member shine,” said DrizP. As shown in their three releases the result of their collaborative efforts is eclectic and cohesive, in contrast to a confusing non-stop freestyle melee. Garage, 2000s Hip-hop, G-Funk and Bounce are only a few of the genres that the group have tapped into. In the present music industry, such versatility will make ROUTE11 subject to plaudits. JME, Justin Timberlake, Boy Better Know and Pharrell Williams have been cited as inspirations for the Kingston-based collective. The latter’s mark on the group is clear with the Pharrell-esque production on Block 27 that took the group to 23,000 streams on Spotify.

The boys attribute their relative success to two main factors: TikTok and Best One. “At first, it was a long grind to get any sort of view on any of our pages. Then in early October, Best One was invited to appear in the Beta Squad Guess the Rapper video with Stormzy. The day the video dropped we knew we had to milk it for everything that we could, so we dropped a TikTok that hit 120k in an hour. Then on Spotify, we first hit 2k, then it was 5k, then it was 10k, and we recently hit 20k on Block 27,” said Joe Gladman. The fast-paced and ever-evolving social media landscape has made breakout stars of other British acts such as Flo, A1xJ1, and Barny Fletcher showing how relative unknowns can be thrust into the spotlight. ROUTE11 are no different.

When there are five vocalists on a song it can be difficult to distinguish the voices but ROUTE11 do not have that problem as each member has a very distinct cadence, flow and melody. During their live performances the boys are able to capture the imagination of the crowd no matter the venue with positive reviews from their recent show at the Kingston School of Art. They intend to continue this positive streak with a headline show at Ram Jam Records in Kingston. As an editor of 18:orderline magazine, we have no problem with ROUTE11's eccentric energy that is being emitted into the world. We advise you to watch their careers with great interest.

We understand that to create a connection with a group knowing the members is a given. So here is what we think of the boys:

Joe Gladman: The groups most outspoken member who’s singing and rapping ability are at the core of this group’s success. He also produced the beat for “Peace” and upcoming release “Part of me” alongside mix and mastering every ROUTE11 song.

Best One: You may have seen him on that Beta Squad video however do not be fooled as he has arguably had the most creative lyrics in the entire group. For example: “I’m in your girl like venom, Tom Hardy.”

Sai2Sly: A core member of the group’s origin story and the most talented freestyler in the group. His quick flow and delivery make him easily identifiable. On top of all that he is one of the group’s core producers.

Theo Mascarenhas: New member of the group who we will have to wait to see what he brings to the table.