Two stalwarts in Glasgow’s underground, Crafty Brown and Random Brown Kid were destined to join forces before they even knew the other existed. Call it rap-name determinism. Hailing from two sides of the South Asian diaspora, the producer (Crafty Brown) and MC (RBK) combine their cultural backgrounds with a shared obsession for rap music in all its forms.

The pair’s new album TOO BROWN TO MAKE IT balances sunny, often psychedelic beats with bars that range from witty, tongue-in-cheek braggadocio (white linen pants) to declarations of solidarity with the Palestinian people (flyin’ flags). Throughout, the chemistry between the pair is undeniable. Like Madlib and DOOM or DJ Premier and Guru, Craftybrownkid’s tracks feel fully inhabited, the product of a producer and MC who know exactly how the other flows.

TOO BROWN TO MAKE IT is the duo’s second project together after 2025’s self-titled mixtape. The album’s title track serves as a manifesto for the producer and MC’s work together; punchy, humorous and defiant. Over the top of an effervescent beat littered with samples, RBK declares “[I] spend my money like those old white racists”. Meanwhile brothers is a homage to the duo’s shared background and ethos. “Big difference when your confidence rise,” RBK spits over a beat that swoons with a tenderness that calls to mind the late, great J Dilla. Throughout the record, both rapper and producer have never sounded more ready to take flight.