Two elderly British men have become genuine hip hop stars in their 70s
Their sound isn't just a gimmick.
Two elderly UK men are taking over hiphop, people love them
When you think of hiphop music a distinct image comes to mind and while there are a few anomalies in the world of rap, it's mostly a genre dominated by Black rappers. Traditionally, many of them grew up in inner cities and used hiphop to not only get out of dire circumstances but as a way to process their feelings around what they were exposed to while growing up.
As things do, rap music evolved becoming popular with a wider audience causing people of different backgrounds to give rapping a try. As rappers age so does their audience, but the artistry continues to extend beyond their target audience. This is exactly how the rap duo Pete & Bas came to be.
While spending time with his granddaughter, Pete would get frustrated when she would change the station in his car to drill music, a subgenre of hiphop that comes from the south side of Chicago. According to Underground Sound, Pete eventually got tired of fighting with his granddaughter about the radio station and began to listen to the music that discussed the dangers of crime. That was it for the grandpa. The music struck him so after introducing it to his friend Bas, the two decided to try the style themselves, with a little help from their grandchildren.
@peteandbas Where should we play a show next? #newmusic #rap ♬ original sound - Peteandbas
America may just be getting introduced to the pair that hail from the UK but they've been around since 2017. In fact, they released their first album "Shut Ya Mouth" the same year and have gone on several tours, though they're both in their 70s. The duo may not be from the south side of Chicago but they are from the south of London so they may know a thing or two about the streets that they rap about.
@peteandbas Gloves are truly off this Friday. Something special coming your way. #newmusic #rap ♬ T Pain - Pete & Bas
Recently the two went viral for their song T-Pain on TikTok. In the video the two are in a recording studio holding their pretty snazzy walking sticks rapping about being so cool that birds whistle when they walk and heads bob when they talk. Their dancing skills are exactly what you'd expect a grandfather's dance skills to be and it's beyond adorable, which kinda softens the aggressive nature of the songs the produce. Some people say the elderly grandpas bring comedy to the rap genre but they're bringing nothing but fire.
So much fire that American rapper, T-Pain decided to collaborate with the two, adding his own verse to the men's single named after the rapper. When Pete received the news that T-Pain sent in his verse, he calls Bas which results in the most subdued excited calls you'll ever see. Something about their thick English accents makes the call feel that much cuter between the rap duo.
@peteandbas T Pain remix featuring @T-Pain is officially out tomorrow at 6pm sharp #rap #newmusic #tpain ♬ original sound - Peteandbas
As for Americans just discovering the UK rapping granddads, they have a lot to say.
"Proud of the senior citizens,showing the young generation that it's never too late to follow your career," one person says.
"Eminem in 30 years," another writes.
"These two granddaddies got flow," someone else chimes in.
"It’s criminal how fire this song is," a commenter shares.
"Why can't I stop watching this they got bars," another person says.
@peteandbas Let’s go people! T Pain remix featuring @T-Pain OUT RIGHT NOW! #rap #newmusic ♬ T Pain Remix (Feat. T-Pain) - Pete & Bas
The compliments seem to be never ending for these two rapping grandpas but if Americans want to see them in concert, they'll have to hop across the pond. They've got their tour dates listed and their audience is full of people young enough to be their grandchildren but they don't care. They're living out their late in life dream proving to everyone it's never too late to dream big and go after it.
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An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
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Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."