Jyrelle Justin O'Connor (born 6 May 1999), known professionally as Loski (formerly Lil' Nizzy), is a British rapper and singer from Kennington, London. He is part of the Kennington-based UK drill group Harlem Spartans.
Loski began his career in 2012 under the name Lil' Nizzy. In 2016, under his current moniker, he released his breakout singles "Hazards" and "DJ Khaled", both of which became underground hits.
On 13 April 2018, he released his debut mixtape, Call Me Loose, and on 1 March 2019, he released his second mixtape, Mad Move. In 2020, Loski released his long-awaited debut studio album, Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story. On 15 October 2021, he released a 10-song EP titled, Censored EP and on 30 June 2023, he released his fifth project titled, See You At The Gates, after being sentenced to 7 years in prison for possessing a loaded revolver. He was released on 1 October 2024.
Early life Jyrelle Justin O'Connor was born in Kennington, London on 6 May 1999. His father was Ty Nizzy, a member of the PDC rap group and "an originator of road rap", according to The Guardian. His mother, Dionne Greenland, studied English literature and history while attending university, which Loski said inspired storytelling within his songs. O'Connor said in an interview with VICE that both of his parents supported him in pursuing a musical career.
O'Connor moved from Kennington to Borehamwood to live with his grandmother at the age of 12 following a group of boys putting a gun to his head. He attended Hertswood Academy. In 2013, he was reported as missing from his house.
Career During O'Connor's early musical career, he went under the name Lil' Nizzy, in reference to his father, Ty Nizzy. He released a song alongside Danks in 2012.
Under the name Loski, he released his breakout single "Hazards" in 2016. Other early songs included "Money and Beef", "DJ Khaled", and "Teddy Bruckshot".
In March 2018, Loski was signed to Sony Music Entertainment. The following month, he released his debut mixtape Call Me Loose, which peaked at number 44 on the UK Albums Chart and was named as one of the inspirations for Scorpion by Drake. In an article with MTV, Loski stated that the mixtape was about "the neighbourhood, friends, everything growing up." The following year, he released the mixtape Mad Move, which peaked at number 41. An article in Versus noted that the mixtape "sees the south Londoner plant himself firmly at the fore of the genre."
In 2020, Loski released his debut album, Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story, which peaked at number 39 on the UK Albums Chart and was noted as being "several albums at once." Robert Kazandjian, writing for Clash, stated that the album was divided into three acts, with the album as a whole mainly centered around legal issues.
In September 2021, Loski announced his debut EP, Censored. The EP was released on 15 October; an article in Trench noted that "although the extensive cast of producers keep the Censoreds sound close to Loski's drill roots, the rapper's evolution is laid bare as he attacks each track with an effortless display of lyrical greaze."
He jointly holds the record for most top 75 hits in the UK without having a top 40 hit with fellow British rapper Unknown T.
Criminal convictions In 2015, when O'Connor was 15 years old, he was convicted of possession of a sawn-off shotgun. In 2016, O'Connor was sentenced to prison after being found in possession of a knife. He was released in 2017.
On 9 April 2019, he was stopped by police while travelling to Willesden, who found him in possession of a revolver. O'Connor was charged with possession of a firearm, intent to endanger life, and possession of ammunition as a result. His first trial resulted in a retrial as a result of his prosecutor falling ill, while the second resulted in a hung jury. He was ultimately found guilty of possessing a prohibited firearm on 5 January 2023, and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. O'Connor was released on 30 September 2024.
Discography Studio albums +List of albums, with selected details Title Details Peak chart positions UKMusic, Trial & Trauma: A Drill StoryReleased: 20 November 2020 Label: Since '93 Format: CD, streaming, digital download39
Mixtapes +List of mixtapes, with selected details Title Details Peak chart positions UKCall Me LooseReleased: 13 April 2018 Label: Since '93 Format: Streaming, digital download44Mad MoveReleased: 1 March 2019 Label: Since '93 Format: Streaming, digital download41See You At The GatesReleased: 30 June 2023 Label: Loski Format: Streaming, digital download—
EPs +List of EPs, with selected details Title Details Peak chart positions UKCensoredReleased: 15 October 2021 Label: Since '93 Format: Streaming, digital download—
Singles As lead artist +List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions and certifications, and album name shown Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK"Teddy Bruckshot"2017 — Call Me Loose"Money & Beef" — "Mummy's Kitchen"(featuring Mayski) — "Cool Kid"2018 — Call Me Loose"Forrest Gump"88 BPI: Silver"Mad About Bars"(with Kenny Allstar) — rowspan="2" "Calm Down" — "Boasy"2019 — Mad Move"No Cap"(with DigDat)51 "Hazards 2.0" — "Ghost"2020 — rowspan="4" "Allegedly" 65 "Slay" — "Training Day"(with MoStack)75 "On Me"(with MizOrMac)57 Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story"Daily Duppy" — "Anglo Saxon"(featuring Blanco) — Music, Trial & Trauma: A Drill Story"Avengers"(featuring Popcaan) — "Flavour"(featuring Stormzy)43 "P.U.G" 202187 Censored "Rolling Dice"81 "Tag Team"2022—rowspan="3" "Obsessed"—"G Lock"—
As featured artist +List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions and certifications, and album name shown Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK"Dues"(Headie One featuring Loski)2018—The One"Rusty"(Lavida Loca featuring Loski)—Just B' Coz"R.I.P"(Ms Banks featuring Loski)—The Coldest Winter Ever"Ugly Faces"(Smoke Boys and Swift featuring Loski)—Swiftionary"2 and a Shoe"(Smoke Boys and Swift featuring Loski, Dimzy, Deepee and RV)—"Gang Mode"(CS featuring Loski) 2019—Everyone Hates Chris"Trust"(The Plug featuring Nafe Smallz, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Loski)—Plug Talk"Go N Get It"(Lil Berete featuring Loski)—1 Way Out"Stop Lying"(Woosh featuring Loski)—Gang Unit"Flexin"(Mowgs featuring Loski)—Roll the Dice"Tee"(Jay1 featuring Loski)202065 "Chop My Money"(iLL BLU featuring Krept and Konan and Loski)202164 BPI: SilverThe BLUPRINT"Bad Guy"(Morrisson featuring Loski)—Guilty"Sorry Not Sorry"(Bandokay and Double Lz featuring Loski)—Drill Commandments"Cerberus"(Blanco featuring K-Trap and Loski)—City of God
Awards and nominations Year Award Nominated work Category Result 2018GRM Daily Rated AwardsHimselfBreakthrough of the Yearrowspan="6" GRM Daily Rated AwardsCall Me LooseMixtape of the Year2020MOBO AwardsHimselfBest Newcomer2021MOBO AwardsBest Drill ActGRM Daily Rated AwardsMusic, Trial & Trauma: A Drill StoryAlbum of the Year2022Urban Music AwardsAlbum of the Year
References