Skepta The Fork and Knife
Released Nov 6, 2026 Epic Records UK
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Nov 11, 2026
Mostly positive consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. Skepta's The Fork and Knife finds a veteran of British rap taking stock of his legacy, with critics responding to its reflective best even as they note unevenness in its execution.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Belly (feat. Frisco, Bossman Birdie, Kibo, Mayhem Nodb, Jme, Kruz Leone & Queenie)
3 critic mentions
“drill to skittering trap.” — Slant Magazine
Revenge
3 critic mentions
“the eye-opening dissection of his late-2000s career missteps, identity crisis and subsequent mastery of the grime renaissance in ‘Revenge” — New Musical Express (NME)
Victory Lap
2 critic mentions
“By closing with dancefloor-crushing Fred Again.. link-up ‘Victory Lap’, Skepta rounds off a globe-conquering portion of his glittering career in music and fashion;” — New Musical Express (NME)
Full critic consensus
Skepta's The Fork and Knife finds a veteran of British rap taking stock of his legacy, with critics responding to its reflective best even as they note unevenness in its execution. Across three professional reviews, the album earns a 70.67/100 consensus score: a solid, mixed reception that suggests a worthwhile return for listeners interested in Skepta’s perspective on a changing scene.
The strongest critical thread is reflection. Reviewers hear Skepta weighing how his life and career have unfolded, confronting regret and responsibility, and considering his place as an elder in British rap. On “Secrets of Patriarchy,” he measures the distance between expectation and reality; “Revenge” turns that scrutiny inward, while “Pandora’s Box” delivers a cautionary tale without, in Slant Magazine’s view, becoming preachy. Pitchfork singles out “Victory Lap” as proof that Skepta can still keep pace with younger artists, making it one of the clearest track-level highlights in the reviews.
The praise comes with reservations. NME argues that some songs, including “Melody” and “Gas Me Up (Diligent),” pair uninsightful writing with ill-fitting rhythms, and hears a raucous live encore where a more cohesive sonic journey might have been. Slant likewise detects a loss of consistency in sound and theme toward the end, though it stops short of calling the album bloated or careless. The critical consensus, then, is of a compelling elder-statesman perspective whose sharpest reflections outshine its less focused moments. These reviews offer a useful guide to the album’s strongest ideas and its uneven turns.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Secrets of Patriarchy
Outside (feat. Novelist)
Cold Shower (feat. Project Pat)
Currency
Pandora's Box
Revenge
Magic (feat. Finessekid)
Gas Me Up (Diligent)
Melody
Aloe Vera (feat. Asake)
Chippie
Broken Hearts (feat. Central Cee & Jorja Smith)
Innocent Smile (feat. Suggs & Chase & Status)
Belly (feat. Frisco, Bossman Birdie, Kibo, Mayhem Nodb, Jme, Kruz Leone & Queenie)
Victory Lap
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Skepta borrows an icy palette and sparse arrangement for a different account on The Fork and Knife, which takes shape as a clear-eyed, bold reflection on legacy. And then “Victory Lap” shows Skepta’s still more than capable of keeping up with the kids.
Key Points
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The album's core strength is how it turns a varied career and personal history into a celebratory reflection on legacy.
Themes
Critic's Take
Skepta understands his responsibility as an elder of British rap, and the best tracks on The Fork and Knife find him tackling the political picture head-on. But “Melody” and “Gas Me Up (Diligent)” lazily squeeze uninsightful bars into ill-fitting rhythmic structures, and the record feels more like a raucous live encore than a considered attempt to culminate a cohesive sonic journey.
Key Points
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The album's core strengths are impactful storytelling and social commentary, even if its songs do not cohere into a considered sonic journey.
Themes
Critic's Take
Skepta has lived through several generations of U.K. hip-hop, and the best songs on The Fork and Knife find him looking back and taking stock. On “Secrets of Patriarchy,” he reflects on how differently his life has turned out; “Pandora’s Box” is a cautionary tale, and he manages to evade preachiness. “Revenge” sees Skepta as his own worst enemy, sabotaging his early opportunities for success. drill to skittering trap. The album loses some consistency in sound and theme by the end, but it never feels slipshod or bloated.
Key Points
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drill and trap.
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The album balances regretful introspection with a relaxed, forward-looking embrace of up-and-coming artists.