The follow-up to Headie One’s chart-topping 2020 debut, EDNA, finds the Tottenham MC in a state of gratitude. The Last One draws up hard-hitting home truths, clear-eyed reflections and flashy verses on success, failure and the thin lines that separate them. “I could approach it any way I want, to be honest—it all depends on my frame of mind,” he tells Apple Music’s Dotty about surveying the pains of his past. “Naturally, as I’m growing up and maturing, I do change my view on things, so I had to see what I was doing from the outside, analyse it properly and see what I needed to progress and take steps forward.” To that effect, Headie frequently flashes to key crossroads. Opener “I Could Rap”, credits inspiration from fellow inmates (while serving a sentence in Scotland at HMP & YOI Polmont) for his unlikely conversion from prison ID number A6436CK to UK drill kingpin. “I wouldn’t say that I use it as fuel,” Headie says. “But I don’t think the world’s against me now either, so it’s just important that I keep doing what I’m doing.” The album’s immersive opening chapter throws up a string of tricky predicaments, including crashing at the house of an addict on “Martin’s Sofa”, touring the UK in custody on “I Still Know Better” and having the law hamper his early career on “Form 696”. Later, he basks in the warm glow of success on collabs with Aitch, D-Block Europe and a trio of club steppers that draws in acts from Nigeria, but it’s these bold, feature-less tracks—tackling homelessness, inequality and government tyranny—that wonderfully illustrate how one of life’s winners almost fell through the cracks. Though its title suggests a pump-faked retirement threat, The Last One is best described as a testimony to the rapper’s ability to survive and thrive through the toughest of trials. “I’m letting go of a lot of things,” Headie explains. “I’m speaking on them, and deciding to wash my hands of it and move forward. I actually accept what is now and what was then.”