Rebel is the debut studio album by British rapper EsDeeKid, released on 20 June 2025 through XV Records and Lizzy Records. It features guest appearances from rappers Rico Ace, Fakemink and Fimiguerrero. The production was entirely handled by Wraith9. By the end of November 2025, Rebel became the most streamed hip-hop album in the world on Spotify.[1]
Composition
Rebel is heavily influenced by EsDeeKid's experimental cloud rap sound,[2] with elements of trap and jerk.[3] Throughout the album, the music is marked by synthesizers and reverb-heavy beats with 808s,[2][3] while EsDeeKid raps about drug use, nightlife and relationship woes.[2]
In a review for Pitchfork, Olivier Lafontant rated Rebel a 6.6 out of 10, writing that the album gives only a small insight into EsDeeKid's true character, but sees him depict a heavy, "hard-nosed lifestyle of streetlit debauchery", making him one of the hottest faces of UK rap.[4]
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
References
^McQuaid, Ian (5 December 2025). "'Constant stimulation, dopamine overload': how EsDeeKid and UK underground rap exploded on a global scale". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
^ a b cTaylor-Singh, Heather (25 November 2025). "Underground U.K. Rapper EsDeeKid Surges on the Billboard Canada Charts". Billboard Canada. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
^ a bJohri, Antonio (25 November 2025). "Everything You Need to Know About EsDeeKid, the Breakout Rapper of 2025". Complex. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
^ a bLafontant, Olivier (8 December 2025). "EsDeeKid: Rebel Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
^"The 50 Best Albums of 2025". Complex. Complex. 2025-12-04. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
^"Complex UK's Best Albums Of 2025". Complex. 2025-12-15. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
^"The 50 best albums of 2025". NME. 2025-12-05. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
^"The Top 50 Albums of 2025". Crack. 2025-12-02. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
^Sanfiorenzo, Dimas (8 December 2025). "The 35 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2025". Complex. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
^"Austriancharts.at – EsDeeKid – Rebel" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
^"Ultratop.be – EsDeeKid – Rebel" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
^"Ultratop.be – EsDeeKid – Rebel" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
^"Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of January 10, 2026". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
^"Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select the week on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
^"Album Top-40 Uge 48, 2025". Hitlisten. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
^"Dutchcharts.nl – EsDeeKid – Rebel" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
^"Irish Independent Chart – Week 48 2025 – Week Ending 5 Dec 2025". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 27 December 2025. Note: Select 28-Nov-25 on the date selector.
^"2025 48-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
^"Album 2026 uke 02". IFPI Norge. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
^"OLiS - oficjalna lista sprzedaży - albumy" (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Note: Change the date to 26.12.2025–01.01.2026 under "zmień zakres od–do:". Retrieved 8 January 2026.
^"Top 200 Álbuns Semana 48 de 2025" (PDF) (in European Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. p. 2. Retrieved 13 December 2025.