The hip-hop world is incredibly large, and it’s often full of surprises. From the gritty streets of Compton to the council estates of London, urban rap music is performed by diverse individuals with unique personalities. Pete & Bas are a British hip-hop duo based in London, UK. They formed in 2017, and they’ve been rapping ever since despite their advancing years. Let’s learn more about these talented senior citizens, exploring their tunes and analyzing their unique place as the “grandfathers of grime.”
The unique story of Pete & Bas
Contemporary hip-hop may seem rebellious and random, but most acts play by the rules. People write similar lyrics, use familiar flows, and work with established production techniques. On top of these unwritten rules, the majority of rappers also come from a particular demographic. In what can be a homogeneous environment, outsiders like Pete & Bas aren’t always met with open arms.
Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave are both in their 70s, with both men born and raised in London in the 1950s. After long lives working jobs and raising families, the duo had a chance encounter at a suburban shop. Pete was working for Royal Mail at the time, when he entered the store and heard Bas teaching piano. Pete introduced himself to the pianist, and the two men soon became great friends.
According to legend, Bas led a rather interesting life before meeting Pete. As a child, his father owned a bare-knuckle boxing ring. As an adult, he worked as a lawyer and also served in the army. There’s also rumors he worked as a bouncer in the 1970s, although his story remains a bit of a mystery. When asked about these rumors himself, Bas said, “These legends are a bit like Robin Hood aren’t they? Some bits are true and some are not. We’re a long way from Sherwood Forest though aren’t we?”
Unlike most men of their age, the two musicians didn’t want to start a 70s cover band playing Beatles songs or Led Zeppelin classics. Instead, they were inspired by contemporary sounds and styles from their local area. Calling themselves “Pete & Bas,” they started creating “grime” sounds heavily influenced by British culture and music traditions.
Grime and drill
Grime is a raw music genre that blends rap rhymes and rhythms with electronic production. It emerged in London in the early 2000s, as an energetic offshoot of the UK garage scene. Grime producers throw lots of things into the sonic melting pot, from American rap beats to Jamaican dancehall and UK jungle. While this genre is effectively a style of hip-hop, it has faster beats, syncopated rhythms, and a more electronic sound. Grime tunes typically feature gritty lyrics about urban life, and just like US hip-hop, the MC is front and center.
Drill music has emerged from grime over recent years, with the latter style coming from Chicago via half-time dubstep productions. Pete & Bas make UK drill tunes, a sub-shoot that’s faster than the Chicago version at 140 BPM. This genre polarizes opinion, due to its provocative lyrics and associated lifestyle. According to police, it’s been blamed for fueling gang violence in London and across the country. Drill music videos have even been used as evidence in trials, as some rappers are known gang members and criminals.
According to drill defenders, however, this hard-edged style offers insight into the UK’s inner city estates. They say drill music and culture offers respite to young people, who use it to entertain themselves, seek inspiration, and escape tough life situations. The harsh and youthful image of UK drill isn’t an obvious match for the elderly Pete & Bas, which is partly why the duo became so famous.
The two mature London geezers didn’t fall in love with this music immediately. Pete learned to appreciate it when his granddaughter tuned into grime and drill radio stations in the car. He developed a love for the style and persuaded his mate Bas, who resonated with the storytelling aspect of this music and wanted to get involved.
“She was messing with my car radio stations and I thought ‘what the hell is going on here?’ and I changed them back,” said Pete, before adding, “Then I thought, ‘This ain’t too bad’.” Next, he told best friend Bas he wanted to make it, saying, “I thought we’d have a bit of a go.” The duo’s grand kids played an important role in their early career, teaching them all the right slang for their grime and drill tracks: “I talk to my grand kids and their friends and they just let us know the new idioms – what’s going on now… For example, we always thought we were good, then they say sick, they say fire, then they say you’re cold, but it all means the same thing.”
Music releases
Pete & Bas released their first single in 2017, with “Shut Ya Mouth” released initially on YouTube. The track was an immediate success, going viral and prompting the duo to write more tunes. Their debut track was followed by “Do One” and “Burning” in 2018, and the singles kept coming over the next few years. Pete & Bas have now released dozens of singles, with their biggest early hits including “Dents in a Peugeot” from 2019 and “The Old Estate” from 2020.
By 2019, Pete & Bas were releasing songs on major UK rap platforms. Gone were the independent releases; they were now part of the GRM Daily and Pressplay Media rosters. With success came fame and fortune, and the elderly lads noticed a change in how people were reacting to their music: “When they first look at it they think, ‘This is a laugh, it’s a bit of comedy, it’s a wind up’… Then they listen to it and they think: ‘It’s not just funny it’s good. It’s actually better than a lot of what we’ve heard’.”
The duo’s first mixtape, Quick Little Mixtape, was released in 2021 at the height of their fame. A few years later, the grandfathers of drill created their debut album, Mugshot. Pete & Bas have worked with lots of notable artists over the years, including their first collaboration “The Old Estate” with rapper M24. The video for this song went viral on YouTube, with footage filmed on a Rotherhithe estate and also at Millwall football stadium.
There were many other collaborations, as the duo became famous and made more connections across the UK. “Keys & Bags” from 2019 featured Patrick Karneigh Jr. “Plugged In” from 2021 was made with Fumez the Engineer. “Window Frame Cypher Part 2” featured the Snooker Team. Last but not least, “T-Pain Remix” from 2024 was made alongside the one-and-only T-Pain.
Streaming and chart success
When it comes to commercial success, Pete & Bas have definitely made an impact. The viral hits mentioned above kicked off their streaming career, and the numbers kept growing over the years. “Gangster Shit” is their biggest streaming hit so far, with almost 20 million streams on Spotify alone. “Mr Worldwide” has more than 18 million streams, and “Plugged In” with Fumez the Engineer has 17 million streams on the same platform. In terms of daily streaming numbers, “Stepped into the Building” is just behind “Gangster Shit,” with 11.5 million and 12.5 million streams, respectively.
On the UK iTunes Charts, the duo’s track “You Know It’s Christmas” reached No. 20 and their song “Mr Worldwide” reached No. 88. While these chart numbers don’t seem particularly impressive, Pete & Bas are mostly known for translating huge viral moments into massive digital streams. Since their first viral blowup in 2017, the elderly duo have amassed a huge and dedicated fan base all over the world. While most of their audience comes from their native UK, the grandfathers of UK drill also have lots of fans in the USA and Australia.
Future moves
As grime and drill music continues to evolve, Pete & Bas will keep moving with the times. With their fingers directly on the pulse of the UK scene and a youthful appetite for success, fans can expect more great music in 2026 and beyond. The duo also perform live on a regular basis, and they’ve got more than enough energy to keep the crowd hyped. Whether you’re a long-term fan of UK grime or a curious listener looking for new flavors, Pete & Bas are a worthy entry on any hip-hop playlist. This powerhouse duo have unrivaled energy and enough hustle to keep making music for years to come.