On his chest, the British rapper Slowthai sports a “SORRY MUM” tattoo, a choice inspired by the words he has said most in his life. This boyishly sweet gesture is typical of Slowthai, as is its nod to his roots, to which he is fiercely loyal, an attachment that imbues his music with, by turns, nostalgia and fierce passion. “I love this country but I feel like we’re losing sight of who actually holds the power and what makes us great: it’s the people, the communities, the small places,” he told The Guardian last year, after the release of “Nothing Great About Britain,” his 2019 debut. These days, he wonders if he should have included a question mark to hedge that bold statement. As inquisitive as he is brazen, Slowthai is insistent on his point of view and yet open to change. His second album sees him maturing as one of England’s most exciting political artists. —C.J.F.