Artist
Devlin Feat. Yasmin
Why we feature this artist A close sung voice opens the verse into something wider “Runaway” pairs Yasmin’s clear singing with Devlin’s urgent rap in the 2010 Bud, Sweat and Beers period. The collaboration is built around a difference in scale: the verses carr…
- From
- United Kingdom
- Sound
- Hip-hop, grime, pop
Start with the music
Tracks to explore
The artist, in context
The story of Devlin Feat. Yasmin
Why we feature this artist
A close sung voice opens the verse into something wider
“Runaway” pairs Yasmin’s clear singing with Devlin’s urgent rap in the 2010 Bud, Sweat and Beers period. The collaboration is built around a difference in scale: the verses carry a rapid sequence of observations, while the refrain gives the feeling a simpler melodic shape. The production keeps the two approaches connected through a steady rhythmic frame.
The debut album single
The original Island recording names Yasmin as the featured performer. It belongs to the British rapper’s first album chapter, where a wider pop audience could encounter the precision and density of his delivery without those qualities being removed from the music.
The song gives the vocal exchange a clear purpose. Devlin’s lines can accumulate pressure, while Yasmin’s melody creates another kind of space. The refrain offers a point of return rather than trying to explain every detail introduced by the verse.
Urgency and release
The arrangement supports that distinction by allowing the singer’s phrasing to remain relatively open. The voice can sound close and calm even while the underlying rhythm continues moving, making the contrast with the rap more pronounced.
“Runaway” captures an early balance in Devlin’s crossover recordings. A featured singer does not need to soften the rapper into a different performer; the two voices can give the listener different ways to understand the same emotional direction. The song keeps that relationship audible, with the melodic return providing release without interrupting the verse’s momentum.
Essential releases
Runaway
The Yasmin collaboration pairs an open melodic refrain with Devlin’s sharply detailed rap.
Bud, Sweat and Beers
The debut album gives the single its original catalogue setting.