First Word Records proudly presents the deluxe edition of Essa’s 2014 album 'The Misadventures Of A Middle Man'.

The reissue includes three unreleased gems from the album sessions, bonus tracks pulled from related EPs, and a full set of instrumentals.

The project was Essa’s first since changing his name from Yungun, and marked a return to music, after building a parallel career as an entertainment lawyer. Previous albums ‘The Essance’ and the DJ Mr. Thing collab ‘Grown Man Business’ established him as a leading voice in the UK Hip Hop scene. Collabs with Guru (Gang Starr) and praise from Nas and Mark Ronson followed.
But after touring across continents, hitting carnival in Brazil and retracing his roots in Nigeria, Essa’s outlook was forever broadened.

The sound reflects his growth, personally and creatively. Anchored in his staple soulful hip-hop, it leans towards broken beat, electronica, jazz and afrobeat.

The original album was selected from a body of work spanning several years, with input from stellar talents such as Wu-Tang’s Inspectah Deck, J-Dilla affiliate Waajeed, UK rap pioneer Skinnyman, Dave Okumu, Tom Skinner, Ta-Ku, Tall Black Guy, Flako, Eric Lau and many more.

This extended deluxe edition more fully documents this transitional era in Essa’s artistic career.

Ever insightul, the album is a statement of his mixed heritage, offering a nuanced perspective on weighty themes of race, class and religion, balanced with light-hearted wordplay and uplifting beats.

Essa neatly sums up the concept of the album on the title track: "When you stand in the middle there's a hell of a view, and all I want to do is share it with you"

‘The Misadventures Of A Middle Man DELUXE’ is released on digital platforms, Jan 30th 2026.