# Aitch (rapper)

Harrison James Armstrong (born 9 December 1999), known professionally as Aitch, is an English rapper from Manchester. He rose to fame in 2018 with the track "Straight Rhymez". His debut studio album Close to Home (2022) reached number two on the UK Albums Chart.
Aitch has released twenty top 10 singles in the UK, including "Taste (Make It Shake)" and "Baby", which both peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The name "Aitch" derives from the pronunciation of the letter 'h', which is the first letter of his given name.

## Early life

Harrison James Armstrong was born on 9 December 1999 in New Moston, Manchester. He is a supporter of the football club Manchester United. After leaving school, he went to college and played sports, but eventually dropped out and worked in construction with his grandfather.

## Career
### 2015: Beginnings

Aitch first garnered attention in 2015 when a YouTube video of him rapping to friends gained local popularity. He originally did not want the video published, but changed his mind when it gained 10,000 views. A friend continued uploading Aitch's freestyles to see if it would gain more views.

### 2016–2018: Freestyles, On Your Marks and Breakthrough

Aitch made multiple appearances on the P110 YouTube channel, starting in September 2016 with a freestyle. In June 2017, he premiered his song "Back To Basics" on the channel. On 9 December 2017, he released his EP, On Your Marks. In May 2018, he released his breakthrough track "Straight Rhymez", earning him national attention.

### 2019–present: AitcH2O, Polaris and Close to Home

In August 2019, he released his song "Taste (Make It Shake)" which became his biggest song at the time, peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. He then released his second EP, AitcH2O, in September, which reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. In March 2020, he collaborated with AJ Tracey and Tay Keith on the track "Rain" which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart.. In May, his third EP, Polaris was released. In June 2021, Aitch released the single "Learning Curve". He followed this up with "Party Round My Place" in September.
In 2021, Aitch appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
On 3 February 2022, Aitch was featured on ArrDee's single "War". The single debuted at number 6 on the UK Official Singles Top 100 Chart and debuted at number 21 on the UK Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100 on 11 February 2022. On 10 March 2022, Aitch released the single "Baby" featuring American singer Ashanti (who is credited as co-lead on the single) which heavily samples the latter's 2003 hit "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)". Less than 24 hours later, the single debuted at number 65 on the UK Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100. It debuted on the UK Official Singles Top 100 on 18 March 2022 at number 2.
In August 2022, Aitch released "My G", featuring Ed Sheeran, which is about Aitch's sister Gracie who has Down syndrome. His debut studio album, Close to Home was released on 19 August 2022, and reached number two on the UK Albums Chart.
On 9 September 2023, he performed during the half time of the Sidemen Charity Match at the London Stadium.

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details :
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Details | UK | AUS | BEL (FL) | IRE | NLD |
| Close to Home | Released: 19 August 2022 Label: EMI, Capitol, Infinitum Format: CD, digital download, streaming, vinyl, cassette | 2 | 52 | 169 | 24 | 46 |

### Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details :
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | Details | UK | IRE | Certifications |
| On Your Marks | Released: 9 December 2017 Label: NQ Records Format: CD, digital download, streaming | — | — | |
| AitcH2O | Released: 6 September 2019 Label: Since 93 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download, streaming | 3 | 18 | BPI: Silver |
| Polaris | Released: 29 May 2020 Label: Infinitum Records Format: CD, digital download, streaming | 7 | 50 | |
| Lost Files | Released: 17 November 2023 Label: Infinitum Records, NQ Records Format: Digital download, streaming, USB | — | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |||||

### Singles
#### As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | UK | AUS | IRE | LBN | SCO | Certifications | Album |
| "Blitzed" (featuring Kay Rico) | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Vibsing" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Daily Duppy" (featuring GRM Daily) | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album singles |
| "Trust Me" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Straight Rhymez" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album singles |
| "Miss Me with It" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Wait" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "On the Way Home" (with Jaykae featuring Bowser Boss) | 2019 | 73 | — | — | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album singles |
| "Taste (Make It Shake)" | 2019 | 2 | — | 12 | — | 8 | BPI: Platinum | AitcH2O |
| "Buss Down" (featuring ZieZie) | 2019 | 8 | — | 55 | — | 74 | BPI: Platinum | AitcH2O |
| "Mice" | 2020 | 34 | — | 78 | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Rain" (with AJ Tracey featuring Tay Keith) | 2020 | 3 | 61 | 10 | — | 23 | BPI: Platinum ARIA: Platinum | Polaris |
| "Raw" | 2020 | 57 | — | — | — | — | | Polaris |
| "Goyard Batman" (with Lil Pump and The Plug) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Safe to Say" | 2020 | 56 | — | 85 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Polaris |
| "Learning Curve" | 2021 | 27 | — | 74 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album singles |
| "GSD" | 2021 | 52 | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Party Round My Place" (with Avelino) | 2021 | 56 | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "War" (with ArrDee) | 2022 | 6 | — | 28 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Pier Pressure |
| "Baby" (with Ashanti) | 2022 | 2 | — | 5 | — | — | BPI: Platinum ARIA: Platinum | Close to Home |
| "Just Coz" (with Giggs) | 2022 | 42 | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "1989" | 2022 | 23 | — | 62 | — | — | | Close to Home |
| "In Disguise" (with Bakar) | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | | Close to Home |
| "My G" (with Ed Sheeran) | 2022 | 6 | — | 32 | — | — | BPI: Gold | Close to Home |
| "Psycho" (with Anne-Marie) | 2022 | 5 | — | 8 | 19 | — | BPI: Platinum | Unhealthy |
| "Round 2" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Hide N Seek" (with Toddla T featuring Taet) | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Tip Toes" (with Clavish) | 2023 | 52 | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Scary" (with A1 x J1) | 2023 | 88 | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Landslide" (with Nafe Smallz) | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | | Lost Files |
| "Heist" (featuring PLK) | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | | Lost Files |
| "Famous Girl" | 2024 | 78 | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "Baddies" (with Luciano) | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "Gold Mine" (with D-Block Europe) | 2024 | 71 | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "Maybach Wallet" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "FWG" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "Scary Movie" (with Avelino) | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "Raving in the Studio" (with Bou) | 2025 | 22 | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "A Guy Called?" | 2025 | 25 | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "Straight Rhymez 2" | 2025 | — | — | — | — | — | | TBA |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |||||||||

#### As featured artist

List of singles as a featured artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | UK | AUT | GER | IRE | SCO | SWI | Certifications | Album |
| "Strike a Pose" (Young T & Bugsey featuring Aitch) | 2019 | 9 | — | — | 11 | 31 | — | BPI: 2× Platinum | Plead the 5th |
| "Kilos" (Bugzy Malone featuring Aitch) | 2019 | 20 | — | — | 61 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album singles |
| "French Kisses" (ZieZie featuring Aitch) | 2019 | 35 | — | — | 76 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album singles |
| "Kids to Adults" (Tasha featuring Aitch) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "12:12 AM / Patients (F*****g Up a Friday)" (Everything Is Recorded featuring Aitch and Infinite Coles) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Friday Forever |
| "UFO" (D-Block Europe featuring Aitch) | 2020 | 11 | — | — | 52 | — | — | BPI: Platinum | The Blue Print: Us vs. Them |
| "House & Garage" (Morrisson featuring Aitch) | 2021 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | | Guilty |
| "Bad" (Pa Salieu featuring Aitch) | 2021 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Bamba" (Luciano featuring Aitch & Bia) | 2022 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | BVMI: Platinum IFPI AUT: Platinum | Majestic |
| "Let's Go" (Tion Wayne featuring Aitch) | 2022 | 30 | — | — | 84 | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Grey (Remix)" (Yung Filly featuring Aitch) | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Bridges" (Ezhel featuring Aitch) | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Derdo |
| "DND" (Potter Payper featuring Aitch) | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Nightmare Before Christmas |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||||||||

### Promotional singles

List of promotional singles, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Album | Notes |
| "AitcH2O Freestyle" | 2019 | Non-album singles | Freestyle released coinciding with the announcement of the AitcH2O EP release date and AitcH20 Tour. |
| "101Barz Freestyle" | 2020 | Non-album singles | Recording of the freestyle performed for the 101Barz YouTube channel. |
| "Murdaside (Remix)" (with Mazza L20 and Potter Payper) | 2024 | Lost Files | |

### Other charted and certified songs

List of other charted songs, showing year released, certifications and album name :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | UK | IRE | Certifications | Album |
| "Already" (featuring Tyreezy) | 2019 | 43 | — | | AitcH2O |
| "Pop Boy" (Stormzy featuring Aitch) | 2019 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Heavy Is the Head |
| "Ei8ht Mile" (DigDat featuring Aitch) | 2020 | 9 | 34 | BPI: Silver | Ei8ht Mile |
| "30" | 2020 | 36 | 91 | | Polaris |
| "Parlez-vous anglais" (Headie One featuring Aitch) | 2020 | 24 | 47 | | Edna |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||||

### Other guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, showing year released, other artist(s), and album name :
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
| "Know Better" (Remix) | 2019 | Kay Rico | Non-album remix |
| "Keisha & Becky" (Remix) | 2019 | Russ Millions, Tion Wayne, Jay1, Sav'o and Swarmz | T Wayne's World 3 |
| "Take Me Back to London" (Sir Spyro Remix) | 2019 | Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Jaykae | Non-album remix |
| "Ei8ht Mile" | 2020 | DigDat | Ei8ht Mile |
| "Moving Naughty" | 2020 | GRM Daily, B Young | GRM 10 |
| "Parlez-Vous Anglais" | 2020 | Headie One | Edna |
| "Latest Trends" (Remix) | 2021 | A1 x J1 | Non-album remix |
| "Operation Fortress" | 2023 | D-Block Europe | DBE World |

## Awards and nominations

Award nominations for Aitch :
| Year | Organisation | Award | Work | Result |
| 2020 | NME | Essential New Artists for 2020 | Himself | Included |
| 2020 | Brit Awards | Best New Artist | Himself | Nominated |
| 2023 | Brit Awards | British Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act | Himself | Won |
| 2023 | Brit Awards | Song of the Year | "Baby" | Nominated |

### Listicles

| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Result | Ref. |
| Forbes | 2022 | 30 Under 30: Entertainment (Europe) | Placed | |