Lancey Foux Drops “Eagle Eye,” Featuring a Powerful Michael Jackson Speech on Black Artist Exploitation

UK rap originator Lancey Foux is back with a statement. On Tuesday, the London-born artist released his new single “Eagle Eye,” a track that finds him airing out long-simmering frustrations with the music industry, while pointedly referencing the rise of fellow UK rapper EsDeeKid. The song closes with a striking spoken-word moment from Michael Jackson, tying Lancey’s personal grievances to a much larger, historic struggle for Black artists’ rights.

On “Eagle Eye,” Lancey Foux appears to take aim at EsDeeKid, whose profile has exploded over the past year. Rumors have been swirling that EsDeeKid recently secured a massive $30 million deal with Capitol Records, a figure that has only intensified online discourse about who’s winning and who’s being left behind, in the current UK rap landscape. Lancey uses the record to vent about label issues that have plagued him, positioning himself as an originator watching others reap the rewards of an industry he helped shape.

That tension hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans. While Lancey Foux remains deeply loved by UK audiences, the emergence of artists like EsDeeKid, Fimiguerrero, and Fakemink has led some critics on X to claim that Lancey has “fallen off.” Others have gone further, accusing him of being lazy or a “bag-fumbler,” especially in light of EsDeeKid’s rumored deal. On “Eagle Eye,” Lancey directly addresses those narratives, pushing back against the idea that success is purely about talent or timing, and instead pointing toward systemic label politics.

EsDeeKid’s rise has been hard to ignore in 2025. His debut album Rebel, released in June, featured the breakout hit “4 Raws” and collaborations with Rico Ace, Fakemink, and Fimiguerrero. The project peaked at No. 60 on the US Billboard 200, signaling his crossover momentum. Earlier this month, the hype reached an unexpected level when Timothée Chalamet appeared on a remix of “4 Raws,” leaning into long-running jokes that he and EsDeeKid are the same person, while also promoting his upcoming film Marty Supreme.

What truly elevates “Eagle Eye,” however, is its closing moment. Lancey Foux incorporates a speech from Michael Jackson, in which the legendary artist speaks candidly about the exploitation of Black performers by record companies. In the excerpt, Michael Jackson declares:

“Throughout the years, Black artists have been taken advantage of, completely…
The record companies really, really do conspire against their artists.
They steal, they cheat, they do whatever they can.”

By placing Michael Jackson’s words at the heart of the track, Lancey draws a direct line between past and present, suggesting that despite decades of progress, the same injustices persist, just with different names and contracts.

“Eagle Eye” isn’t just a diss or a venting session. It’s a broader commentary on ownership, recognition, and how quickly pioneers can be sidelined once the industry finds a shinier new face. For UK rap labels in particular, Lancey Foux’s message, amplified by the voice of Michael Jackson, lands as a powerful reminder: success should never come at the cost of exploiting the very artists who build the culture.

For fans and critics alike, “Eagle Eye” makes one thing clear: Lancey Foux hasn’t fallen off. He’s watching closely and he’s speaking up. What Michael Jackson felt back then, it is still the case today for Foux.

[Spoken: Michael Jackson]
This is very important, because
Throughout the years, Black artists have been taken advantage of, completely
And it’s time now that we have to put a stop to this incredible, incredible injustice
And like, uh, like, um, what Al Sharpton was saying
People from James Brown to Sammy Davis Jr
Some of the real pioneers that, uh, that inspired me to be the entertainer that I am
These artists are always on tour because if they stopped touring they would totally go broke
And, uh, it’s been— the record companies really, really do conspire against their artists
They steal, they cheat, they do whatever they can