We don't need Kanye to spit on grime instrumentals to show grime is great.
— Kano
I started writing lyrics to clash with other people in the playground. Now I've developed my own voice and my own style. There's no one out there that does the same thing as me.
See, I'm not a very open person, face-to-face. I'm no good at sharing my feelings with others, good or bad. I kind of close up. Music is the only time I can open up and actually say things.
I'm just used to having so much control in music and in acting you have to give that up a bit. Sure, our voices are heard on set, but at the end of the day you can lose an argument. Whereas in music, if I feel the second verse needs to be changed I can change it. I find it really hard as an artist to give up some of that control.
The first time I ever played Glastonbury I would have never have thought that a grime artist would have ever headlined it.
My first bars were about wrestling! That was basically all I knew back then.
For me, writing and creating music can be quite a solitary thing.
Grime, in particular, is not really about pirate radio and local raves on top of pubs anymore. There are things I miss about those times but as an up-and-coming MC, back then, I would have loved to have had SoundCloud and YouTube and all these platforms to promote my music.
If my way of connecting with the younger generation was to do what they do, they would see through it straight away. I have to keep it real to be who I am, and I think they see that.
Music changes every year, but some people are great at riding waves and then they're doing something different next year.
We're always going for it and trying to raise the bar and achieve more and more and just be as creative as we can.
When we started out we didn't expect anything would come from it, definitely not money. We'd pay to go on pirate radio: twenty quid a month just to go on and spit for an hour.
People used to say if you really want to crack it you have really got to go to America. But with the Internet and the scene how it is... Americans are coming here more and more. They are looking at what we are doing. I think it's important that we all remain here, that we stay here and keep this scene thriving.
When you come out, and if you're saying something worth taking note of, then people will give you their ears. If you're not, it's whatever.
There's an energy in people coming together and singing.
I feel a lot of hip-hop videos are all about portraying a lifestyle that the artist doesn't even live.
I feel it's important to create moments, especially in a time where things are so throwaway.
I can clearly hear a lot of grime influence on Timbaland's stuff, on some of Drake's flows.
I'm a thinker as much as I'm a talker.
You know, I was going to be a footballer at one stage, but... nah.
I just have no interest in the industry of acting, I don't want anything to do with it. But I respect the craft.
Most raves used to end by getting CS gassed. It wouldn't be like: 'Last orders! We've gotta go!' It'd be: 'Sigh, it's been CS gassed, we've gotta leave.'
I think, generally, it is always good to be aware of what is going on.
I can't say that I am not driven by success or have a fear of being successful. But for me, the ultimate thing is just about being good at what I do. Because if I made an album that I didn't really like and it was super successful then I wouldn't happy within. That's the kind of person I am.
I don't think groundbreaking shows such as 'Top Boy' are made every day.
We grew up and I feel like we're achieving a level of success through music that's allowing us to see the world. I want that for people where I come from. I want them to achieve that same thing through their passions. It's important that when we reach these places, that we still are who we are, and we never forget where we come from.
Ultimately, I want people to be inspired.
Visible success is important. It's important to be able to look on the TV and see yourself, turn on the radio and hear yourself. To see people from where you're from actually becoming successful.
The key to acting well is to allow yourself to be vulnerable.
There's so much talent around here, east London in particular is full of talent. Whether that be boxing or football or music.
If I looked back on 2019, in ten years' time, and I'd only made club tune after club tune, what's the purpose?
New Banger' is a statement, but it is more about giving the DJs something for the clubs. I think it should have a lot of club longevity as a tune.
Drake can do that well, he can have the hottest tune every summer for the next 20 years, and that's how he does his things. But naaaaah, I might go away for three years, you know what I mean?
If you're going to do something, it should be fresh and it shouldn't have been done before.
David Cameron? He's not my guy.
I would go to college and people would know me from the rave they went to at the weekend. So I would get a bit of respect. But I would always go to class and do my work. My mother made sure of that.
I'm laid-back. Sometimes, I think being laid-back will be my downfall; I'm a little too good at sitting on the sofa and doing nothing. But what can I say? It's who I am, how I am, how I've always been.
I don't see myself as a political artist, but certain issues mean a lot to me.
It's really important to me to still spend time in the ends - I'm there all the time. I do my videos there, I still talk about it. It's important for me to be an inspiration to the youth of the area and not just leave now I've blown up.
I probably pay more attention to politics than what I used to.
I'm not into releasing throwaway music for the sake of it.
American racism seems to be a lot more in the open. The U.K. is different but it obviously still exists.
I think music is great at posing a question. It doesn't always have to give the answer, but it can open the dialogue.
I would love young girls to look up and see my string section or my brass section or the steel band and be like, 'Wow! I never thought I could do that, that's wicked! I want to be up there doing that.'
There were eras of English music where people tried to rap in American accents and we lost our way.
I would be extremely surprised if David Cameron watched 'Top Boy.' But maybe he should. Maybe he should.
That is part of the problem, that lack of belief in yourself because you don't see success around you. I guess that breeds defeatism, so yes there does need to be resources out there and support that will nurture talent that I believe is there, and passion that I know is there.
Nah I'm not religious.
I usually hate the whole process of pitching and making videos. I've had so many made and I only like about two of them.
It's fine to keep releasing tune after tune if you can keep up with that pace but I can't. I'm not the guy that will have the hot tune every month. That's not me!
