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PHOTOGRAPHS BY OLIVIA ROSE, NETFLIX, GETTY IMAGESInterviewreally close to music and have a conversation
with yourself; you don’t even think about the
world hearing it. It’s quite a solitary thing writing
lyrics, and sometimes I do dig deep and get
things off my chest. It’s been good for me for
various reasons at different times during my life.’
Your lyrics - like for T-shirt Weather In
The Manor- are always very emotive of
specific times and places.
‘Yeah, I think you can speak vividly about today
and look back in ten years and know exactly what
was happening in that moment. That’s what
good storytelling is for me.’
It could be said that your lyrics are more
respectful of women than other artists’
in your genre.
‘Yeah, I think that’s probably been a bigger thing in
American hip-hop and 90s hip-hop videos –
that kind of imagery was the norm then. You
look back and watch old videos and think,
‘I shouldn’t have liked this’, and maybe I
should have been saying that all along.
But, obviously, now we’re in a different time
and some things are just not on. Personally,
I don’t see myself as portraying that kind
of imagery. I think my music is whoIam,
and I’m a person of respect, so that
shouldn’t creep into my music.’
Much of your older work
speaks about rifts between
friends and family, notably
your sister in Little Sis.
Has it helped reconcile any
of those situations?
‘Yeah, through my brother we
[my sister and I] made contact
after that. There was a reach out
and that was nice. Music does lift
things and words can be powerful.
OnStrangers, I was talking about
a mate, and there was a branch
that was taken and now we have
a good relationship, too.’
How does your mum feel
about your success?
‘She watchesTop Boyon Netflix!
She’s proud, but she knows how
I am – if they play my songs, I’m
like, “Turn it off, I don’t want to
hear my music”. But I know, on the sly, she’s probably more
vocal about how proud she is.’
Your performances really push boundaries – you
played with a brass band in 2016 at Brixton
Academy – has that always been important to you?
‘For me, boundary pushing is the only thing to do – to
remain in your comfort zone is lazy. I like to push myself
and, hopefully, I push the scene forward, in terms of the
way I perform my music. I’m playing the Royal Albert Hall
and this [grime] music hasn’t necessarily been represented
in venues like that, so that’s going to be a pivotal moment
for me in my career, which will help other artists that come
after me. When we started out ten years back, trying todo what we loved
and create, have
a voice and
represent where
we’re from, we
inspired a whole
new generation.
Dave and Little
Simz are doing
amazing things, and it makes
me so proud. I think I can speak
for the Lethal Bs [Lethal Bizzle],
the Wileys and the Dizzees, who
were there back then when we
started out, too.’
You’ve written about the
expectation to help people
out financially now you’re
successful. Do you still feel
that pressure?
‘When you’re starting out and
everything is new, no one knows
how it works. The whole music
industry was completely new to
us, and when you’re surrounded
by “friends” , everyone thinks you get £10 million every
time your video gets played. It’s like, “Where’s my
Bentley?!” Those are troubles new artists go through and
they feel obligated to help people they came up with, but
you realise you can’t please or help everyone. That takes
a bit of age and experience. It’s not much like that now,
but that was definitely a period in my life.’
What inspires you?
‘Good art, Little Simz – I love her latest album – Mike
Skinner from The Streets and Damon Albarn. My artist friends
who make great music and I’ve seen come a long way –
we inspire and compete with each other, but it’s friendly.’n
Top Boy is available on Netflix nowLeft:Kano on stage
at Lovebox in 2017.
Above: starring in
Top Boywith Ashley
Walters (far left)‘Everyone thinks youget £10 million everytime your videogets played. It’s like,“Where’s myBentley?” Thoseare troubles newartists go through’