More about: Skepta
The grime hero opens up about inner peace + his Mercury Prize nomination
"One day I was just chilling and she posted up a picture of me that said 'Tottenham boy'," smiles Skepta from the Mercury Prize red carpet - recalling the time that Adele gave him a shout-out on Twitter and Instagram. "I was going to quit that day - I was going to quit music that day. But that was one of the sickest things that could have happened."
Sticking at it is a decision he won't regret. Sure, 'Shutdown' has become an anthem for the new grime generation, but it's his album Konnichiwa that showed the world what Skepta can really accomplish as an artist. Grime is a serious business, it's here to stay, and Skepta cannot be stopped. The Mercury Prize nomination is just the beginning - but he won't let it phase him. He needs to be real.
"I believe in signs, but I believe that being myself is the best thing I could have done," he admits. "I love Adele, and she's another artist that's gone through the same things as me and knows how hard it is. I love how she keeps herself to herself. She knows it's a blessing, and she tells us how to treat her. She says 'don't run after me, don't follow me, don't take me for all these other artists - I'm just this'."
So could we ever see an Adele collaboration?
“We are both on the planet, hopefully something can happen, but there are so many artists that I thought, ‘when I meet them I want to collaborate with them’," he replies. "But sometimes that’s not why you’re meant to meet.
“You’re meant to give each other a good life talk or push you in a better direction. Always going for the collaboration spoils it and I don’t want to spoil it.”
It's best to let fake take its course. You can't second guess anything, and Skepta certainly didn't see the Mercury nod on the horizon.
"It's not validation - I don't do stuff for validation," he shrugs. "I just made the album that had nothing to do with radio or TV, or awards. To be here now is very gratifying.
"My sales pitch is 'be yourself, be relaxed, there are no worries'. Any stress is self-inflicted. I eliminate any external validation. This is all just a blessing from God. When I was first coming up, I was trying for awards and that kind of stuff, I really was. That's where my stress and bad energy was coming from. Being content with my team...and just having my fans come and see me - that's what's No.1. I eliminate so many illness just by understanding that. This is beautiful."
Take a look at 9 grime artists who are rapidly rising in the game.
JME: Co-founder of the group and label Boy Better Know, JME is a solid staple of the grime scene and has been plugging away in the scene since 2006. He visited 1Xtra in New York and his latest album Integrity garnered critical acclaim, only increasing his loyal fanbase.
Skepta: Let's get the biggest players out of the way, shall we? With the phenomenal overseas success of 'Shutdown' and co-signs from the likes of Drake and Kanye, Skepta is destined for stardom. He's already collaborated with the innovative New Yorkers Ratking, and has been cooking up in the studio with Earl Sweatshirt and the aforementioned co-signers.
Novelist: Recently featuring on Channel 4's late night, Four To The Floor series, this 19-year-old from Lewisham was nominated for Best Grime Act at the 2014 MOBO Awards. Check out his collaboration with Mumdance, 'Take Time' for a scorching sample of his stark and direct rhyming approach.
Ghetts: A regular collaborator with grime veteran and mainstream crossover Devlin, Ghetts has been pushing the boundaries of grime and hip hop for a number of years. In terms of his chances of crossing over, he recently appeared at Jay Electronica's London XOYO show, spitting a piercing a cappella that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Stormzy: Winner of the Best Grime Act at the 2014 MOBO awards, Stormzy was also the first unsigned rapper to appear on Later WIth Jools Holland, performing his storming grime track 'Not That Deep'. He's gaining more followers each day, and - once you add in his charisma - he could appeal to the masses.
Krept and Konan: Originating from the grime scene with a flurry of collaborative freestyles, these two are blowing up quickly and collaborating with the likes of Wiz Khalifa and Rick Ross. Arguably no longer 'rising' grime artists who have dramatically changed their sound, but they certainly put enough work in.
Mez: Hailing from Nottingham, this young MC spits with an unusual vocal style and reels off lines with a harsh, energetic intensity. Check out Mez and AJ Tracey performing 'Mic Check' live at Maida Vale for a glimpse of the up and coming artist.
Cadet: Check out Cadet's 'Aint On Nuttin Remix' to discover the MC's intricate and relentless style. He has a clear talent for crafting coherent songs, which will arguably be important in pushing grime towards the masses.
Izzie Gibbs: "I been doing this since I was knee high" spits Izzie on 'Reload'. Practice makes perfect and this young Northampton MC raps with ferocity and hunger across several mixtapes and a number of appearances on the YouTube battle channel, Don't Flop.
More about: Skepta
Photo: Shirlaine Forrest
