Still only 21, Mr Tempah has already been recording for five years. But then he did start young…
When So Solid Crew came out, that made me certain that I wanted to be exactly that. Going back, though, thinking about my earliest memories of dancing around in front of my mirror, it was probably to Michael Jackson. That’s why when people say, ‘How do you feel about getting a bit more mainstream?’ I say to them, ‘Well, if I can do what Michael Jackson did…’ Nearly each and every one of his songs is a different genre, but because it’s Michael Jackson singing over it, that’s what makes it popular. I think that’s what we should all be trying to do, to be honest.
His inspirations aren’t so much a mixed bag as one giant meta-bag.
In terms of what I listen to, my favourite tune at the moment, apart from my own, is Erik Hassle’s ‘Hurtful’. I am in love with that song, man. But I listen to everything. I grew up listening to Dolly Parton, because my mum’s almost obsessed with her. I had to hear that on a very regular basis. Once you’ve been through that, you can listen to anything.
He’s got a unique, versatile flow, reminiscent of MF Doom in its elasticity.
I like to sound like an instrument within the music. So whatever I have to do with my voice, or however quickly or slowly I have to rap, I like to make a perfect marriage between my voice and the backing track. ‘Pass Out’ is a definite example of that. And the public seems to be enjoying it – apparently it’s the tune in the clubs right now. I haven’t been able to witness it being played as much as I would have liked to, but my Twitter seems to be going really crazy every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so it’s a good time!
As a cohort, collaborator or schoolmate of every player in grime – from Dizzee to Chipmunk to Bashy – 2009 was a watershed year for young Tempah.
Man, last year, that was the biggest year for me. Looking back on everything, it was a realisation. Dizzee got three consecutive number ones, and everybody’s album was going gold or platinum and they were doing sold-out shows. I was like: ‘Wait, hang about, what’s goin’ on?’ Something great is going on here and I’ve just gotta pull my socks up and get on with it. Because it’s happening. In my opinion this is just the beginning.
The egalitarian sort, he seems genuinely excited about how the competition will help to evolve music.
The same way it was inspiring for me is the way that it’s gonna be inspiring for that new 14-year-old kid who’s watching all of us on the TV and reading about us in Time Out magazine and stuff like that. Saying, ‘I wanna do that, I wanna be like them.’ And it’s wicked to see that, because people are aware that the scene is changing and it’s evolving and it’s developing into something greater and everybody wants a part of it.
Eddy Lawrence
