Quotes from Skepta

I have been wearing Air Max for so long, since I was seven playing around in the estate; I feel like I know my Air Max well.

I don't think grime has ever been respected; it's not seen as a nice sound.

I don't know what I'm going to end up doing, but its definitely in the right direction for freedom and truth.

I did drama at school, as a kid, but I ain't been to, like, acting school or anything. I was in a couple of school plays.

I'm paranoid of people hating on me.

There are people who take on different objectives and missions in life. When you grow older, there's a a void - and right now, I'm filling a space where a lot of old rock, grime, hip-hop, punk artists left a vacant space.

I know that I'm in grime, but I had to separate myself and do things myself.

That's all that life is really about - setting up the party, talking to people who are like-minded, making something happen and keeping it moving, you know.

Becoming a commercial scene? I don't think people in grime would be happy about that.

I'm not gonna ever announce that I'm going to do an album again. Waking up with that on your head almost doesn't allow you to make the best album you can.

When I was a kid, I used to stop bullies. I'd get so angry when I saw people being bullied. I'd be like, 'Stop doing that to him!'

It's important for anybody who finds success to show other people where to find it.

I want to show the young generation that success is not something you search for externally: it is from within.

I've realised that there's art in everything we do in London. Suddenly, a photo of two boys sitting on a wall in tracksuits with a dog can go online and be considered a sick photo. That's what we've done to London.

A lot of us who've made grime might be in the chart, but that is because of the country we are in.

I haven't just come up with a hit - I'm not like a one-hit-wonder - I've been here for ages. No one is questioning my ability, so just enjoy the wave, spread the wave.

Don't compare me to Stormzy. Me and Stormzy are both legends in our own right.

There is so much good music from our scene in the U.K., and I'm happy I'm part of that movement. For a long time, we were trying to do what the Americans were doing, we were trying to do what the pop stars from England were doing, and we just didn't understand.

Britain is just a melting pot for every culture. Like a pot for every culture around the world mixed into one. Artists over here understand that more.

'That's Not Me' video cost me 80 English pounds.

You have to understand, that's all I've ever wanted: for London to have a credible musical voice. I will honestly, honestly die happy knowing that I saw it happen.

Being in an industry where money talks, everybody involved in the 'Dare To Dream' project came to a conclusion to sign it to Interscope.

They respect rappers in the U.S., but in England, it's the Queen's country. She'll forever be putting out the message on these BBC networks that there's no hood: it's tea and red phoneboxes.

England is so black and white, so plain, like a burger with nothing on it. No salad, nothing. That's why it's so real.