The talented Tinie Tempah

1/6
Craig McLean10 April 2012

Tinie Tempah has friends in high places. Jay-Z loves how the South Londoner is starting to reinvigorate the American rap scene with a vivacious UK pop twist.

Chris Martin is on speed dial - the Coldplay frontman regularly calls with advice on crafting the follow-up to Tinie's Brit Award-winning debut album, Disc-Overy, which has sold 1.3 million copies since its release a year ago. He has even entertained royalty. Prince William and Kate Middleton went backstage after Tinie played Radio 1's Big Weekend, signalling that the performer has most definitely left the UK underground for the international pop A-list, parlaying grime club culture into a multi-platform brand whirlwind with a Nike footwear collaboration in the works and (already) an autobiography, My Story So Far.

Not that A-lister approval is Tinie's priority. Respect closer to home matters more. 'I've definitely done something that's made my mum and dad forever proud,' says the 22-year-old, whose God-fearing Nigerian parents named him Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu Jr. His father, formerly a barber, now a social worker, and his mother told their four children that they had a '20-year start' on their immigrant parents' generation, so they best not squander the opportunities afforded them. They are justifiably thrilled by the triumphs of their fiercely ambitious eldest. With a middle name that translates loosely as 'God is Great', and educated in a succession of Catholic schools (Tinie has nothing but good things to say about his time in academia), he is the well-tailored, well-mannered, well-brought-up exemplar of modern British music.

'I don't want to achieve less than my mum and dad,' says Tinie, who marked signing his EMI record deal in October 2009 by presenting his parents with an outsized, lottery winner-style cheque. His sister Kelly has just completed a sociology degree at Brunel, Marian is in her final year studying law at Leicester's De Montfort University, and Kelvin, six years younger than Tinie, has started college. 'Every generation that comes from this family has to do better than the last,' says Tinie.

He is polite and eloquent. He answers questions in fluid but sharp, thought-out sentences and cultivates a stoutly English manner: his blog is called Milk And 2 Sugars, he favours a gent- classics-with-a-twist style and no, he doesn't need those reading glasses, he just likes the bespectacled look.

Little wonder that nice Chris Martin of Coldplay approves. 'Chris has been a good mentor,' says Tinie. 'He rings me once in a while - "How's it going, how's the album going? Don't rush it, make sure you play it to me before you've finished it. And when you feel like you've finished it, just make one more song" He's given me loads of advice. Damon [Albarn] has done that as well, and Kylie'

When he was a teenage wannabe, Dizzee Rascal and So Solid Crew were the trailblazing acts that the young Patrick sought to emulate. 'Dizzee's just my childhood hero,' he smiles. 'He's definitely the inspiration. He's got himself to a very good place. He's defied the expectations of what British black urban music was like. He was the first person who made the rest of Britain realise it wasn't just a one-album-type situation. You've got to take your hat off to somebody like that.'

His early musical training took place on the regional club circuit. Adopting an obligatory hip-hop name, albeit a safe, cute-sounding one, Patrick became Tinie Tempah. 'Doing a couple of gigs here and there in Hatfield or Hitchin or Milton Keynes... I was like, "I've made it, man, f***ing hell, I'm a star!" I was happy with my £400 a week,' he remembers. But then when his peers started signing record deals and getting Top 20s, he realised, 'S**t, there's a whole different tier of success that I have not yet reached...'

He'd released a mixtape, Sexy Beast, but its impact was minimal. His manager, cousin Dumi, 'laid it straight': if Tinie Tempah wanted to be more than a storm in a tiny teacup, he had to work harder. He knuckled down and, after creating a YouTube and club buzz, released Disc-Overy in October 2010. Working with hot producers and writers including Labrinth and Emeli Sandé, and collaborating with guest vocalists Kelly Rowland and Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah crafted a hit-stuffed album - the singles 'Pass Out' and 'Written In The Stars' both reached number one.

A year on, Tinie Tempah has come a long way. He's just back from a long-overdue holiday in Jamaica with a new friend. 'I haven't got a bird just now, but I met this really nice girl. She's the most exciting girl that I've seen thus far. She's from Sweden, she's a model, and she's 28.' A 28-year-old Swedish model - what did he see in her? 'I know, f***ing hell,' he grins.

'Superficial! But in terms of a girl and settling down in the next four years, I dunno. It doesn't look like we're on track for that. I've never had a serious girlfriend. I'm too young for that.'

His beefy upper arms speak of a new regime with a personal trainer; his chunky watch (a Rolex Datejust) betokens a bling new lifestyle, but a sober one. He has two others, a Rolex President and an Audemars Piguet. He's also found time to relocate from 'leafy' Plumstead to the shiny lofts of Canary Wharf. 'I don't really feel cultured living there but it's all right for the time being. I've got a great view over the Thames, overlooking The O2. Which is what I'm gonna be doing next month.' Tinie's UK arena tour rolls into his hometown on 4 November for his booking at the 20,000-capacity arena. 'I can literally walk to work.'

There's no word yet on whether his being the royalty-friendly face of rap means his guest list will feature anyone with the second name Windsor. Was he concerned that the second in line to the throne outing himself as a fan might diminish Tinie's credibility? 'No,' he states firmly. 'I thought that would increase my credibility. What people don't understand is, there's different levels of cred. There's street cred - the guys on the estate think you're cool' And guys who own an estate think you're cool 'That's a whole different level of credibility,' he smiles. 'For Obama to say he listens to Jay-Z, that's a whole other tier It's cool that the Royal Family are like that, they're very real - based on what we see anyway. If they were very square and [posh laugh] "haw-haw-haw", it'd be a bit boring. I like the fact that you've got your rebel there,' he notes approvingly of Prince Harry, a Dizzee Rascal fan.

While rumours of his 'cracking' the US are somewhat exaggerated, Tinie has made a decent fist of impressing American music royalty. On top of Jay-Z's enthusiasm, Pharrell Williams has contributed tracks to Tinie's second album, due next year. The Londoner has spent most of the past six months Stateside, putting in the miles, from the Nike HQ in Portland, Oregon (he's designing a trainer), to the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, where he was the break-out British import at the new-bands showcase.

Meanwhile, he's been learning at the feet of the best. Tinie has supported Rihanna, Usher and Black Eyed Peas on tour. Who impressed him most in person? 'I've met loads and loads of people but Dizzee Rascal is the only person who, every time I'm around him, I am still speechless.' They recently spent a few days hanging out together in Los Angeles (where he also went for sushi with Adele, another friend), 'and every time that guy would come down to the lobby, I'd freeze.'

Tinie has been attentive in noting the work ethic of international superstars. 'These guys are like robots. You always wonder how come they're so much richer and so much more successful. They actually ooze superstar qualities. And it's just because of their work ethos: Rihanna - she's not f***ing about! But artists like her have to. It's very, very mainstream pop. With all due respect, she doesn't write all her own songs. So it's easy to make six albums in six years. But at the end of the day, you gotta respect the hustle. She is the one doing all the gigging and the touring and promoting the album.'

Tinie has learned his lesson well. The hardest-working rapper in showbiz won't even be taking a night off from his tour to celebrate his birthday on 7 November. He will be turning 23 in the company of 15,000 fans at the Manchester Evening News Arena. 'Nights off are boring,' he frowns. 'I can't have a house party because people will steal things. I can't have a normal party because I just hate saying hello to everybody all the time, it's just jarring. And there'd be paparazzi outside. So I may as well do a show and get 15,000 people to sing 'Happy Birthday' and have a crazy after-party where I just sneak in with a hoodie and get up to loads of carnage. It's potentially one of the best birthdays ever.'

And he might get 15,000 presents 'Exactly!' he beams. 'That's a f***ing good idea. I'm gonna Tweet that today' ES
Tinie Tempah plays The O2 on 4 November (theo2.co.uk)

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