After a hiatus of a couple of weeks, we see the return of the GRM Premier League, and this week we have former Roll Deep member and creator of Crep Protect, J2K.
The East London MC is well known for his days in the famous Grime crew and also for his individual work, but nowadays he tends to channel his focus upon his entrepreneurial skills.
If he isn’t spitting bars on the Great Wall of China then you will find him solving problems for sneaker heads throughout the UK.
Aside from all of that, he is an avid Liverpool fan, so we thought he’d be the perfect man to chat to about a bit of football.
How do you think Liverpool are doing so far this season?
It’s been wack, the same old story. With Gerrard now gone, there’s no backbone in the side. The Liverpool spine of Carragher, Gerrard, and a top striker is gone, it’s just a team of individuals. There’s not a lot of players that have grown together in this team and that worries me. Liverpool have a strong history of bringing players through the youth system, not everyone, but there was a core foundation in every side and that isn’t there anymore. I’m not happy to be honest.
What are your expectations for Liverpool this season?
It can only improve I suppose, we forget that Sturridge is still out injured, but we can’t continue to rely on one person. I’m always willing to give any manager and the players the benefit of the doubt, I’m getting fed up of it, but I do it. It seems like every season we bring new players in, the standout player is off straight away, and then we start again. When we get a star player, it’s all about him, then when he goes it’s back to the drawing board. Rodgers has brought a lot of good players in, but until it gels, it’s the same old rubbish over and over again. Pre-season wasn’t used properly and he’s still experimenting with the squad, putting people like Danny Ings out wide, it’s a joke. I can see the same thing happening, but I hope not.
Favourite player of all time?
For Liverpool it would be Robbie Fowler, he was God. Further down the line maybe Suarez, but I’m talking about the days when I wanted to be a footballer. Ian Wright is definitely my favourite of all time for any club, though. He’s a man who’s been through it all in life, so you can take his advice seriously. The guy’s been to prison, only turned professional at the age 23, and has suffered everyday struggles that a normal working person goes through. He gave me and many others inspiration to make it in football. When you start hitting a certain age, you think the football thing is long, but his story would help you to continue. How can a player nowadays try and relate to an average person? It can’t happen. Not only that but his goalscoring record, his attitude, it was perfect.
Is there one game that sticks out for you in particular?
In the Premier League, definitely the Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle in 1996 with Kevin Keegan and that. That’s one of the maddest games in the league’s history, and it happened to be my team. We also had a mad game against Man Utd years back, but the Newcastle game sticks out. Either that or the Champions League final in 2005, do I need to say more? No one will ever forget that.
If you could choose one footballer to collab with on a tune, who would it be?
Mario Balotelli. He’s a rudeboy, I can tell he’s got bars for days. Obviously Daniel Sturridge has tried to MC and that before. I’ve heard him spit bars (JBF: “Is he any good?” J2K: I’ll leave that for the people to decide (laughs)”) and he’s a fan of the scene, so maybe him too. Oh no, hang on, Mourinho as well! There’s so many to choose from…. one of those three.
Go and check out Crep Protect – wipes now available in JD, Foot Locker and Foot Asylum.
Curated by: Jaik Bramley-Fenton/@JaikBFenton