In this interview, grime veteran Ghetts sits down with Akala to talk Ghetto Gospel, the role of his father, artistic transition and fan queries.
The ‘Ghettsibition’ event followed the recent release of Ghetts’ gripping album Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament, a mature project compared to his gritty mixtape Ghetto Gospel (2007).
When asked about East London and his area’s influence on his work, Ghetts simply said: ”This is where I’m from but the world’s much bigger, we want to leave here right…that gave us certain drive, a certain build, a certain awareness…this is where I’m from”.
The project captures a variety of perspectives of people that experience an assortment of plights, from families who experience street violence (Next of Kin) to women of colour that experience racial double standards (Black Rose).
Throughout the open dialogue, Ghetts also references the need to stay relevant with an audience of all ages, noting that the younger generation has different tastes. Unsurprisingly, the 17-track LP has ties to its original ancestor, as Ghetts continues to merge analytic rap efforts (“Spiritual Warfare”, “No Love”) with hard-hitting grime bangers (“Caution”, “Shellington Crescent”); a formula that has allowed Ghetts to succeed in the current musical climate.
Check out the video interview above!