An asset to the British music scene, Wretch 32 remains true to his origins in a lot of ways. There are no thrills, no theatrics – just straight talent. In the studio it’s really about creativity and what feels right for him musically.

Words by PARISS SLOAN

If you ask him what has changed since the beginning of his career, the first thing that comes to him is his hair. Yes, the hair does look great! That’s the very essence of most British artists on the scene right now, remaining yourself (minus a makeover or two) is essential – it’s what the audience expect and respect. What I found most interesting about Wretch 32 is the way that he creates. Learning that there are times, more frequent than not, that he doesn’t write his lyrics down but instead recites them over in his head until he is ready to lay them to a beat. He is known to chill in a corner for a while, until the verses come to him – and then that’s it, he needs to be in the booth. This is how many of his greatest pieces have been made.

Following his career over the years, it’s clear that Wretch thrives on being kept on his toes and enjoys the competitiveness of the industry – the goal is to keep getting better, and he genuinely believes himself to be one of the best – he admits, he has to. Feeling particularly nostalgic when thinking back to his grime days, he has been known to argue that the grime scene is much more intense and competitive than the charts. It was this very fact that drew him to the scene, as it kept him lyrically sharp and in the company of like-minded talents in many ways. Moving away from the scene was a conscious decision after performing to mass audiences – he wanted to create music that his fans and supporters could sing back to him. He found that when he used to perform it was difficult for people to sing back his verses, and even the hooks sometimes – so venturing into a new landscape that has since landed him in the top ten of the UK charts is what naturally followed.

One of his favourite works to date is ‘6 Words’, reaching number eight in the UK charts, written with his two children in mind. Something seemingly vulnerable tells us more about Wretch than he would possibly put into words any other time. ‘I wrote you a song but I can’t sing’ – a line that stayed with him for years, the opportunity or the timing, finally presented itself. He wanted to create a piece that centred on the message, and this was the song to do that. A great deal of pride lies in the success of this single, something that came from Wretch himself. This single was stripped down, with no featured vocalist and a video concept that centres entirely on the lyrics and the very heart of the song. It’s funny, I think thousands and if not, millions of people will do what I did when thinking about the song – think of someone close to them, and as emotional as it may sound, find love in the song and in that moment.

Wretch has mentioned how he felt when he finished this song on countless occasions, and he holds no secret in the fact that he and his team found themselves in tears when they played it through at the end of the session. With the undeniable pride that came from the success of this single, came a hunger to continue, to compete against his personal best, come back stronger and remain on this platform. He admits himself that the average shelf-life for an urban act is around the two year mark, it’s about setting new goals, achieving them, and then raising the bar higher. A great deal of Wretch’s work came to us in December last year, with the release of ‘Alright With Me’ featuring Anne-Marie and PRGRSHN and the release of his seventh mixtape with Avelino (Avelino’s second mixtape) named ‘Young Fire Old Flame’. After being fully indulged in what was an unforgettable Fire in the Booth session with Avelino and himself, Wretch introduces the mixtape. The piece features the likes of Moelogo, Youngs Teflon, Bobii Lewis, Yungen and Fuse ODG. Its release came as a surprise to most, but a good one at that.

The mixtape celebrates the youth in the industry, and some of the best on the UK scene. Wretch stresses the importance of bringing people up with you on the rise; it’s an unwritten obligation to ensure the rise of UK talent. When one rises, another must rise alongside him. With a Young Fire Old Flame show on Thursday 12th May at London Koko, we’re no doubt expecting a few more surprises.

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