Rock and Pop: Interview - Wretch 32
Published: 13 October, 2011
by ROISIN GADELRAB
WRETCH 32 has just been shopping. And he’s a little bewildered at what he’s learned. Dashing into Comet in his short break, he has managed to overcome his indecisive nature to buy a TV.
He said: “I’ve never had to buy one. I had to be quick so got what looked okay – it’s a 40-inch, I think, but they tried to sell me other stuff.
“Do you know what’s funny? I know this is going way off topic but when you buy a TV, everything comes separate so I had to buy a TV, a DVD player, surround sound stereo. Then you have to buy the wire that connects the stereo to the TV, then another wire because that one’s only for audio, then you have to buy another for video, optical... Everything’s separate: what the hell?”
In Wretch’s whirlwind life, there isn’t time for these decisions. He’s got videos, collaborations, live shows and awards ceremonies to be at.
One such important stop is at Koko on October 28 alongside Loick Essien, Teezy and Duchess.
Anyone who listens to Radio One, shops in high street stores or has watched TV in the past year will have inevitably caught snatches of one of his infectious tunes.
The Tottenham rapper, while grafting for some time, has risen from relative obscurity to mainstream success in a matter of months, collaborating on the way with some of British pop’s most popular artists, from Ed Sheeran to Example and beyond.
And, after making some openly admiring comments about Ms Dynamite recently, he’s hoping she’ll be next on the list.
When asked about a recent joke he made about marrying the Camden MC, he said: “Woah, people are listening when I talk, eh? I was only messing around.
“Yeah, Ms Dynamite, she’s lovely though, man, she’s adorable. A really cool, really nice lady, really relaxed. I think we will – we’ll definitely do something.”
He’s also got designs on working with four-time Mobo winner Jessie J: “She really works hard, brings something different to the game and her performances are world class.
I think she’s fantastic.
“What’s different is the work rate and the actual level of talent. Vocally she’s actually quite wild, she’s kind of an all-rounder.”
Wretch was nominated for four Mobos at this year’s Glasgow ceremony but came away with something a little unexpected: “I was in the airport and I was just trying to represent. When you come to England you’ve got have fish and chips, when you go to Italy you’ve got to have pasta, am I right? When you go to Scotland, you’ve got to at least touch a kilt.”
So he bought one but has so far only tried it on over his trousers, promising he may eventually go au naturel: “Depends who’s in the house at the time...”
Wearing it in public is “an option”, he added, warning: “I’ve got chicken legs, though”.
Wretch has just recorded the Children in Need single, a reworking of Massive Attack’s Teardrop, alongside Camden’s Ms Dynamite and Tulisa, as well as Ed Sheeran, Labrinth, Rizzle Kicks, Tinchy Stryder and many more – all under the direction of Gary Barlow.
He said: “When you’re growing up Children in Need is always the show that comes on…
“I always used to wish I could do my part but at that time in my life there was nothing I could do. Now, to be in a position where I can do something – my contribution to the track – which could potentially raise money, it’s got so many different rewards and that’s such a lovely feeling.”
Others ambitious to emulate his success would do well to learn from his professional attitude: “It’s been really wild, we’ve had to stay focused because it’s quite easy to get sidetracked,” he explained.
“You can start thinking: Yeah let’s go to the clubs every day, have a drink and stuff. [But] we understand we’re here to do a job and the reason we’re here is because of hard work, so we’d be kind of silly to stop working hard now.”