BRIT’S A BIG HIT

is going global after dropping the Tempah from his title.

The award-winning rapper toasts a decade of music this year and he wants to help UK rap make a bigger international impact.

He thinks the combined talents of Europe can take over the North American hip-hop stronghold.

Tinie told me: “I think we are edging it in the UK now and my aim is all about trying to motivate the next generation of rappers.

“If you go by statistics, of course someone like Drake is the biggest rapper in the world. But even before all of this lockdown I treated Europe in a holistic way.

“If America has 50 states to play with, all that landmass and people, Brits are never going to be able to compete so we have to look to Europe.

“There are rappers in Italy and France doing well, even better than Britain. Holland, Germany too, and I’ve started making links and collaborating with them.” He’s already seeing the influence UK music is having on the New York scene. Tinie said: “I do like Fivio Foreign’s

Big Drip, they are jumping on UK production and working with AXL Beats.

“What’s cool is that it’s bridging the gap without them realising it. American rappers on British production, so that’s giving us confidence and it’s technically a British sound. I’m hoping it makes the cadence and the way a British rapper pronounces the words more palatable.” The south Londoner has been releasing one-off singles all year. His latest is Whoppa with Latino popstars Sofia Reyes and Farina.

He said: “I’m releasing in a very relaxed way. What I’m trying to achieve this time around is to push the UK rap sound.”

As well as his own stuff he’s launching a host of new talent via his Disturbing London label and clothing brand What We Wear. He added: “I’m working on a whole bunch of other artists.”