Time Flu by for busy AJ

TRACEY GOT TO WORK DURING LOCKDOWN

RAPPER AJ Tracey took lockdown seriously and came out of it with a fantastic album.

The 27-year-old Londoner just hit No2 with new LP Flu Game and he believes the quality of his music improved during the pandemic.

So what have the past few months looked like for AJ? He said: “The inside of my house is what it looked like. I ain’t done much. I’m not pointing any fingers but I know a lot of rappers are doing their thing, having fun.

“My mum is of a certain age and I feel like it’s irresponsible of me having fun and not thinking about the elders. It’s been hard for me.”

Instead, AJ got his head down and made some of the best music of his life.

He explained: “You’ve got to grow up and mature at some point, take responsibly for your actions. Instead of going on private jets I thought, ‘I’m going to donate money I could have spent on holidays and write my album, get the work out of the way.’ Because when you work you can play – and I’m ready to play now.” The new album feature a host of basketball references and is even tracklisted in quarters just like a match. The title Flu Game is a reference to when Michael Jordan overcame a dodgy pizza intended to stop him. AJ said: “I used it as a metaphor to say, ‘We’ve all been going through hard stuff. No matter, we always come through the other side.’”

Ten years into his career and the BRIT Award-nominated rapper is over any resentment he felt towards people trying to hold him back.

In fact, he’s written a song about it called Eurostep, adding: “It’s about me saying there are always people in my way I’m not going to engage – I’m going to Eurostep over you.”