‘I NOW HAVE THE FREEDOM I ALWAYS CRAVED’
RAPPER PROFESSOR GREEN REFLECTS ON HIS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS AS HE REVEALS HOW TAKING A STEP BACK HAS HELPED HIS CREATIVITY TO BLOSSOM
Award-winning rapper Professor Green has had quite a career since arriving on the music scene back in 2010. He soon toured with Lily Allen and won legions of fans as his track Just Be Good To Green soared in the charts.
But as he looks back at how far he’s come, Professor Green – real name Stephen Manderson – says he now has the freedom he’s always dreamt of as an artist. “I’m in a place where I can actually enjoy it. I’m not in the hamster wheel, with that perpetual state of asking, ‘What’s next?’” he says.
The 37-year-old, who was married to Millie Mackintosh from 2013 to 2016, is now a father to baby boy Slimane Ray with his girlfriend Karima Mcadams. The doting dad reveals he wants his son to “explore whatever he wants” when he’s older.
Here, the musician talks to OK! about breaking the taboos of parenting and why his personal life is no longer suffering because of his career…
When you look back on your amazing music career, what have you learnt?
For someone who works a hell of a lot, in and around mental health advocacy, I talk a really good game about taking care of myself. But I’m only starting now to have time off from it all. I’m only now putting into practice that it’s good to stop and take stock. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to get another opportunity if you say no to another tour. It means you might have a break which will inspire creativity and give you room to write records.
What have been your highlights?
There have been so many. Even recently, to sign one of the best record deals of my career. It’s incredible to be this far into a successful career, which started in March 2009. I’m 37 and I now have the freedom I always craved. I have no pressure. I’m not chasing anything or pinning happiness on anything. I’m very content.
Have you performed recently?
I did do a gig that went out to around 200,000 schoolchildren, which is cool, but I couldn’t see a single one of them. That’s what gigging is nowadays because of Covid. It’s so weird but obviously still amazing. The cool thing is that anything good that happens now, I’m in a place where I can actually enjoy it. I’m not in the hamster wheel with that perpetual state of “what’s next?” It’s cool that after all these years to have all of these plates spinning, and then in between that, my family and my home. But for the first time, my personal life is not suffering because of my work, which it has done previously.
Congratulations on becoming a dad! How has parenting been so far?
I started the unlikely dads club because of it. I didn’t really know my head from my arse when he first arrived if I’m honest because I’ve not had any experience with children. Really, the first trial that I had with children was Karima’s nephew, who was born shortly after we met. But anyway, we have our son now. He’s amazing and it’s been a journey.
Would you want your son to follow in your footsteps?
I would like for him to explore things as he wants to. I want him to be secure in himself and feel able to explore whatever it is that he wants to whenever he wants to because I didn’t have that when I was growing up. And beyond that, he’s free to do as he pleases.
You’re a patron for CALM. What work have you been doing with them recently?
I’ve been a patron for CALM [Campaign Against Living Miserably, a suicide charity] for years now. I’ve seen it grow, a bit like the response to the documentary I made about my dad’s suicide, Suicide And ME.I still haven’t watched it. I think I’ll probably see it with my son when he’s older. But, it’s bittersweet seeing the charity grow because there’s a necessity for it. I’m currently working on the campaign You B-okquet Mate? to highlight the importance of giving men flowers and getting men to open up about their emotions. Until recently, I’ve never been sent flowers – especially from a man. It makes me think, “Why is there a weirdness around it? And why does it have to be feminine?”
professor GREEN has created a unique floral bouquet specifically for MEN, IN partnership with urban flower company to support funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk campaign you b-okquet mate? It’s available from urbanflowercompany.co.uk