This album, ‘Being Poor Is Expensive’, was about me exploring themes of community, and the importance of having my family around. The whole journey, from early conversations about even making an album to when I started recording it, was about being tethered to my community. It was about being encouraged by my inner circle to start recording again, and the life energy I managed to get from that. 

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When I’m creating, there are periods where I have to work in isolation, because I need to process and mine my thoughts. I’ve got to go to a deep place, and sometimes, I can’t have people around just because of the level of concentration required. That being said, this experience would not have been what it was without my family present – without their collaboration. I’d go into the studio with my mum, sister, brother and niece. During the first studio session with Toddla T, my mum was in the studio. ‘Made In Britain’ was the first song I recorded for the album, and the Aswad [‘Back to Africa’] sample was picked by her. It’s one of my mum’s favourite songs. I was nervous about recording again, so I asked her to come with me. She sat in a corner and read a book, but her presence mattered. She was there. It set the tone for the rest of the album, that this was a family affair.

Someone asked me recently backstage at Black On The Square in Trafalgar, how are you so normal? Aren’t you gassed your album is taking off and being talked about? I said I’m appreciative but I’m humble. While everyone is pouring a lot of love onto the album, and it’s growing and snowballing every day, my family is with me. They know who I am and I have to be centred for them. I had a show last night at Soho House, and a talk with Darcus Beese, former president of Island Records. His Mum, a civil rights activist, was present, and my Mum was also present. Having family around you gives you an anchor, something to draw from. 

Speaking of personal anchors, having my Dad around helped me navigate my surroundings when I was younger. He was a moral compass. He gave me anecdotes about his own experiences which became the blueprint for how to handle myself in certain situations. He kept me alive. In terms of creative inspiration, I was influenced by musicians and emcees; So Solid Crew, Heartless Crew. They were superheroes to me. It was Ashley Waters and Idris Elba who made me believe an acting career was possible. I went to the BRIT School for Performing Arts and it was Stuart Worden – the head of drama at the time and now the Principal – who first encouraged me. He saw me. He saw the talent in these young kids from turbulent environments, and kept them centred on the craft. My secondary school teacher Miss Beirne-Francis saw that I had a passion for acting and helped me focus and channel my raw energy. That’s the importance of community. You have to have people that will guide you. You have to have a team that will cultivate with you, because it’s easy to get lost and go down a path you might not come back from. 

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The soundscape of this album is the music I grew up on. A lot of reggae and dancehall was playing all the time at home. Listening back to these songs is so nostalgic to me. They evoke memories that make you appreciate these homegrown sounds more as you get older. My mum’s from Jamaica, my dad’s from Dominica. So, whenever I hear Lovers rock, reggae, revival music, soca or Zouk, I’m experiencing my youth again. As I got older, I got into hip-hop, jungle, and after that garage and house. When I started to make my own music, I was drawing on grime. It’s this varied palette I’ve discovered I like to paint with, it’s embedded in my DNA.

The dexterity that I have in terms of my ability and craft, I’ve had to learn and grow into. Because I’m a storyteller – in both my music and my acting – I see things as moving parts in a larger story, like in a film or TV series. This album is my origin story. It’s a reset button that draws on my experiences and skills. I’ve learnt to be clinical. I’ve been uncompromising in my pursuit of the truth, and I’ve wanted for this album to be as raw, unfiltered and authentic as possible. It’s not trying to be something it’s not. 

My family was proud of this work, and I was proud of it before it went out into the world. I’d made my peace with it before I released it. But it’s been beautiful to see really discerning people speak about my art; cultural figures, artists, label heads, people who have no vested interest in the album spreading the word powerfully and poetically. That’s all you can hope for when you release your art – that it will have a cultural impact then stand the test of time. 

I had this protective armour on when I was in my twenties. I was so focused on the graft that it took me away from my family, and I enjoyed it less. Now, with my family close, it’s allowed me to stay grounded. The goal is now to stay connected to real life, real love and real people. It’s allowed me to not get swayed by and sucked into the darker side of the industry – the extravagance and fast-paced nature of it. 

As I evolve in my life, I become more myself everyday. I’m getting closer and closer to the realest version of me. To get to that place, I’ve learned to try and stay steady. If you live by the cheers, you’ll die by the boos. Don’t be too high or too low: try to be balanced, always. Robert De Niro said: When things are going well, be calm. Don’t think that you’re on top of the world. Take what’s good in your life and move forward cautiously and carefully. 

When you stay true to yourself, that’s when you’re going to win the most. 

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Lead Image Photo Credit: Dennis Morris