PROFESSOR GREEN
It’s one thing to be famous for making catchy, well worded pop/rap songs, but to marry into the Made in Chelsea world, get arrested and be in a serious accident all in one year is quite another. Meanwhile, people have been baying for a new album despite an honest admission that you suffer from anxiety. BUT. Professor Green is now back on track and ready for action with his new album Growing Up In Public. I spoke to him about what the last couple of years have been like on his crazy rollercoaster ride.
It’s been a while since your last album, and a lot has happened to you. Can you fill me in on what’s been going on for you? Te last 18 months have been very turbulent; I got hit by a car and received a very heavy injury, I got married and I got arrested(for alleged drink driving). I think people are going to have a much better understanding of that situation when they are able to hear my side. It was kind of like trial by press; I wasn’t allowed to open my mouth and say anything so that was really frustrating, but we’re through all that now so there’s no point in dwelling on it. I feel better than I did before, so it’s helped me to grow and find happiness. Have you experienced a lot of pressure to keep on top of your game and keep music coming out, going on tour etc?
Tere was definitely pressure, plus the pressure I put on myself. Two years between albums is not a long time at all but because I put a date on when the album would be released, and then it wasn’t out because of what reason or another….I really shouldn’t have put a date on it! Next time around the album will be finished and then I’ll give a release date. Tat’s the lesson I’ve learnt; people wouldn’t have been so disappointed that way, they would have just been pleased that a record was coming out. I don’t like letting people down and that’s why I put so much pressure on myself, but with everything going on it just wasn’t possible. Do you still feel nervous of what kind of reaction you’ll get from the public? Yeah ‘cos I’ve actually had time to worry about it which I didn’t have with the first
“Even in my darkest times I’ve always held onto something that got me through.”
two albums, so yeah I’m definitely apprehensive of the response. Te reaction so far has been incredible though; I haven’t had such a good response since I was last at my peak, during the Read All About It time when people really seemed to identify with my music and loved it. Touch wood, the response to the new tracks have been really good. Tere haven’t been many people saying “I like this but I don’t like that”…people seem to like all the new tracks even though they are quite different to each other.
Your new album is called Growing Up in Public. It’s been six years since the battle rap that set it all off for you. How has life changed for you? Six years?! Oh my god. Sometimes if I’m walking down the street people ask for my picture…it’s all nice things really. I have to be a little more careful about my behaviour in places where I might end up being pictured. I have to take time to do things privately…but I wouldn’t say there was anything really negative. It took me a little while to get used to it; I had my success before all the celebrity stuff kicked off when I started seeing Millie. It was a rough challenge and not something I took to like a duck to water but I’ve kind of learnt to understand it. If I get really annoyed that I don’t get as much privacy as I used to have that only affects me, I’m the one who’s angry. Tat’s not something I don’t want to waste my time on so I just embrace it now. Does your level of fame distract you from making music? I don’t think it distracts me; I think it can be a distraction for other people. Te whole thing between this album and the last was I wanted to take a step back from everything but that was made impossible. Te only I could do was just
outlineonline.co.uk / December 2014 / 13
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