London-born grime artist Ghetts is tearing up the charts with his debut studio album Rebel With A Cause.
Known for his way with hard lyrics and intricate rhymes, Ghetts has garnered attention from MOBO, Radio 1 and Kiss FM and has toured internationally with a variety of well known acts.
I caught up with him this week to talk about his recent chart success, and his incredible journey.
I started by congratulating him on his album reaching number 23 on the official album chart, and asking him how this felt.
'I'm happy!' he says 'It's particularly important to me as shows you don't always have to compromise to enter that commercial world.'
But there is no resting on the success he has achieved so far.
'I'm still have so much work to do in terms of bringing the culture back to the forefront. I want to play a massive part in doing that.'
I am intrigued about his early rebellion, which saw him at his lowest low - doing spells in prison. I'm curious about what he felt he was rebelling against.
He gives a knowing smile. 'Nothing. That's just it. I had nothing to rebel against at the time, I just didn't know then. It was for no reason! Maybe the album should have been called 'rebel with no reason'!'
Ghetts dismisses further enquiry about his time behind bars politely - I was young, I just wanted money - but it's testament to his strength of character that he was able to turn his life around and achieve his true calling. What was the turning point?
'Being in and out of jail and talking to people who I could as see myself ten years down the line. I realised if I didn't make a decision at that time I was going to end up going down that path.
I had good family support and they don't get enough credit. People that go in and out of prison.. it's because there's nothing there making them think otherwise. With me I was always fighting against the reasons why I should do crime.'
Alongside the love of his family, music was a constant, a life-support, he tells me. His own influences include Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, So Solid Crew and Tupac.
'I think that it always plays a part in those hard times. If you listen to music and it touches you because the artist says something that registers with you at that time, it can really affect you.
You think wow, if he thinks he can get out of that situation then maybe I can get out of it.'
Another factor in Ghetts' mission is his new-born daughter
'There's nothing like the birth of a child to pull you up, put things in perspective' he says, tenderly.
I ask what lessons he would impart to his daughter.
'It's important that she's happy with who she is. That's perhaps the most important thing she could take from my life.'
Ghetts is a driven man, enriched by his wealth of experience. I wonder what he would like people at large to take from his music, and his journey
'I want them to be inspired and not as a god-like figure, but be inspired by someone who's been told 'you can't do that' and put you in a box, and has fought against it.
'I want to inspire those who really want to make things happen'.
Ghetts' album 'Rebel With A Cause' is out now http://www.ghetts.com