Living in the UK with a Turkish heritage, surely you are surrounded by music of many cultures. Who were your influences growing up?

Of course. Being born in the UK and having lived in London my whole life while having a Turkish cultured home certainly contributed to the making of my debut single, Figo.

My influences growing up were a mix of Turkish, English and American artists. However i’d comfortably say, 50 cent, was my number 1 idol growing up. His sound for me was second to none. I believe he made hit after hit which he made it seem effortless to do. Some honourable mentions will be Biggie Smalls, Tupac, Eminem, DMX, Dizzie Rascal, Giggs and Skepta.

When did you first begin to make music and have you had encouragement from those around, be it family & friends or maybe industry folk?

It’s funny because, initially it all stemmed from a dream I had, that I was in the crowd of a 50 cent concert listening to ‘In Da Club’. I remember having a feeling of ecstasy. Singing along to it. I woke up, searched beats on the internet and got to writing. I then booked in my first studio session with Hot Money Studios, run by Patrick Osei. Once I felt his personal support stemming from him realising what music meant to me, I felt invincible. The confidence boost was immense. I first told my parents about it while showing them a demo of something we had made with Patrick. They fell in love with it, the smiles on their faces were overwhelming and at that point it dawned on me that this was my path.

Your debut single ‘Figo’ has just been released via GRM Daily, it’s a real clash of cultures, from the production to the lyrics. Can you tell us about the inspiration for the track?

The inspiration behind the music I make reflect my personal life, coming from a labelled ‘Mafia’ background, stated by the Media from 1998 [BBC News]. That was the main inspiration behind Figo. To reflect my struggles growing up then being an adult.

The grandioso production is by SLVNG MAJOR and Patrick Osei, but you put a Turkish influence on the sound by playing the Saz guitar. How long have you been playing it for?

I’ve been playing the Saz (Turkish Guitar) since I was 13. Stopped going to lessons when I was 15 but I can still play it very well.

Coming from a family known for crime, falling in to situations of your own, you went to Europe. What was the reason behind, and what did you experience on your trip?

Yes. I travelled Europe. Seeing the never ending smiles the sun of Spain brings to its people, the beautiful waters of Venice, Italy and the never ending coffee shops of Amsterdam, Holland. The experience is one I cannot forget. It showed me how people see life and how they are almost, forced, to see life. The perspective different cultures have on life purely because of where they are born and raised was mind boggling. It showed me how big the world actually was. It showed me everything I knew and everything I was good at doing meant nothing to people of different cultures. They didn’t know people like I, existed. I learnt to mimic and try to understand how different people lived. I learnt to really understand that there is no ‘one’ way of living your life, but, a million ways. You just have to leave your comfort zone, which I believe, where life begins. At the end of your comfort zone.

At a young age of 20, you’ve already underwent a change of paths in your life. But what advice would you give to the youth following in your footsteps?

The advice I would give to the youth following in my footsteps will be:

See your corner of the world as what you have mastered. But do not forget what you haven’t mastered. In order to be a wise and successful person in any line of work, it is crucial you do it out of love. It sounds cliche… I know. But have positive thoughts. If something doesn’t go your way… just think “There’s a reason for this. Something, somewhere is teaching me a lesson”. Do not allow what you’ve seen to date, to make you feel that dreams stay as dreams. Take action. Visualise what you want, visualise it so much until it takes over your mind. Sub-consciously you will instinctively take the right steps towards your goals. The power of visualisation is key along with positive thoughts which attracts positive energy and positive crowds.

The combination of grand visuals and the track itself for ‘Figo’ remind me of Drake, French Montana and Tory Lanez etc. What artists are you listening to right now, and do they influence your style?

Of course many artists influence my style. But I feel true originality is what you see and what you make yours. Learning great things from great artists such as Drake and Tory Lanez can only make me a better artist. Currently I listen to Drake [More Life] the most. I also love our very own, Stormzy’s new album, Gang Signs and Prayer. Those two albums are my current favourite two albums.

Are there any upcoming artists, even of Turkish heritage also, that you would like to recommend to us?

Shaqydread is an Artist I would definitely recommend. He has such a unique sound. Nothing like it. Really.

B Young also, ethnically turkish, recently release a banger in ‘London Boy’ on LinkUp Tv. Awesome visuals behind it and a very unique, brilliant voice.

How will you be following up the single ‘Figo’, an EP or mixtape release maybe?

Everything is in motion. I don’t stop working. You will not be disappointed, I assure you.

Do you have any live performances/tours in the pipeline?

Not yet.

What do you hope or even plan to achieve this year and beyond?

I have big dreams so a MOBO Nomination will an amazing achievement for me, SLVNG Major and Patrick Osei