“I’m not that ‘Ghetto’ person anymore,” Ghetts proclaims about his name cha… Read Full Bio ↴“I’m not that ‘Ghetto’ person anymore,” Ghetts proclaims about his name change from his previous street moniker. “I’ve grown out of it.” At 24 years of age, Justin Clarke is finally maturing into the artist he has always strived to be; or ‘Grime star’ as he puts it. From Justin to Ghetto to Ghetts, the east London native has seen the lows of being behind bars to the highs of sell out concerts all in a short space of time; the sum of which have contributed to the well rounded individual who is ready to embark on the next stage of his promising career.
Growing up in a Christian household, the sounds of G’s childhood is that of prayer and gospel music. His aunt Andrea sung in the church choir and the soulful hymns left a huge impact on the young Ghetts. His mother recalls him as a three year old jumping out of her arms and running to the stage at a religious camp meeting in front of 15,000 people. It was then she says that she knew he was destined to be performer. Ghetts had also developed a sense of rhythm from his father who surrounded himself with jazz music. Once the beat got into him G would beating out rhythms on the tables and the floor in his house until his mother was driven to the point where she had to get him a keyboard to satisfy his musical curiosity. It was on this that Ghetts first experimented with writing songs as he’d try putting verses together over the pre-set percussion demos.
And it was music that was set to be Ghett’s saviour as his restless nature caused problems for him during his education. Unable to concentrate in class, the Plaistow citizen continually found himself getting into trouble and as a result never really being able to settle at a school. “I couldn’t really concentrate at school,” Ghetts states about his academic unrest. “The only thing I could concentrate on was music, not even girls. It was the only thing I enjoyed.” This soon transferred to the streets and like many who grow up in areas forgotten by the government, Ghetts found himself turning to crime to pacify his inattentive mind. Naturally it was only a matter of time before Ghetts found himself living at Her Majesties Pleasure. At the age of 16 Ghetts was in and out of jail at a scarily frequent rate which made G realise that if things carried on the way they were then his whole life would be spent behind bars. It was then he sought refuge in the only thing he found peace in; music.
At the age of 14 Ghetts visited a day time rave in Leyton to see the Heartless Crew. The experience cemented his ambition to make it in the music world. “I had this thing in my chest,” G reveals about the defining moment. “I could feel my heart beating and I was drawn to the mic. I knew I wanted to do something like that!” At the same time as Ghett’s legal woes, a new sound was emerging from east London. Born out of Garage; Grime was taking over the pirate airwaves and artists such as Wiley, Dizzee Rascal and Kano were beginning to get heard across the capital. Close friends with the Nasty Crew’s Sharky Major, Ghetts began reciting some of his rhymes for the Newham favourite. Sharks soon let G know that he was ready to be heard and Ghetts began recording tracks and performing on radio and at clubs with the collective. The artist known as Ghetto was born.
With a street buzz steadily growing, Ghetts developed a relationship with fellow Nasty Crew member Kano who had just begun promotion for his major label debut ‘Home Sweet Home’. Featuring on two of the tracks from the disc, including the single ‘Typical Me’, Kane took G on the promotional merry go round for the album that included taking part in tours with Nas and The Streets, as well as opening up for Juelz Santana in New York and performing at the MOBO Awards. Around this same time Ghetts released his first mixtape ‘2000 & Life’; a disc which drew on his experiences of growing up on the streets of Plaistow and of being behind bars. Still heralded as an underground classic the disc was full of angry bravado and vicious rhymes that fuelled favourites such as ‘Simple Minded MC’s’ and the anthem ‘Skinny Sort’. The experience of going on tour with Kano however soon showed Ghetts a side of England that he’d never seen before and this resulted in a change of perspective for the young MC. “Going on tour and seeing the people who would turn up the shows and the reaction they would give us, I realised that my ignorant attitude wasn’t gonna get me anywhere,” Ghetts describes of his revelation. “As soon as I got rid of my attitude things started happening for me.” It was then that Ghetts began recording his second mixtape; ‘Ghetto Gospel’.
One negative by-product of touring with Kano had been that G had been labelled as Kane’s hypeman. Wanting to be recognised as an artist in his own right and whilst also dispelling myths that he could only make angry songs; ‘Ghetto Gospel’ was filled with tracks that discussed the pitfalls of living in a deprived area as well as dedicating tracks to his best friend and his mother. “She cried when I first played it for her,” Ghetts recalls of playing ‘Closest Thing To Heaven’ to his mum on Mother’s Day. The mixtape also included a track for which Ghetts would shoot his first video; ‘Top 3 Selected’. The radio favourite sat alongside songs with fellow members of The Movement; a collective of likeminded MCs that included Scorcher, Wretch 32 and Mercston with whom G had released a CD entitled ‘Tempo Specialists’.
Ghetts quickly followed this up with ‘Freedom Of Speech’; another disc of entirely original material which channelled the reckless attitude of ‘2000 & Life’ and combined it with the refined wordplay of ‘Ghetto Gospel’ to make for a truly epic listen. Combining cold, nihilistic moments with bursts of untamed energy, the disc addressed and resolved issues that had arisen between Ghetts and other artists in the scene who had attacked G whilst he moved away from confrontational music during ‘Ghetto Gospel’. Tracks such as ‘Mountain’ and ‘Who’s Got?’ soon reasserted Ghetts as an underground favourite as well as satisfying the new fans he’d acquired from ‘Ghetto Gospel’.
Composing himself as a complete artist, G signalled his growth by changing his performance name to Ghetts and begun work on his debut album which is due for release in 2009. “I’m ready to make the best album I can make,” G affirms of his mind state. “It’s a bit like the TV programme ‘Heroes’. I’m just finally learning how to use my powers.” The first single from the album – ‘Sing For Me’ is already a favourite and has been snapped up by record label All Around The World to come out in early in the new year. As a division of Universal and home to artists such as N-Dubs, the track is set to be Ghetts’ first chart hit and finally propel him into the mainstream – an accolade well deserved and long overdue. “I made this tune for the clubs,” he speaks on the single. “When I’m in there I feel like I wish that it was my tune that everyone was dancing to so that’s why I made that.” And now that he’s had his first taste of success is Ghetts likely to turn his back on the Grime scene that has bred him? “I do Grime!” he proudly boasts. “I love Grime and it’s in my roots. It has been from when I saw Heartless all them years ago. A lot of people ain’t comfortable with that but I’m telling you from now that I’m gonna be a Grime star!”
Growing up in a Christian household, the sounds of G’s childhood is that of prayer and gospel music. His aunt Andrea sung in the church choir and the soulful hymns left a huge impact on the young Ghetts. His mother recalls him as a three year old jumping out of her arms and running to the stage at a religious camp meeting in front of 15,000 people. It was then she says that she knew he was destined to be performer. Ghetts had also developed a sense of rhythm from his father who surrounded himself with jazz music. Once the beat got into him G would beating out rhythms on the tables and the floor in his house until his mother was driven to the point where she had to get him a keyboard to satisfy his musical curiosity. It was on this that Ghetts first experimented with writing songs as he’d try putting verses together over the pre-set percussion demos.
And it was music that was set to be Ghett’s saviour as his restless nature caused problems for him during his education. Unable to concentrate in class, the Plaistow citizen continually found himself getting into trouble and as a result never really being able to settle at a school. “I couldn’t really concentrate at school,” Ghetts states about his academic unrest. “The only thing I could concentrate on was music, not even girls. It was the only thing I enjoyed.” This soon transferred to the streets and like many who grow up in areas forgotten by the government, Ghetts found himself turning to crime to pacify his inattentive mind. Naturally it was only a matter of time before Ghetts found himself living at Her Majesties Pleasure. At the age of 16 Ghetts was in and out of jail at a scarily frequent rate which made G realise that if things carried on the way they were then his whole life would be spent behind bars. It was then he sought refuge in the only thing he found peace in; music.
At the age of 14 Ghetts visited a day time rave in Leyton to see the Heartless Crew. The experience cemented his ambition to make it in the music world. “I had this thing in my chest,” G reveals about the defining moment. “I could feel my heart beating and I was drawn to the mic. I knew I wanted to do something like that!” At the same time as Ghett’s legal woes, a new sound was emerging from east London. Born out of Garage; Grime was taking over the pirate airwaves and artists such as Wiley, Dizzee Rascal and Kano were beginning to get heard across the capital. Close friends with the Nasty Crew’s Sharky Major, Ghetts began reciting some of his rhymes for the Newham favourite. Sharks soon let G know that he was ready to be heard and Ghetts began recording tracks and performing on radio and at clubs with the collective. The artist known as Ghetto was born.
With a street buzz steadily growing, Ghetts developed a relationship with fellow Nasty Crew member Kano who had just begun promotion for his major label debut ‘Home Sweet Home’. Featuring on two of the tracks from the disc, including the single ‘Typical Me’, Kane took G on the promotional merry go round for the album that included taking part in tours with Nas and The Streets, as well as opening up for Juelz Santana in New York and performing at the MOBO Awards. Around this same time Ghetts released his first mixtape ‘2000 & Life’; a disc which drew on his experiences of growing up on the streets of Plaistow and of being behind bars. Still heralded as an underground classic the disc was full of angry bravado and vicious rhymes that fuelled favourites such as ‘Simple Minded MC’s’ and the anthem ‘Skinny Sort’. The experience of going on tour with Kano however soon showed Ghetts a side of England that he’d never seen before and this resulted in a change of perspective for the young MC. “Going on tour and seeing the people who would turn up the shows and the reaction they would give us, I realised that my ignorant attitude wasn’t gonna get me anywhere,” Ghetts describes of his revelation. “As soon as I got rid of my attitude things started happening for me.” It was then that Ghetts began recording his second mixtape; ‘Ghetto Gospel’.
One negative by-product of touring with Kano had been that G had been labelled as Kane’s hypeman. Wanting to be recognised as an artist in his own right and whilst also dispelling myths that he could only make angry songs; ‘Ghetto Gospel’ was filled with tracks that discussed the pitfalls of living in a deprived area as well as dedicating tracks to his best friend and his mother. “She cried when I first played it for her,” Ghetts recalls of playing ‘Closest Thing To Heaven’ to his mum on Mother’s Day. The mixtape also included a track for which Ghetts would shoot his first video; ‘Top 3 Selected’. The radio favourite sat alongside songs with fellow members of The Movement; a collective of likeminded MCs that included Scorcher, Wretch 32 and Mercston with whom G had released a CD entitled ‘Tempo Specialists’.
Ghetts quickly followed this up with ‘Freedom Of Speech’; another disc of entirely original material which channelled the reckless attitude of ‘2000 & Life’ and combined it with the refined wordplay of ‘Ghetto Gospel’ to make for a truly epic listen. Combining cold, nihilistic moments with bursts of untamed energy, the disc addressed and resolved issues that had arisen between Ghetts and other artists in the scene who had attacked G whilst he moved away from confrontational music during ‘Ghetto Gospel’. Tracks such as ‘Mountain’ and ‘Who’s Got?’ soon reasserted Ghetts as an underground favourite as well as satisfying the new fans he’d acquired from ‘Ghetto Gospel’.
Composing himself as a complete artist, G signalled his growth by changing his performance name to Ghetts and begun work on his debut album which is due for release in 2009. “I’m ready to make the best album I can make,” G affirms of his mind state. “It’s a bit like the TV programme ‘Heroes’. I’m just finally learning how to use my powers.” The first single from the album – ‘Sing For Me’ is already a favourite and has been snapped up by record label All Around The World to come out in early in the new year. As a division of Universal and home to artists such as N-Dubs, the track is set to be Ghetts’ first chart hit and finally propel him into the mainstream – an accolade well deserved and long overdue. “I made this tune for the clubs,” he speaks on the single. “When I’m in there I feel like I wish that it was my tune that everyone was dancing to so that’s why I made that.” And now that he’s had his first taste of success is Ghetts likely to turn his back on the Grime scene that has bred him? “I do Grime!” he proudly boasts. “I love Grime and it’s in my roots. It has been from when I saw Heartless all them years ago. A lot of people ain’t comfortable with that but I’m telling you from now that I’m gonna be a Grime star!”
Double Standards
Ghetts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Da, du-du-du-du
Du, da-da-da-da-da
Du
Du, tst
Du-du-du, hm
Du-du-du, yeah
Check the foundations, structural imbalance
Falling double standards, I fell on my face
Hands in the rubble, people walking over me
I was one of them and kept walking away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away (uh)
Look around the world, all I see is double standards
A mum naming her son Muhammed is a madness
Jack's in the airport with drugs in his baggage
And security are troublin' Muhammed 'bout a sandwich
I was on the phone with a pal of mine
They ask me why they helping Ukraine and not Palestine
And I replied "brown skin", we were so whitewashed
Laughin' at names we had problems pronouncin'
Kwame said his name was Jerome
And he's from the Caribbean just so people would leave him alone
And I remember it was fufu and voodoo jokes
Until he found the same ting that gave the Zulu's hope
Sarah's dad hates blacks, but her baby's mixed race
And all he's thinkin' is, "she may have been raped"
Imagine bein' light skin, but grandad's racist
And every time you're there, you hear an African statement
Look around the world, all I see is double standards
Even Mark Zuckerburg covers up his cameras
Steve Jobs never let his kids use an iPad
And my kids think that I'm bad, mad
Nie had no TV until she was a grown up
I used to think, "what the fuck?" When she told us
The government have got us in a chokehold
A hero if I kill for my country, and a villain if I kill for my postcode
Only fightin' for my freedom if it comes to it
You got to use your brain before you put a gun to his
I had to lose my way before I understood the trip
The good die young, the cemetery's full of "should've beens"
These days, I'm doin' more and sayin' less
What's war? War's rich white men playin' chess
What for? Well, it's all about the land they finesse
God made man and then man made a mess (yes)
Check the foundations, structural imbalance
Falling double standards, I fell on my face
Hands in the rubble, people walking over me
I was one of them and kept walking away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away
They're givin' brothers life sentences for drugs
When a paedophile would probably get less than twenty months
In the same court, same day, same judge
We only break the law because the law tries to break us
So, how am I meant to be corrected
When they put my name and address in the papers?
But a child molester's identity is protected
Is anyone addressing these failures?
I just spoke to my mum, ah, man
She said, "police just killed another unarmed man"
Everyone complains, but nobody wan' go back home
It come like we don't love our land
Everyone's in Ghana in December
Come back home and start complainin' 'bout the weather
Raheem can score a hundred goals
But when he miss a penalty, it's monkey jokes (woah)
And they got everybody clappin' for the NHS
But they don't wan' put no cash into the NHS
Soon, it's gonna be, "what happened to the NHS?"
Politicians gettin' paid more than teachers
Satan gettin' praise more than Jesus
Most bad bitches ain't artists
But they still paid for their features
It's the realest comin' through the speakers
Yeezy's the only reason we wore Adidas
And I don't wear Balenciaga anymore
And now I've said it, Fashion Week probably won't have me seated
Deep it, here's a likkle insight
Peep it, there goes my invite
I preed it, no one's speakin'
That's why I'm an outsider on the inside
I got beef with the HMRC
The tax man jacks man, takes half my P
I'm lookin' at the total, blud, can't you see?
Everytime I pay tax, it's hard to breathe
I don't know if I'm paro', man
But I can talk about killings and drug dealings
But, "Black Rose" is my only tune that's shadowbanned
The thing is, they got us mixed up, son
They want us to be like the slaves in the field
All we keep doin' is lookin' to the big house
That's not our aim, that's not our purpose
Let's own the field, turn our direction, turn around
Let's look from their view
They see the land, they see the world
All we kept, they kept us with the view lookin' to the big house
The house that Master on, we got the wrong world view
Du, da-da-da-da-da
Du
Du, tst
Du-du-du, hm
Du-du-du, yeah
Check the foundations, structural imbalance
Hands in the rubble, people walking over me
I was one of them and kept walking away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away (uh)
Look around the world, all I see is double standards
A mum naming her son Muhammed is a madness
Jack's in the airport with drugs in his baggage
And security are troublin' Muhammed 'bout a sandwich
I was on the phone with a pal of mine
They ask me why they helping Ukraine and not Palestine
And I replied "brown skin", we were so whitewashed
Laughin' at names we had problems pronouncin'
Kwame said his name was Jerome
And he's from the Caribbean just so people would leave him alone
And I remember it was fufu and voodoo jokes
Until he found the same ting that gave the Zulu's hope
Sarah's dad hates blacks, but her baby's mixed race
And all he's thinkin' is, "she may have been raped"
Imagine bein' light skin, but grandad's racist
And every time you're there, you hear an African statement
Look around the world, all I see is double standards
Even Mark Zuckerburg covers up his cameras
Steve Jobs never let his kids use an iPad
And my kids think that I'm bad, mad
Nie had no TV until she was a grown up
I used to think, "what the fuck?" When she told us
The government have got us in a chokehold
A hero if I kill for my country, and a villain if I kill for my postcode
Only fightin' for my freedom if it comes to it
You got to use your brain before you put a gun to his
I had to lose my way before I understood the trip
The good die young, the cemetery's full of "should've beens"
These days, I'm doin' more and sayin' less
What's war? War's rich white men playin' chess
What for? Well, it's all about the land they finesse
God made man and then man made a mess (yes)
Check the foundations, structural imbalance
Falling double standards, I fell on my face
Hands in the rubble, people walking over me
I was one of them and kept walking away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away (away)
Away (away)
Away
I kept walking away
They're givin' brothers life sentences for drugs
When a paedophile would probably get less than twenty months
In the same court, same day, same judge
We only break the law because the law tries to break us
So, how am I meant to be corrected
When they put my name and address in the papers?
But a child molester's identity is protected
Is anyone addressing these failures?
I just spoke to my mum, ah, man
She said, "police just killed another unarmed man"
Everyone complains, but nobody wan' go back home
It come like we don't love our land
Everyone's in Ghana in December
Come back home and start complainin' 'bout the weather
Raheem can score a hundred goals
But when he miss a penalty, it's monkey jokes (woah)
And they got everybody clappin' for the NHS
But they don't wan' put no cash into the NHS
Soon, it's gonna be, "what happened to the NHS?"
Politicians gettin' paid more than teachers
Satan gettin' praise more than Jesus
Most bad bitches ain't artists
But they still paid for their features
It's the realest comin' through the speakers
Yeezy's the only reason we wore Adidas
And I don't wear Balenciaga anymore
And now I've said it, Fashion Week probably won't have me seated
Deep it, here's a likkle insight
Peep it, there goes my invite
I preed it, no one's speakin'
That's why I'm an outsider on the inside
I got beef with the HMRC
The tax man jacks man, takes half my P
I'm lookin' at the total, blud, can't you see?
Everytime I pay tax, it's hard to breathe
I don't know if I'm paro', man
But I can talk about killings and drug dealings
But, "Black Rose" is my only tune that's shadowbanned
The thing is, they got us mixed up, son
They want us to be like the slaves in the field
All we keep doin' is lookin' to the big house
That's not our aim, that's not our purpose
Let's own the field, turn our direction, turn around
Let's look from their view
They see the land, they see the world
All we kept, they kept us with the view lookin' to the big house
The house that Master on, we got the wrong world view
In the song "Double Standards" by Ghetts, the artist delves into the pervasive issue of double standards that exist in society. The lyrics reflect a personal journey of feeling marginalized and overlooked, as Ghetts describes being figuratively walked over by people who are quick to judge and condemn without considering the complexities of individual experiences. This theme is explored through vivid imagery of falling on one's face amidst the rubble of societal expectations and biases, and the struggle to find a sense of belonging in a world filled with hypocrisy and inequality.
The first verse of the song highlights various examples of double standards that Ghetts observes and experiences in his surroundings. From racial prejudice and cultural insensitivity to the preferential treatment of individuals based on their social status, the lyrics paint a picture of a world filled with contradictions and injustices. The juxtaposition of a mother being praised for naming her son Muhammed while another man is unfairly targeted for his ethnicity at an airport underscores the inherent biases that underlie societal norms.
Ghetts further expands on the complexities of racial identity and societal expectations in the second verse, touching on issues of colorism, internalized racism, and generational prejudices. The artist delves into the challenges faced by individuals who navigate conflicting cultural identities and familial dynamics, shedding light on the enduring impact of historical traumas and systemic injustices. The lyrics challenge the audience to confront their own biases and preconceptions, urging them to question the validity of societal norms and the arbitrary boundaries that dictate acceptance and belonging.
The third verse delves into the criminal justice system and the disproportionate sentencing of individuals based on race and social class. Ghetts critiques the inherent injustices within the legal system, pointing out the disparity in punishment for drug offenses versus more heinous crimes like child abuse. The artist calls attention to the systemic flaws that perpetuate cycles of violence and marginalization, ultimately questioning the legitimacy of a justice system that fails to uphold true justice for all its citizens.
In the final verse, Ghetts advocates for a shift in perspective and a reevaluation of societal norms. The artist encourages listeners to challenge ingrained power structures and reclaim agency over their own narratives. By questioning the status quo and advocating for accountability and transparency, Ghetts calls for a more equitable and compassionate society where individuals are judged based on their actions and character rather than arbitrary standards. Through his introspective and incisive lyrics, Ghetts invites listeners to reflect on their own beliefs and biases, ultimately advocating for a more just and inclusive world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Justin Clarke, Sampha Sisay, Emil Larbi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@younglegend5375
THERE IS ONLY ONE GHETTS 🔥
@munaali840
🔥🔥🔥
@lukhanyisobrukwe5980
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🤞🏾
@devsternator
And there's only one Skepta
@Decipher2K7
The growth this man has gone through over the years, evolution of an artist at its finest! Still remember when grime was starting out and Ghetto was hard and every version of him has been top level!
@dxxxdxxxd
Thank you for using your platform, power and influence to speak out!! ✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿
Free the people! Free the world! ✊🏿🌍🇨🇩🇭🇹🇾🇪🇸🇩🇵🇸🇱🇧🇱🇷
@kingReapa
Goosebumps all over!! A testament to the 20 years of greatness this man has faithfully and graciously and patiently played his part stuck to his guns and honed his craft! Icon! Legend!
@Millie-yo3ce
This was a moment ❤ such a powerful performance
We don’t deserve ghetts 💐💐💐
@munaali840
🔥🔥🔥
@Badaman4u
I'm so happy Ghetts got to this level 🙏🏼💯