“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!”
Pick Up The Phone
Ghetts Lyrics
Sounds of the sounds of the
(Pick up the phone) man owe me money
I've been ringing this yute
For the last month
I don't care if it's half one in the morning
My man really needs to (Pick up the phone)
"Hey fam when you get this message
Holla at me cause' you're in the violation zone still"
(Pick up the phone)
Told my gyal that it's nothing
Phone ringing, but I don't wanna answer a number I don't know
Now she thinks man a cheating
All because I won't (Pick up the phone)
"Babes, who is that? Why is someone calling you at this time at night?"
Different day, same mobile
I was gonna ring this girl
But something in my brain said "don't dial"
Instead, I rung Spyro
"Yo family where you deh? I'm on the high road
I beg a man send somethin' new"
"I ain't made in a tune in a minute y'know g"
"That's cool send somethin' from the old file"
When it comes to flows, I know styles
When it comes to dough, I know piles
When it comes to road, I know miles
When it comes to hoes, I've profiled
If I like her she gets the like(caution)
Cause' dem gyal dere will line man up like Delilah
Every time I answer my phone
It's money on the other end these days
I got the Midas touch, it's a minor
I just spoke to my stylist Keira
"Yo G, there's bare packages here let me know where you want me to send them"
"Line man up in designer"
(Pick up the phone)
Every time I phone my mum, I think
"What's the point of havin' a mobile if me and my siblings can't get through to you?
Lord have mercy!" (Pick up the phone)
Mi nuh know how fi activate dem phone yah
Dem new school sumn yah mi nuh inna it
Cause mi nuh know how fi work da sumn
Yah and it nuh come wit no instruction
(Pick up the phone) jah know star
How you fi buy somebody something and nuh give them the manual?
You know seh that boy take me for a fool tho?
Jah know (Pick up the phone)
Somebody can't help me with da phone yah?
Cause me never see dem sumn yah from mi born
Years I've had the same number
Man I got exes runnin' back like say the food weighed under
Good tings, university book tings, hood tings
Hide the work in the bush tings
Community links like DJ Thunder
Just came from mum's
Caught one or two joke when I heard her
(Pick up the phone)
Mum was just speaking Patois
Then the phone rang and I heard her
(Switch up the tone)
Yeah, mum speaks three languages
Jamaican, Cockney and real well spoken
And there's other mums just like my mum
It all depends who phones them
Why you calling late?
Tryin' cause problems, please don't think
Before you call, please don't drink
But it don't mean I will even
(Pick up the phone)
Nah, nah, not worth the time
If you a mountain, not worth the climb
Ring 'till the morning
Are you challenging mine?
I won't (pick up the phone)
'Low it, 'low it, it's kinda bait
How many missed calls? It's over eight
Looked in my inbox, it's overweight
Maybe I should just (Pick up the phone)
They don't wanna answer
They don't wanna answer
Wait 'till I catch man
Shout out to my cats, never gonna scratch man
Top two selected, match man
Who was on the phone?
They never knew I was on the throne
Said that he's gaining, must be a stone
Can't get an answer, can't get an answer
"Are you taking whites?"
Can't be a human (Why, why?)
Are you takin' rights?
I left my bally at home, but I had tights
Come to my gates
All you're gonna see is spite
Pick up the phone, I'ma get civil
Two options, talk to me proper or shrivel
Kill off killy
(Pick up the phone) why you calling late?
Tryin' cause problems, please don't think
Before you call, please don't drink
But it don't mean I will even
(Pick up the phone)
Nah, nah, not worth the time
If you a mountain, not worth the climb
Ring 'till the morning
Are you challenging mine?
I won't (pick up the phone)
'Llow it, 'llow it, it's kinda bait
How many missed calls? It's over eight
Looked in my inbox, it's overweight
Maybe I should just (pick up the phone)
Must be the mandem, need to record
Look for a text, but it ain't stored
Phone's on silent, could've been ignored
(Pick up the phone)
(Pick up the phone) man owe me money
I've been ringing this yute
For the last month
I don't care if it's half one in the morning
My man really needs to (Pick up the phone)
"Hey fam when you get this message
Holla at me cause' you're in the violation zone still"
(Pick up the phone)
Told my gyal that it's nothing
Now she thinks man a cheating
All because I won't (Pick up the phone)
"Babes, who is that? Why is someone calling you at this time at night?"
Different day, same mobile
I was gonna ring this girl
But something in my brain said "don't dial"
Instead, I rung Spyro
"Yo family where you deh? I'm on the high road
I beg a man send somethin' new"
"I ain't made in a tune in a minute y'know g"
"That's cool send somethin' from the old file"
When it comes to flows, I know styles
When it comes to dough, I know piles
When it comes to road, I know miles
When it comes to hoes, I've profiled
If I like her she gets the like(caution)
Cause' dem gyal dere will line man up like Delilah
Every time I answer my phone
It's money on the other end these days
I got the Midas touch, it's a minor
I just spoke to my stylist Keira
"Yo G, there's bare packages here let me know where you want me to send them"
"Line man up in designer"
(Pick up the phone)
Every time I phone my mum, I think
"What's the point of havin' a mobile if me and my siblings can't get through to you?
Lord have mercy!" (Pick up the phone)
Mi nuh know how fi activate dem phone yah
Dem new school sumn yah mi nuh inna it
Cause mi nuh know how fi work da sumn
Yah and it nuh come wit no instruction
(Pick up the phone) jah know star
How you fi buy somebody something and nuh give them the manual?
You know seh that boy take me for a fool tho?
Jah know (Pick up the phone)
Somebody can't help me with da phone yah?
Cause me never see dem sumn yah from mi born
Years I've had the same number
Man I got exes runnin' back like say the food weighed under
Good tings, university book tings, hood tings
Hide the work in the bush tings
Community links like DJ Thunder
Just came from mum's
Caught one or two joke when I heard her
(Pick up the phone)
Mum was just speaking Patois
Then the phone rang and I heard her
(Switch up the tone)
Yeah, mum speaks three languages
Jamaican, Cockney and real well spoken
And there's other mums just like my mum
It all depends who phones them
Why you calling late?
Tryin' cause problems, please don't think
Before you call, please don't drink
But it don't mean I will even
(Pick up the phone)
Nah, nah, not worth the time
If you a mountain, not worth the climb
Ring 'till the morning
Are you challenging mine?
I won't (pick up the phone)
'Low it, 'low it, it's kinda bait
How many missed calls? It's over eight
Looked in my inbox, it's overweight
Maybe I should just (Pick up the phone)
They don't wanna answer
They don't wanna answer
Wait 'till I catch man
Shout out to my cats, never gonna scratch man
Top two selected, match man
Who was on the phone?
They never knew I was on the throne
Said that he's gaining, must be a stone
Can't get an answer, can't get an answer
"Are you taking whites?"
Can't be a human (Why, why?)
Are you takin' rights?
I left my bally at home, but I had tights
Come to my gates
All you're gonna see is spite
Pick up the phone, I'ma get civil
Two options, talk to me proper or shrivel
Kill off killy
(Pick up the phone) why you calling late?
Tryin' cause problems, please don't think
Before you call, please don't drink
But it don't mean I will even
(Pick up the phone)
Nah, nah, not worth the time
If you a mountain, not worth the climb
Ring 'till the morning
Are you challenging mine?
I won't (pick up the phone)
'Llow it, 'llow it, it's kinda bait
How many missed calls? It's over eight
Looked in my inbox, it's overweight
Maybe I should just (pick up the phone)
Must be the mandem, need to record
Look for a text, but it ain't stored
Phone's on silent, could've been ignored
(Pick up the phone)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Anthony Harris, Justin Samuel, Karl Joseph
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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