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!”
Preach
Ghetts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But do they know what they say Lord?
Do they know what they say?
Do they practice what they preach?
I don't think so
I don't believe in them Lord
I don't believe in them
Lord
No
Hold on please
Are you listening?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
Hold on please
Are you listening?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice what you preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice what you preach
Dis girl's preaching she ain't a hoe, we know better
Hoe's, calling other hoe's hoe, hoe, you're no better
Dat boy said he could get me a box of cheese
He don't know no cheddar
I said bring me a picture, he said Insta', tryna make photo's better
I thought man was talkin' my language but when he spoke I gotta show Rosetta
Don't say "free my niggas in jail" if you ain't send them no dough or no letter
Ain't no man that grew up in nice air
Because why they wanna come around here and start struttin' up gang signs
Stop it you post code fretter
Get on roads solo, never, you pussy
I told you, niggas don't like
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
Hold on please
Are you listening?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
Hold on please
Are you listening?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice what you preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice what you preach
Practice what you preach
Actions of a G
Morals my brotha, I can't abandon my beliefs
And man will say family tree, then branch out with a mans girl when he leaves
Morals my brotha, I can't abandon my beliefs
And man will say thanks for the P's, then forget what you've done when he's back on his feet
Morals my brotha, I can't abandon my beliefs
Better man don't look after their kids
But wanna treat all these slags like queens
Morals my brotha, I can't abandon my beliefs
I told you, niggas don't like
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
Hold on please
Are you listening?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
Hold on please
Are you listening?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice what you preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice, preach
Practice what you preach
In "Preach," Ghetts opens by questioning the authenticity of those who claim to be preaching. He wonders if they even know what they are saying and if they practice what they preach. He doesn't believe in these individuals or their messages. Ghetts calls out those who talk about the "greez" (money) but don't have any. He urges them to practice what they preach and live up to their words.
Later in the song, Ghetts takes aim at those who claim to have morals and values but abandon them when it is convenient. He calls out men who neglect their children but treat other women like queens. Ghetts stresses that he cannot abandon his own beliefs and values.
The chorus of "Preach" emphasizes the importance of practicing what one preaches. Ghetts repeats the phrase "practice what you preach" over and over to drive home his message.
Line by Line Meaning
They talk a good talk now
People say things that sound good, but do they really know what they're saying?
But do they know what they say Lord?
Do they truly understand the meaning behind their words, God?
Do they know what they say?
Are they aware of the gravity of their words?
Do they practice what they preach?
Do they actually follow through with the things they say?
I don't think so
In my opinion, they do not.
I don't believe in them Lord
I do not have faith in them, God.
Hold on please
Just a moment, please.
Are you listening?
Are you paying attention?
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
People want to talk about flashy things, but these things do not have any real substance or value.
Practice, preach
It's easy to talk a big game, but backing it up with actions is another thing entirely.
Dis girl's preaching she ain't a hoe, we know better
This girl is trying to convince everyone that she isn't promiscuous, but we know the truth.
Hoe's, calling other hoe's hoe, hoe, you're no better
Women who engage in promiscuous behavior should not judge or criticize others who do the same.
Dat boy said he could get me a box of cheese, He don't know no cheddar
Someone promised to give me something, but they don't actually have the means to deliver it.
I thought man was talkin' my language but when he spoke I gotta show Rosetta
I thought I understood someone, but when they actually spoke, I was completely lost.
Don't say "free my niggas in jail" if you ain't send them no dough or no letter
Do not claim to care about someone who is incarcerated if you have not provided them with any financial or emotional support.
Ain't no man that grew up in nice air, Because why they wanna come around here and start struttin' up gang signs
People who grew up in affluent areas should not try to act like they understand or have experienced the struggles of those who grew up in more challenging environments.
Stop it you post code fretter, Get on roads solo, never, you pussy
Stop pretending to be a tough guy based on your hometown or neighborhood - you should be able to handle yourself no matter where you are.
Hand on the bible, I swear to God I'm a real nigga (I'm a real)
I am a genuine person, and I swear on the Bible that this is true.
Actions of a G, Morals my brotha, I can't abandon my beliefs
I may be considered a 'gangster,' but I still hold strong values and I will not compromise them.
And man will say family tree, then branch out with a mans girl when he leaves
Someone will act like they have your best interests at heart, but as soon as you're not around they will betray you.
Better man don't look after their kids, But wanna treat all these slags like queens
Men who neglect their parental responsibilities should not be allowed to treat women disrespectfully and without accountability.
Hold on please
Just a moment, please.
Mandem wanna talk about the greez but the greez ain't glistening
People want to talk about flashy things, but these things do not have any real substance or value.
Practice what you preach
If you say you're going to do something, make sure you follow through with it.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ian Greenridge, Justine Clarke, Omari Mosi Woolley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
PolAndDazShow
Ghetts is and will always be one of the best in the game
Applemaxx Music & Media
PolAndDazShow time to support this should bust the commercial scene wide open big up
Applemaxx Music & Media
U.K. Singer yo Justin my man needs you, iv been trying but this mans freestyle songs MC native James beg you AV a ganders!!
Thisphonesucks Fuckoffucuck
STRAIGHT FACTS!!
Joshua Armo
Amen
ItzzyaboyNino
💯💯💯💯
Michaela
Choir sends chills down my spine, go Ghetts
David Johnson
Big tune and big visuals ghetts...📽,bro give yourself a pat on the back for this one!!🔥🔥🔥
Drmanny king
Ghetts I rate you highly.. just keep doing what you do .. no one does it like you do
Serious Black
Always been a fan of Ghetts and this song is a great benchmark for other UK rappers to follow... bring back real hip hop in times where it's all bunch of nonsense... there's a message there's substance and he didn't sacrifice any bars to stay on topic! Big tune I want an album like this please