Born Nathan Thompson in the early 1980s, raised by a single mum and the eldest of his siblings, he grew up in a less well off family in Peckham. Originally nicknamed 'Giggler' because of his tendency to laugh even in the most inappropriate situations, this was cut down to 'Giggs'. He became a father at the age of 21, but soon after spent two years in jail for gun possession.
He is known for rapping slowly in a low voice, which he described as "something different, enough to separate me from all the competing others".
Soon after being released from prison in 2005, Giggs started pursuing rapping as a career, instead of a hobby. Giggs and his SN1 crew started off releasing numerous mixtapes, including Hollowman Meets Blade, Welcome to Boomzville, Best of Giggs 1 and 2 and 3 and the hugely successful Ard Bodied, which featured the street anthem of 2008, "Talking the Hardest". His mixtapes have supposedly sold more than 100,000 units. This success helped his buzz expand outside London, however when Giggs first signed to XL Recordings, the record label was allegedly warned by members of Operation Trident to not back the London Rapper as Operation Trident is the Metropolitan Police's specialist team investigating gun crime within the black community in Peckham.
Giggs released the street anthem 'Talkin the Hardest' in 2008, which helped his growing buzz. The track features Giggs rapping over the beat from American hip-hop artist Stat Quo's track "Here We Go", originally produced by Dr. Dre. He then released his debut independent album Walk in da Park on 4 August 2008. The album had two official videos, for the tracks 'Uummm!!' and 'You Raised Me/Open Up'. Walk In Da Park received mainly positive reviews, and was very successful, selling out in most HMVs in the first two days of release.
Let Em Ave It is Giggs' second album and the first on a major label, under the XL Recordings label. "Look What the Cat Dragged In" was released on 7 June 2010 on XL Recordings, and is included on the album, which WAS released on 21 June 2010.
Singles released from the album include 'Slow Songs' featuring Mike Skinner and 'Don't Go There' featuring B.o.B.. In March 2010, "Don't Go There" entered the UK Singles Chart at #60. Giggs has been working with Atlantas JBizzy and produced around four tracks, "Whippin all day" (which can be downloaded for free from www.sn1giggs.com), "Background Ting" which can be heard on the official Giggs myspace www.myspace.com/trapstargiggs and two other which are going to be available on his album.
Giggs also has his own clothing brand, SN1 wear, including T-shirts, jackets and caps quoting previous lines from his songs such as "Talking the Hardest". These can be purchased from these SN1 store or the SN1wear website 'http://www.sn1wearltd.com/'.Giggs and the SN1 crew have opened a SN1 shop which can be found in Peckham Market. The shop sells clothing lines from the SN1 camp, as well as clothing from other designers. They also sell mixtapes and albums from SN1, Giggs and many UK artists.
Giggs has founded his own record label called SN1 Entertainment, it has not yet been confirmed whether or not it will be distributed through XL recordings. So far the only major releases on this label are Giggs debut album Walk in Da Park and Joe Grind Not Your Average Joe
Breathe
Giggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life's mad hard but fuck it man I survived
And all them haters and suck a nigga's surprise
Fuck that little snake hes no fucking brother of mine
The suffering and the lies
And niggas died just cos they were one of mine
I wanna cry but fuck it man I'm a lion
Ama show niggas exactly what's on the line
Bed time strap will be tucking niggas goodnight
You're tussling for your life
Suffocate niggas while cutting off their supply
I might smile I'm suffering all the time
A mans tired its fucking up mans vibe
A mans tryin its fucking up mans life
And if that happens I'm touching man on sight
A man's bright, mans big out here cos mans giants
Mans sick out here cos man strives
Think I won't split a wig out here cos mans signed?
Think I won't get the stick out here send man flying?
Niggas don't take the piss out here cos mans kind
A mans proud don't fuck with a mans pride
Tell a PC don't fuck with a mans drive
Just let it breathe for a bit
Listen, they say that I'm lucky to be around
I got niggas in the gutter that's suffering in there now
Toast bread only butter it when its brown
Like if a cokehead wants another im coming round
I'm covering mans ground
I say the word my niggas will dump now
They roll up and niggas will jump out
Cos I'm a real g and you niggas are cub scouts
As happy as man sounds
The street life was dragging a man down
So this rap shit im happy that man found
And if a mans slacking then man will get sacked now
And its much better than clapping a man down
When it's show time ama massacre mans town
And I make Jamaican and African man proud
Think you're sitting on the throne
And im cracking a mans crown (Straight)
The Peckham ambassadors back round
Walk round my house in a slippers and black gown
Niggas jump up then im sitting them back down
Thought about it for a second
Then a nigga just sat down
I'm coming to clamp down
Certified I'm laying the stamp down
Put your money where your mouth is
Little your cash down
All who never paid homage are paying it back now
In "Breathe," Giggs talks about his struggles in life and how he has faced them head-on. He starts by acknowledging the fact that people have said he's lucky to be alive, perhaps a reference to the dangers he's faced in his life. Life has been hard for him, but he's glad he's survived it all. He also throws shade at his haters, calling them out for being surprised that he's still alive. He doesn't consider those who are two-faced to be his brothers.
Giggs then talks about how his life has been filled with suffering and lies, and that people have lost their lives just because they were associated with him. Yet, he's still standing strong and refuses to cry. The song makes a switch to a more violent tone with Giggs talking about how he's willing to fight for what's his. He talks about people trying to take his life in broad daylight and how he'll fight back at night. He's ready to cut off their supply and suffocate them to death.
Giggs then goes deeper, talking about how he's constantly suffering, and it's affecting his vibe and life. He's willing to confront anyone who tries to bring him down. He feels proud and doesn't take kindly to anyone disrespecting him or his drive.
Overall, "Breathe" is a deep song exploring Giggs' struggles and experiences. It's a song about survival, pride, and fighting for what's his.
Line by Line Meaning
They say that I'm lucky to be alive
Despite the hardships in life that could have killed him, Giggs sees himself as fortunate to still be breathing
Life's mad hard but fuck it man I survived
Giggs acknowledges that life can be difficult, but he has made it through tough times and is still standing
And all them haters and suck a nigga's surprise
People who underestimated him in the past are now shocked at his success and ability to overcome challenges
Fuck that little snake hes no fucking brother of mine
Giggs has no respect for fake friends or traitors who pretend to have his back
The suffering and the lies
The harsh realities and dishonesty that Giggs has experienced in life
And niggas died just cos they were one of mine
Giggs has lost people he cares about due to their association with him
I wanna cry but fuck it man I'm a lion
Although he may feel emotional about his struggles, Giggs refuses to show vulnerability and chooses to tough it out
Ama show niggas exactly what's on the line
Giggs is determined to demonstrate the severity of the situation and the risks he's willing to take
Broad day shit niggas bussing it in the light
Giggs and his crew are not afraid to cause chaos in broad daylight
Bed time strap will be tucking niggas goodnight
Even when it's dark out, Giggs and his people are still armed and dangerous
You're tussling for your life
Giggs warns his enemies that they are fighting for their survival
Suffocate niggas while cutting off their supply
Giggs is willing to use extreme methods to eliminate his competition
I might smile I'm suffering all the time
Giggs may appear content on the surface, but he is always battling internal struggles
A mans tired its fucking up mans vibe
Giggs is exhausted from the constant grind and it's taking a toll on his energy and motivation
A mans tryin its fucking up mans life
Despite his efforts to better his situation, Giggs still faces difficulties and obstacles
And if that happens I'm touching man on sight
If someone crosses him or threatens his livelihood, Giggs will take action immediately
A man's bright, mans big out here cos mans giants
Giggs has a lot to offer and stands out in his environment because of his talent and ambition
Mans sick out here cos man strives
Giggs is successful because he works hard to achieve his goals
Think I won't split a wig out here cos mans signed?
Just because he's become famous doesn't mean Giggs won't resort to violence if provoked
Think I won't get the stick out here send man flying?
Giggs has weapons and isn't afraid to use them to defend himself or his crew
Niggas don't take the piss out here cos mans kind
Giggs and his associates demand respect and won't tolerate disrespect or mockery
A mans proud don't fuck with a mans pride
Giggs takes pride in his accomplishments and will defend his honor if challenged
Tell a PC don't fuck with a mans drive
Outside forces, like the police, won't interfere with Giggs's ambition and motivation
They say that I'm lucky to be around
Giggs's survival in spite of his dangerous lifestyle is seen as a stroke of luck
I got niggas in the gutter that's suffering in there now
Despite his success, Giggs is still connected to people who are struggling and less fortunate
Toast bread only butter it when its brown
Giggs is wise and patient when it comes to his money - he waits for the right time to spend it wisely
Like if a cokehead wants another im coming round
Giggs is supplying drugs to those who ask for it or have a habit
I'm covering mans ground
Giggs is expanding his reach and taking control of more territory
I say the word my niggas will dump now
Giggs's followers will do his bidding as soon as he gives the command
They roll up and niggas will jump out
When Giggs and his team arrive, others scatter or prepare to fight
Cos I'm a real g and you niggas are cub scouts
Giggs considers himself a hardcore gangster, while others are unskilled or inexperienced in comparison
As happy as man sounds
Despite his tough exterior, Giggs is actually content with where he's at
The street life was dragging a man down
Giggs was once negatively affected by the lifestyle he led
So this rap shit im happy that man found
Giggs has shifted his focus away from the streets and is grateful to have found success in music
And if a mans slacking then man will get sacked now
Giggs demands discipline and excellence from those around him and will let them go if they don't measure up
And its much better than clapping a man down
Giggs prefers to take care of business through less violent means if possible
When it's show time ama massacre mans town
In a display of power, Giggs and his followers may cause chaos or destruction to intimidate others
And I make Jamaican and African man proud
Giggs is representing his heritage and earning respect from people of similar backgrounds
Think you're sitting on the throne
If someone thinks they have power or authority over him, they're mistaken
And im cracking a mans crown (Straight)
Giggs will bring down anyone who challenges him or tries to take what's his
The Peckham ambassadors back round
Giggs is repping his neighborhood and letting people know where he comes from
Walk round my house in a slippers and black gown
Giggs is comfortable and relaxed in his own space, even when wearing casual clothes
Niggas jump up then im sitting them back down
If someone tries to challenge Giggs in his house, he will shut them down (figuratively, or possibly literally)
Thought about it for a second
Giggs takes a moment to reflect or consider his options
Then a nigga just sat down
After weighing his decisions, Giggs chooses to remain calm or hold off on taking action
I'm coming to clamp down
Giggs is taking control of the situation and making things happen
Certified I'm laying the stamp down
Giggs is asserting his authority and leaving his mark on the game
Put your money where your mouth is
Those who talk big need to back up their words with cash or action
Little your cash down
If you can't put up the money, you're not worthy of Giggs's attention or respect
All who never paid homage are paying it back now
People who didn't show Giggs proper respect or reverence in the past are now making up for it
Writer(s): Michael Alan Price, Steve Barri, Dan Walsh, Jason Neville Thompson Copyright: Universal Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Corp.
Contributed by Owen C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.