'Go Again' is how we set out Issue 9 of the SoccerBible Magazine. A printed offering that combines the creative game with cultured edges. A person who personifies where football finds its rhythm is AJ Tracey. He tells us how it is...
Whether he’s spitting fire on stage at Wembley or answering questions in a Caffè Nero opposite Ladbroke Grove tube station, AJ Tracey doesn’t miss a beat, or a drop. Born in Brixton, raised in west London, the grime MC and Tottenham supporter was the headline act at the launch of Spurs’ new Nike home kit. From playing “False 9” to teaming up with Dave on “Thiago Silva” and DMing with Drake, the BBC Sound of 2017 nominee isn’t just bubbling up – he’s cooking with gas.
What was it like to be the star attraction at the Nike Tottenham kit launch?
"Sick. My dad was ecstatic. He used to live in Tottenham and a lot of my Caribbean family support Spurs. My mum is Welsh, so her team is Cardiff, but her English team is Tottenham, probably because of my dad. That’s how I started supporting them. You know the purple Pony shirt? That was my first proper kit. When I got that, I was gassed."
What do you think about the new shirt?
"You know what? I'll be honest with you, the red AIA, that's forever going to get on my nerves, because it's red [laughs]. But the kit itself is beautiful still. I don't like super-fancy kits trying to put too much into it. I think it looks nice and I can wear it with everything."
Is the Nike kit deal a sign that Tottenham are on the up?
"Yeah. I feel like this isn't just like a temporary ‘we done well’ fluke ... No offence to the Liverpool supporters, but I remember when they came in second and they could've won. They had a really good season, but their team wasn't that sick, and Suárez was definitely going. But I feel like Spurs have been gradually building from the ground up, and that's always going to be longer-lasting. Like when we had Bale, we had a wicked season, but it wasn't going to last because we knew Bale was gonna leave. It was whatever, innit? But now I feel like our team's natural rather than individual stars."
In the past you had one or two stars, but now it's more of a collective …
"Exactly. They play together. Even when Kane was injured, Son could step in and he bagged loads of goals. It's nice to watch. We play good football as well. Obviously Chelsea won, but I think we play better football. I couldn't be happier right now."
So you're not worried about playing at Wembley?
"I am a little bit, because I was there for those Champion's League matches. Can't say I was too impressed, to be honest. But it takes some adjusting to. Our team's quite young, I feel like they'll be all right, man. They'll get around it. I can't imagine us coming any less than fourth. Being hopeful, I'd say another second. I can't really see us winning. That sounds like a rubbish thing to say as a Tottenham fan, but I don't think we'll win this time. I feel like next season's the one where we win. That's my opinion."
Who are your favourite Spurs players at the moment?
"Dele Alli, but he's like a mate so that's a bit biased ... You know what? My favourite player is Dembele because I feel like he gets slept on a lot but, bruv, he's the engine of the whole team. He's like a spider. I've seen people pick up reds because they can't take the ball off him. We're going to struggle to replace him. He’s a maestro."
You mentioned that Dele is a mate ... Do you interact with many of the players?
"Yeah, a couple of them. Mostly the youth players though, like Onomah and those guys."
Onomah was amazing in the U20 World Cup final.
"He's a baller, man. He started for Spurs a couple of times with the big lads, and he's shown what he can do. He's a mate, but I actually believe in him. I think he can be a proper part of the team. Him and Winks, man. Winks is fire. You know what it is? Our youth academy's sick. The way they're brought up and trained is banging."
Did you play football growing up?
"Yeah, I did, in primary, college, everything. I was proper on it, and then my left knee went. I don't think I was going to be professional anyway, but any chance of that was gone. So I slowed down a bit. I still kick around with the lads occasionally, but I'm a rapper now …!"
Is your position actually “False 9”?
"Nah, nah, nah. I wish. That's some flippin' elite position. I've got long legs, I'm quite fast and I'm kind of nimble. So my position's more of a left-winger. I'm cool with cutting in and I can run up the wing and cross."
Do you play FIFA?
"I love FIFA. It's, like, everything."
Who do you play as?
"Always Tottenham. But, do you know what? Tottenham are all right in FIFA 17. They finally put some respect on the club. If we're not five-star in the next game, I swear to God I'll have to write a complaint or something. I'm going to use whatever rapper powers I have to chat to them and say, “What are you doing?”"
Like when you see players kicking off about their ratings on FIFA …
"Yeah, like Batshuayi, N'Koudou and them guys. It's more the young ones, innit? They say, “What's going on there?” Kane said something as well."
Do you get reactions from the players who you namecheck in your tracks?
"I get a lot of footballers – even from other teams, not just Tottenham – listening to my music in training and stuff like that. It makes me feel good, man. It's crazy because a lot of rappers want to be footballers, and a lot of footballers want to be rappers. It's like this harmony. Footballers will never understand what it feels like being on stage in front of thousands of people when everyone is there solely for you, just to hear what you have to say. But I'll never understand what it feels like to score a screamer in the 90th minute. Both of you want to feel what each other's lives are like, but we kind of live the same thing. Football's a bit more strict – they can't smoke and drink and this and blah blah blah. I'm sure they still do, but whatever [laughs]."
For the full interview and feature article with AJ Tracey, pick up SoccerBible Magazine Issue 9 here.
