North London rapper Jordy is part of a rising collective, but he’s setting his sights on breaking out following the release of his debut EP, SMH. For him, life is all about two things: music and football, and Ronaldo back and United on the up, well, it’s all heading in the right direction.
The fact that music and football are sharing space more frequently is an absolute dream for Jordy. The rising rapper’s life is dominated by the two cultures, with his career beginning to hit heights and his team, United, also finding their gear. Sure he’s Tottenham born and bred, but in this modern era of football, who you support is a choice, not a mandate. So, with potentially big things to come on the pitch and on the stage, it could be a very good year, something we were keen to touch on when we sat down for a chat recently.
Let’s start with you and United – tell us what the club means to you here and now…
Oh man. You know what, I’m always going to love the club. They mean so much to me. When Man United lose, it ruins my whole weekend. I try not to let it affect me and be mature about it but that passion will never go. I’m still childish and emotional. If they lose I have to turn my phone off. On the flip side, I love it when we win. When we win, I wanna go out and all drinks are on me. It’s something that will always mean so much to me.
Who got you into United and football in general?
My big cousin. My family are ALL Arsenal but my big cousin Jacob was United. I just remember being really young and thinking “woah, that’s different, I like that.” AND Beckham. 100 percent him too. The first World Cup I watched was 2002, that was when I first properly understood football – I loved everything about Beckham.
From the Preds of 2002, to the kits, to that generation of player, it was magical in some ways. It unlocks emotion doesn’t it…
Yeah that’s when I fell in love with football. Those were my first memories. You don’t even have to say too much about it – just 2002 and my football memories are so vivid.
What is it about Beckham that stood out for you? Are there other players who sparked something for you?
In ‘02, when I really woke up to football, you couldn’t not see a Beckham top. He really was everywhere – the face of football. But my favourite player ever, ever, ever was Wayne Rooney. Things like street striker and all that. I’ve watched him from 16 break onto the scene through to now. I’ve seen the guy’s whole career. I love that guy. The way he played – there was flair with it, there was dog work – he could do the nasty stuff, he could do the pretty stuff, he played anywhere. He had those “I want to go” moments at Utd but it didn’t last long. He gave us all he could and he won everything he could. I love the man.
Can you set the scene as to what it was like for you growing up and where football came into it?
For me and most kids from my year it was the same – playing football for hours, coming home after dark … what I do remember and think back to is when you’d watch something amazing in a game, like a piece of skill and trying to do it the next day in school. When Joe Cole did that chest volley against Sweden for England, we all were trying to do it the next day. We lost so many balls that day [laughs] – we were all just trying to do that so hard.
Little things as well as big things – Ronaldinho’s free-kicks, Ronaldo’s knuckleball – everything we saw, we would try and emulate. We would spend ten hours trying to do so too. Some players became good because of all that practice.
Football being a main passion for you then, when did music come onto the scene and almost take some of that love?
I love football and music. Back then, it wasn’t like today when the two industries really are in business together. It’s good to see how it is now. It’s good to see friends of mine now working with the clubs they support. Back in the day, the conversations I’d always be having were either about football or music. Arguing about whether a track is good or a player is good – nothing has changed since then – that’s all I’m still always talking about. From eight years old to twenty six now, me and my mates are still arguing about the same things. “Who’s better, this striker or this striker, who’s better, this rapper or that rapper”… It’ll probably never change.
When you say you’ve had mates who have crossed between the two, what examples of the two worlds colliding have you really buzzed off?
One example is Harry Pinero, a good friend of mine. He’s now working for Man Utd – goes to the training ground, he’s friends with Sancho and all that stuff. The way Big Zuu has done things with Liverpool is something I’ve seen and enjoyed. He’s been invited by Liverpool and see his team win it. I hate seeing Liverpool win it but it makes me excited for him. I’d like to do the same for United one day.
Talk to me about Old Trafford – have you been there? What’s the experience like for you?
I have, I’ve been a few times. I watched Ronaldo twice at Old Trafford and we lost both times. So I need to go again now he’s back! I need to correct that record. I’m a kid every time I go there. It’s my favourite stadium by a long way. All that chanting – I’m like a big kid – I can’t wait to go back. This last year took football away from us so I can’t wait to go back.
Now that football is back, fans are back in, a good Euros – did the last few months make you fall in love with it again having fallen away during Covid?
I would say so. I did fall out of love with football when all the fans were not at the games. It just made us all armchair fans. Now, I’m just going to take every opportunity I can get. As soon as there’s a chance to go to a game, I’m there.
The two things I love more than most are football and music, so when they collide, it’s beautiful."
Again, timing is good for United right now – Sancho finally landed, Ronaldo is back … how do you feel?
It was definitely one of our better windows. Varane too. On paper it’s fantastic. Probably the best window since Fergie left. It’s a dream come true having Ronaldo back. You know what, that had to happen – he couldn’t go to City. I think it’s fantastic and we really should challenge ourselves to win the league now.
When you saw all the talk of City sounding like Ronaldo was going there, what was going through your head?
The way it all panned out – that’s why I love United. When it looked like he was going to City I felt sick. My mates were all calling me and I was getting angry [laughs]. I was saying things like “I didn’t like him anyway”, which was completely untrue. When he joined, it was incredible. A huge sigh of relief. I spoke to some friends who are die hard United fans too. The general feeling is a buzz – he’s home now.
Players like Ronaldo and Sancho have each pioneered in their own way. Moving onto your career, are there people who you look at who have opened the door for you to become an artist?
My music career has been unique I’d say. I’ve been doing it steadily. I like to work with friends rather than producers or other artists I don’t know. I’ve been connecting football and music and doing things on YouTube at the same time. I’m up and coming in a recording sense. I’m not sure there’s many musicians out there who have been doing a variation of things simultaneously like I have. I believe I’m the first of my kind with this multi-dimensional kind of approach.
How would you describe the journey so far. For anyone who doesn’t know you, what are you about and what’s the road looked like?
I’m about simplicity. I don’t like to over complicate anything and I like to work on my terms. I like to stay true to who I am. I like to work with good humans. I always want to meet new people and make new friends but I don’t want to go in cold and go down a manufactured route. I don’t want to pretend to be someone I’m not in this industry. I’m blessed to have a career where I get to have fun and can live off that. My sound is a mash of everything I like – I like melody, I like clarity, I like vulnerability – I put them into a big melting pot and people seem to be taking to the end result.
We’ve seen the last few weeks and some normality has returned from fans back at football to a festival season musically – have you been able to enjoy that?
I’ve loved it. This year I’ve been able to soak it up and enjoy it. Next year I want to be on those stages performing. I have to. I want to make the festivals the first in a while where we’ve been able to get stuck in the party but the last where I’m not performing so much. I enjoy performing – seeing people know your music has been an incredible feeling. I want to grow that and make it bigger. I back myself to keep making music that is better and better and with that I only want the stages to increase on a larger scale.
Your approach being different as you say, what are the burning ambitions for what you want to achieve?
What I really want is that freedom to be creative at any time. That’s it – I like the idea of showing people all that I can do and winning the trust of people that way. The jack of all trades sentiment is gone – there’s nothing wrong with doing whatever you want creatively and exploring different avenues. I think it’s better to try everything and learn as much as you can. While it’s my passion, I don’t want to JUST make music – I want to explore all that I love doing.
What was it that showed you that you could get into a career that is based around your interest? It’s such a good headspace to be conscious of that…
I was the only one of my friends who had a “normal” job. I had friends that were doing the wrong stuff and I also had friends who broke ground and went big on YouTube. I started seeing friends being able to follow their interests and have a lie in on a Monday [laughs]. I thought that was sick and it’s the way life should be. I want to show the next generation that this idea is possible. I’ve got little cousins that are already thrilled by what I do. They think I’m Elton John or something [laughs].
Football and music work so well in terms of providing escapism – just like YouTube…
It’s our culture. It’s what we really love – when everything is done, the two things I love more than most are football and music, so when they collide, it’s beautiful.
As a United fan, how about we close on the year ahead – how are you feeling?
We have to win a trophy and I want a big one. I could say I want to finish top two but really I want us to finish top. I think we have to win a trophy. We should have done last year.
What’s your equivalent of winning a trophy career-wise?
Probably a bucket list feature. I’d love to do a song with Dizzee. Someone like Skepta...when I was growing up in Tottenham, he was up and down the high roads and so to get to where he is now is massive. I want to hit levels.
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