On the couch with Kano

Safe talks exclusively to East London's hottest MC about keeping it real and making it big.

At 20 Kano is already a veteran of the scene. He made his first big record when he was 16, dividing his time between school (he got nine GCSEs), football (training with Chelsea and Norwich) and music, which he devoted himself to after getting rewinds on radio and pulling big crowds at raves. The hard work paid off, and this year he a hit album, a hit single and a MOBO.

What sacrifices did you have to make to get where you are today?

"It wasn't major, but I worked hard. I always say I'm £10 ahead of the game, because I don't smoke weed. I've never ever smoked and the studio I used cost £15 an hour, so I was always saving, trying to get £30 together and go in for two hours. My friends were spending their money on weed."

How did you get started?

"My brother was a DJ. The first rave he ever did, he put me and Demon on the flyer. He and my cousin always used to support me. And my friend Simon, I can't forget him. When I didn't have the £15 he used to give it to me."

What was your big break?

"With Boys Love Girls. I made it, put it on CD and gave it to DJs. On the pirates, people were calling to ask to reload the song, and we were getting a good response, so I pressed some on 12" and sold a few. It felt good, when people were showing me love. It felt like all the hard work had paid off."

Any tips for making it big?

"Don't feel you can be an MC and not know anything. Use school – don't let it use you. Get what you need out of it, as it'll come up in the real world. You have to put the work in – don't ever think it's going to be easy."

Do you get recognised in the street?

"About every ten minutes!"

Do girls treat you differently now you're famous?

"Yeah, some girls want to know you now, but some don't! They might think, 'I don't want to speak to him – he thinks he's this and that. I don't want to let him know I like him.'"

Would you ever want to be a father?

"One day, but I'd like the kid to drop in my lap when he's about five, miss all the crying thing. A lot of people I know, they're young and they get girls pregnant, with three different babymothers. But not my close friends. Some of them have babies, but they're only when they're old and smart enough.