Ahead of the release of Ghetts’ new album, ‘Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament’, ShortList talk to the grime rapper about what he’s listening to, reading and watching when he’s not onstage or in the studio.
Film to watch: The Intent
“This is a movie by Femi Oyeniran and Nicky ‘Slimting’ Walker. It’s a British black film featuring a lot of music stars. It’s an action movie: gang warfare in London, undercover police. It’s good to see a film that actually represents what’s happening in the street – I found it relatable. That’s a double-edged sword, though. Even though this is a very real reflection of what’s going on outside, there are also things happening in the black community other than drugs and guns. As long as we cover the spectrum of what’s happening, its good. That’s just one side of the cube.”
Podcast to download: The Joe Budden Podcast
“It’s very enlightening; it’s very no-holds-barred. He talks about music in ways that people don’t talk about it. Very rarely do you see someone speak so freely, as though they were at home. That’s why I like Joe’s podcast.”
Netflix must-watch: Black Mirror
“I think it’s genius. I’ve got two favourite [episodes]: one stars Daniel Kaluuya [‘Fifteen Million Merits’] and the other Letitia Wright [‘Black Museum’]. The concepts are forward-thinking. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Best TV show: The Big Narstie Show
“The best TV show in the world. I met Big Narstie around 2007. I thought, ‘This brother’s funny.’ Before everything took off, everyone was doing the same grind. It’s amazing to see that he’s gone on TV and not tried to adapt to what the mainstream is used to. He’s exactly how he is behind closed doors.”
Book you should read: The Bible
“Do you know what the truth is? I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from David and Goliath. You can apply it to everyday life; it’s an amazing story. Even Noah’s Ark, you know what I’m saying? These are amazing stories about doubt and knowing what your purpose is.”
Must-visit website- GRM Daily
“It’s one of grime culture’s leading websites. It was our only platform for a while: radio wasn’t playing the music.”
Ghetts’ new album, Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament, is out now
(Image: Getty)
