101 Quotes by Kano

Initially we were spitting lyrics over garage beats, in that eight-bar gap where there wasn't a vocal. But we were rebellious towards garage because they were rebellious towards us; a lot of their gatekeepers said grime was too violent.

At some of my earliest shows, we used to roll up 20 deep - if my mates can't come in, I can't come in. My record label couldn't understand it: plus-19 on the guestlist?! But that was how it was. Over the years - as it is with everyone, but amplified from being in the public - it's got smaller and smaller.

I've got a friend who went to jail in 2004 just before my first album came out. I'm on TV, and they're inside, looking at me like I'm 50 Cent. They think I'm killing it, earning mad dough every day. I'm sending him trainers and that, but it's not enough, because he thinks I should be doing more.

You may think it's weird working with a cartoon band but there are a lot of characters in grime, especially since the early days.

Personally, I enjoyed school as much as the next kid. I was into art and every sport going from football to table tennis, so I kept busy. I never bunked a day off and left with 9 GCSEs, if I remember correctly.

My favourite lessons in college were when we would have a professional teach us, or when we went out of the classroom for the day. You take in so much more when someone who's been there and done it is telling you.

He will go down as a legend along with Elvis and the Beatles and Michael Jackson. Bob Marley is right up there. He was a leader for reggae music - he really made it appeal to a world audience.

I like Jay-Z for his lyrics, his flow; he's always forward thinking.

Garage has been the big influence in my life. It was the first music that I started MCing to and I really used to look up to Heartless Crew.