Yizzy on south London, Stormzy and saving lives

How do you feel about Stormzy being ‘the face of grime’?

I wouldn’t necessarily put him as the face of it. The forefather would have to be one of the originals, so Dizzee Rascal, Skepta and Wiley — all doing grime when there was no grime.

You recently received a Future Fund grant from BBC Music. What impact has that had?

I could put money into my music, and up my levels as an artist. I feel blessed to get it.

Where do you typically find inspiration for your songs?

I look around me and where I come from, and say, “This is our lives, we make the best of a bad situation.”

What was life like when you were growing up?

None of us are born with silver spoons, we make something out of nothing. I was just at school spitting bars and now I’m interviewed by you… it’s crazy.

Have you ever had a hero moment?

I was coming home from school and a man collapsed. People were walking past him, he wasn’t breathing. I phoned the ambulance and did CPR. I got a call from him about a week later, saying thanks.

Author: Tom Stichbury