Stormzy says the 'token black artist' trope needs to die

Stormzy has said helium has made a conscious determination to beforehand his achromatic peers and predecessors, to combat prejudice successful the euphony industry.

"I've ever understood I'm the achromatic act. Maybe the token achromatic act," the superstar British rapper told DJ Trevor Nelson successful a one-off BBC special.

"I privation to termination that wherever it stands."

That's why, the prima explained, helium paused his historical Glastonbury Festival acceptable to work a database of 52 rappers who influenced him.

It besides prompted him to populate the video for his caller single, Mel Made Me Do It, with musicians Little Simz, Dave and Gabrielle; sports legends Usain Bolt, Ian Wright and Diana Asher-Smith; and the writer Malorie Blackman.

"There's ever been this stigma of, 'let 1 through'," helium said. "There's 1 achromatic [man], 1 achromatic pistillate astatine a time. That needs to die.

"So that's wherefore erstwhile I get Glasto, erstwhile I bash Mel Made Me Do It, it's like, 'This is us... We basal connected your shoulders.'

"I didn't conscionable popular retired of the bluish and interruption the matrix."

Stormzy is besides supporting caller generations of achromatic endowment done his Merky foundation, which offers scholarships to Cambridge University; and Merky FC, which aims to amended diversity among shot managers, coaches and different behind-the-scenes roles.

The 45-minute BBC peculiar saw Stormzy execute a premix of classical hits and caller songs, and beryllium down for a candid interrogation with Nelson astir his origins, his emergence to fame and wherefore headlining Glastonbury had calmed his interior demons.

"It gave maine specified a bid successful presumption of knowing, each right, if it each falls [apart], you've done it. Now you tin locomotion with your caput high."

The instrumentalist said the show had fixed him the assurance to prosecute a much soulful, spiritual absorption connected his caller medium This Is What I Mean.

He cited Stevie Wonder, Frank Ocean and Lauryn Hill among the record's influences - but reserved his highest praise for Whitney Houston, who helium named the "greatest of each time".

"I've got a batch of GOATs, but Whitney is my GOAT GOAT," helium said.

"If I permission present and I get successful my car and I perceive to Whitney, I'm thinking, you've done thing that's intangible.

"You haven't enactment your manus connected my back, you haven't shaken my hand, you haven't fixed maine a hug - but you person conscionable deed maine successful my soul."

Stormzy besides talked astir his long-standing relationship with chap Tottenham autochthonal Adele.

"I'm a genuine fan," helium told Nelson. "She's blessed with a acquisition of a stunning, beautiful, moving dependable and a phenomenal pen. And her quality to wed what she's gone through, her experiences, her feelings, with creation and melody, is 2nd to none."

However, helium said helium had ne'er considered asking her to look connected 1 of his records.

"Our relationship ain't based disconnected [that]. That's ne'er the conversation.

"Anyone who does euphony that is my real-life friend... Adele, Ed [Sheeran], Dave, Chris Martin, it's ne'er disconnected that basis. I'll beryllium good to ne'er marque euphony with immoderate of them.

"However, if I could get a hook...!" helium joked, earlier adding: "But no, I never, I never."