“It sounds so simple, but I’ve found I’ve had my most success by just being myself,” Scorcher on fame and authenticity.
A lot of people know Scorcher as the sharp-tongued MC from Edmonton. A town in North London famed for its rappers. From Tion Wayne to Black the Ripper. But what if I were to tell you that there’s more to this MC than meets the eye?
A multifaceted creative whose craft expands far beyond songwriting. Scorcher is also a talented actor, director, and producer. Over the years, he has carved out a successful career in the music industry.
We sat down with the rapper to discuss all things leading with purpose. From staying his true, authentic self, to navigating gaining responsibility as an inspirational voice and switching gears for different projects.
Scorcher, as we know him, is a successful Mobo Award-winning ‘Best Grime Act’ (2025) artist. In the 14 years he’s been making music, he’s become a respected name in the UK grime scene. Collaborating with major artists such as Lethal Bizzle, Wiley and Kasst8, to name a few.
“Success to me is when my kids are rocking me. Nothing sweetens me more than when they are rating my work, or are proud,” says the rapper. It’s fair to say, Scorcher is far from the typical egotistical artist. For him, being a great MC is about making those close to him proud. “Is my mum rating this? Are my breddrins that have been my breddins for however many decades bumping this [track] on the daily? That’s my compass,” he adds, admitting what principles define his version of ‘success.’
“[My kids are] my harshest critics,” he adds. “Big numbers are cold, [but] I like to strip things back to my real world. Whenever I’ve approached music from that perspective, it’s made more sense.”
Where It All Began
Growing up, creative art forms were something that Scorcher was already surrounded by. “My family made music, so it’s always been something in my life,” he says. It’s hard to imagine the artist venturing elsewhere when music was the blueprint for him. “I used to have piano lessons when I was young. My nan would place me on her lap and teach me scales. Music became a part of me,” he continues.
Since he was young, Scorcher has had a passion for the art of performing. “We would MC at parties for no money,” he says, reflecting on the early years that defined his career. While there’s no distinctive point, the rapper recalls his career took off, “It was something that happened vicariously,” he adds.
Surrounding himself with like-minded MCs, DJs and creatives who were also looking for places to have their music heard, for Scorcher, his journey was always about creating. “I like making music, I like MCing. I was exploring and having fun, exploring my musical journey,” he continues.
For those clued in, it’s known that Scorcher has a gift for making songs about hard subjects sound like sonically captivating messages. But for those new to his work, the rapper says, his “music is a soundtrack to life. My life, their life.” The thing is, Scorcher is more than just an artist. For a lot of young people today, he’s a mentor, a guidebook, an inspirational figure with a journey that reflects leading with purpose. Building a name for himself from the ground up, and staying humble in the process.
Dreaming Big, Expanding Horizons
Throughout his career, Scorcher has worked on some huge projects outside of the music industry. Such as starring in Ronan Bennett’s critically acclaimed Top Boy. Or working with Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen on Small Axe. Though venturing into this space wasn’t exactly a fine-tuned plan. “I’m a fairly open-minded person,” says the rapper, when talking about working on art-related projects. “It wasn’t like I thought, ‘I need to make a shift.’ The opportunity arose, and I went for it,” he continues, expanding on how he gained experience in the film and TV sector.
While Scorcher has built a notable career for himself, it hasn’t always been a smooth journey. The MC recalls that “going to prison” was one of the hardest setbacks in his career. “I missed a lot of opportunities that I worked and earned for myself,” he says. “[I] didn’t get a chance to experience them when I was in jail and [when I was] fresh out of jail. That was a hard, difficult and challenging moment. I didn’t have anyone to blame other than myself at the time, but it put everything into perspective for me.”
Learning from the mistakes he made, Scorcher has since built a mentality of resilience. “My thing is to lead myself, and if people around me share the experiences I’ve got, so that they too can benefit from that, then great,” he says. Integrity is something close to his heart. He understands that, with where he’s at in his career now, it means that more of the younger generation look up to him.
“If I’ve got something to say, it’s not because I’m a genius,” Scorcher says modestly. “It’s because I’ve gotten it wrong before and I’ve learned along the way. I can tell you my experiences, and hopefully that will be of service to someone.”
Leading with Purpose, Built from Real Life
There’s no denying that the music industry can be a gruelling space to navigate. It’s one of the hardest industries to generate revenue, stay relevant, and sustain. One of the habits Scorcher swears by to help keep him focused and disciplined is staying mindful.
“If something wasn’t important when I went to sleep, I try not to make it important when I wake up in the morning,” he says. It’s with the experiences he’s gained over the years that the rapper has learned to be patient and conserve his energy for the right moments. Knowing what requires his immediate attention, and knowing when to put the mind to rest. “Going through different life experiences, good and bad, you find your centre,” he says. “I developed that mindset when I was in jail, and it’s stuck with me.”
Plans For The Future
As for what’s next, Scorcher is keeping his fans on their toes. “[There is an] album on the way, [and a] few other projects, away from the microphone,” he says while smirking mysteriously. “I can’t say too much, but people know that I can act. There’s some other stuff people don’t know I can do. Like write, direct, and produce. So, [this year,] I’m exploring more of that. I feel like the time is right to step into that space.”
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how your favourite artists do it. Or how they make it, Scorcher has a little piece of advice for you.“You’ve got to give yourself the opportunity to be great,” he says. “If you’re spending all your time trying to recreate somebody else’s magic, there’s not a great deal of room for your greatness to exist,” he continues. “It sounds so simple, but I’ve found I’ve had my most success by just being myself.”
Trust that your art, your talent, is enough, and build from there. There’ll be humps and bumps along the way, but you know, Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Laviea Thomas is a journalist at Inside Success who writes about film, music and politics.
Outside of that, she is an experienced freelance journalist with bylines in NME, The Quietus, Metal Hammer and more.
Over the years, Laviea has been an active panellist discussing fundamental conversations in the music industry, such as diversity and inclusion, and the importance of grassroots venues. She has been a panel guest for Kerrang! Focus Wales Festival, Future Yard and more.
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