Some may see him as yet another commercial tool from the record label industry, but having come from the musical underbelly of the grime scene to knock US superstars off the top of the charts, Tinie Tempah has certifiably taken it from the basement to the penthouse. With the country still moshing to the sound of part grime, part D&B-influenced hit single 'Pass Out', the 21 year-old Londoner has put himself in line for some very high expectations. Eager to showcase his eclectic taste in music and avoid being pigeonholed, Tinie has appeared on the remix of Gorillaz's 'Stylo' and 3OH!3's 'Don't Trust Me'. Could we be looking at the leader of the new school? Dazed Digital took time out to speak to the man hinself...

Dazed Digital: You've release the biggest selling British single of the year. How does it feel?
Tinie Tempah: As a musician you always wish to achieve that, and to get it on the first single is a dream come true. I could feel the general excitement in the build up to it's release from hearing it on the radio, in the club and performing it on stage but to actually see it on a piece of paper in black and white 'Tinie Tempah - #1' is a whole different thing and words can't even explain it.

DD: Is Labrinth the mad scientist producer that he's been dubbed as?
Tinie Tempah: Labrinth is definitely something else. His studio has all these different instruments and he doesn't just sit in front of Logic. Lab will get up halfway through recording and start playing a crazy guitar or bass riff and recording sounds with his mouth. Sometimes you'll get in the studio with a producer where everything is taken to the next level and I definitely felt that with him.

DD: You've got more style than most in that come from the grime scene. How do you pull it off?
Tinie Tempah: I like to mix and match. At the moment I'm really into a brand called To-orist. I feel like it really sums up what I am which is a product of the street with an eye for things a little more tasteful. Obviously fashion is a way to express yourself and every item of clothing says something about your character so I think you should always try to express yourself as well as possible.

DD: What's on your feet right now?
Tinie Tempah: Red Air Jordans.

DD: You're being hailed as the leader of the new school of experimental black music artists. How do you feel about that?
Tinie Tempah: That's quite a flattering comment. I listen to a bit of everything and it's never been in my consciousness to make music in a certain way because of my skin colour or because I've come from a particular place. I just get in the studio and do what I feel at the time. People often ask me 'What genre do you class yourself as?' but to be quite honest my music isn't genre bound. If I hear a big bangra beat and I think it will sound amazing on my album then I'll jump on it.

DD: With garage scene giving birth to grime and funky house, what's next for popular UK music?
Tinie Tempah: There are only a few artists who have come from the same scene as myself and managed to establish themselves in mainstream British popular music. I think similarly to the way hip-hop began with a few strong household names and then grew, there are going to be more and more artists coming through the door who won't have to dilute their sound because others have already lead the way. Now that there are more signed acts that come from where we have, people are a lot more excited about what we have to say in it's purest form.

DD: Your new single is called 'Frisky'. When was the last time you got frisky?
Tinie Tempah: You know what, I was at the Trinity Ball in Dublin a few days ago which is one of the biggest private events in Europe. It was crazy; Mr Hudson, Example, Dizzee Rascal and loads of beautiful women were there and everyone was getting frisky!

DD: You're constantly on the road. Do you ever get time to rest?
Tinie Tempah: To be honest I'm constantly so high on life that I never think about rest. Sometimes everything happens so quickly that you never get a chance to sit back and think about it all, but I do think it's quite important to get that down time and reflect. Where possible, for example when we get to a new city, I try to get five minutes to myself to let everything sink in.

DD: When December 2010 comes around what do you want to have accomplished this year?
Tinie Tempah: If I could get a couple more top 10 singles, a sold out tour and an album that'll change the plaque, that would be nice!

Tinie Tempah's new single 'Frisky' is out June 7th on DL Records. See him live: 13 May @ Coalition – Great Escape festival, 26th June - Glastonbury, 21st August - V festival Chelmsford

Text by Lawrence Gichigi