Go Green: Interview with Professor Green

On a Monday he met Lily Allen on Facebook.

By Saturday they were laying down plans to record Just Be Good to Green, a song which went on to put hip hop star Stephen Manderson or Professor Green, as he’s far better known now, on the music map.

A true ‘bad-boy-comes-good’ tale, tabloid! caught up with the 26-year-old ahead of the gig.

Let’s start with the name. Why Prof Green?

I got the name Professor Green as, from a very young age, I’ve always been very keen on gardening and horticulture. Up until recently I kept an allotment in East London with a wide variety of traditionally English fruit and vegetables. I’m partial to a Cox’s Pippin.

Who is the most famous person you’ve worked with so far? Tell us a story about it.

Lily Allen. We hooked up on Facebook. She heard I was doing a version of Just Be Good To Me and she asked could she sing the hook. It didn’t take much for me to say yes. A week later we were in the studio recording the hook and two weeks after that we performed it live together at Bestival. The rest as they say is history.

What’s next for you?

Dinner, shower and bed or shower, bed and dinner. Not sure in which order yet.

How did it feel to win the MOBO?

It was amazing to win a MOBO. It came as such a surprise to everyone not least me. The buzz for the rest of the night was crazy. Just to be nominated was great, to win was something else. Big thanks to all those that voted for me even those of you in Dubai.

What can people expect from the show in Dubai?

Dubai is a completely new territory for me so it’ll be like six months ago in the UK when I was playing unheard album material to the UK crowd for the very first time. Expect a handful of tracks from my album ‘Alive Till I’m Dead’ and perhaps an oldie or two. It’ll be me and my trusty DJ DJ IQ bringing a little bit of Team Green to Dubai.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

Elton John. I’m working with him already if you believe everything you read in the papers.

Who is the most important person in your life?

Nana Green. Without a doubt she is the most important person in my life. She, along with my great grandmother, brought me up from a very early age and without them I wouldn’t be the man I am today. Nana Green is the keeper of all my awards (two so far) and deservedly so.