Professor Green
He has spent much of his career dealing with the mental scars left by his troubled upbringing and his father’s suicide, and wears a livid physical one on the side of his face caused by a vicious bottle attack in 2009, just after he’d had the word Lucky tattoed there.
But Professor Green now feels able to enjoy the fruits of his success with a successful second album, At Your Inconvenience, under his belt.
He has just finished his most enjoyable tour to date, interspersed by live guest slots with Coldplay and Emeli Sandé, and is in a steady relationship with Hollyoaks actress Candy McCulloch (daughter of Echo And The Bunnyman star Ian).
Dealing with past demons on new songs such as Read All About It and Today I Cried has helped shape his sunny mood too.
“It’s been wicked for me,” the 28-year-old admits. “With the first album, my life changed overnight. I didn’t have a second to myself with all the touring and promotional work.
“With a song like Today I Cried, I wasn’t complaining about my success, I was trying to figure out why I wasn’t happy. I tried talking to therapists but it didn’t help me. I’m an idiot for that. But when I write things down it helps me make sense of it.”
The Prof – real name Stephen Manderson – was a bright pupil at school but, raised by his maternal grandmother Patricia, from the age of 13 he pretty much stopped attending. He pursued competitive skateboarding and music, but also delinquent behaviour and spent a period as a knife-carrying drug dealer.
“I didn’t have a stern hand at home,” he admits. “My gran was working three jobs a day, but she sympathised with me and let me get away with murder. She made the decisions she thought were best by me.
"She knew how I was affected by my relationship, or lack thereof, with my dad. He’d be there for a year and then he’d be gone. That f***** me up, man.”
He regrets the tough times he put his gran through. She once found his drug supply and he was also in trouble with the police.
“I put everything on her because she was the only person who I felt comfortable taking it out on,” Green admits. “I was scared that if I did it to my dad he’d just disappear again.
"My gran’s such a brilliant person. She raised her kids then raised me. There’s nothing I can do for her except do well and be happy. She’s so selfless but it’s the least I can do for her.”
He remembers his father Peter, who killed himself in 2008, as kind man with issues.
“He was one of three brothers who committed suicide,” says Green. “That’s not normal. I just have to be careful of myself. I don’t want to know what brought my dad to that place. I am up and down, but I have awareness which I doubt he ever had.”
On the bright side, the Prof has been spending his new-found wealth by splashing out 12 grand on getting his teeth fixed.
“A brace would have affected my voice so I got implants,” he says. It was excruciatingly painful, but I’m much happier. I don’t feel uncomfortable about smiling. It’s the most money I ever spent on anything.”
He’s also has taken to enjoying a drink again, having previously all but stopped because he was worried he’d lose the success he’d been pursuing for a decade.
“When I had my 28th birthday, I thought, ‘I have to stop being scared of being happy’,” he says. “Otherwise I’m going to get past this and think, ‘You idiot. You could have had so much more fun’.
“I’m not saying it’s a positive to go from one extreme to the other, but between November and January I’ve only had three nights not drinking and I did the best shows I’ve ever done. Alcohol isn’t the answer, it just played a part in me enjoying it.
“But I have more than enough examples from past artists to know not to go too far down that path. I’m enjoying it, but it does scare the life out of me. You never know what’s around the corner.”
These days, Green stays away from hard drugs. He talks of a relationship with a now famous singer that foundered on pill binges.
“We ended up loving each other at weekends, hating each other all week,” he says. “The comedowns were very apparent. Drugs are a horrible thing to get too wrapped up in. I never once sold crack or heroin. I don’t know how people have the heart to sell to people at their most vulnerable.
“I never tried heroin either. I think I’d love it far too much. I had morphine when I was in hospital and it was really fun, so I don’t think it would be a good idea. And I can’t think of anything worse than waking up and doing a line of coke. But I still see a lot of people taking it. If I was to sell it now I’d be a rich guy.”
Green credits girlfriend Candy with helping to give him stability. They met at a video shoot and consolidated their relationship when they hooked up at Bestival.
“I was not looking for a relationship but she’s the most together person I’ve ever met,” he says. “I was used to quite turbulent relationships, but we’re not at each others’ throats. What we’ve got is respect.”
Green’s briefly discussed working with Candy’s father and is taking piano and guitar lessons. He also admits he wouldn’t mind doing some acting, but realises his tattoos will typecast him as a drug dealer. He’s also thought of sending his retired pal Lily Allen a track to work on.
“I miss her as an artist,” the Prof says, “but it feels weird asking her.”
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