AJ Tracey: Get to know the 'Ladbroke Grove' star
It's the hyper man himself!
We are LOVING AJ Tracey right now here at KISS FM HQ. Ever since the 30-year-old Londoner's smash hit 'Ladbroke Grove' stormed through the charts, he became a serious 'One To Watch' - and it's clear the star isn't stopping anytime soon, bagging himself multiple BRIT Award nominations over the years and releasing TWO albums.
We caught up with AJ - whose real name is Ché Wolton Grant - to ask him the Internet's most burning questions and find out a little bit more about the man behind the music. As we prepare for him to drop new music, get to know him a little better...
What's AJ Tracey's favourite Garage track of all time?
"My favourite Garage track of all time is 'Flowers' by Sweet Female Attitude."
What's his dream collaboration?
"My dream collab would have been Linkin Park."
His worst performance?
"My worst performance experience is… But it’s kind of my best as well, a little bit. Three years ago I did a show in Sheffield in a pub and they asked me, ‘Can you not make them moshpit?’
"So I was like, ‘I’ll try,’ and I started performing. My first song they did a mad moshpit and security couldn’t hold the barriers. We had to shut the show down after like one song."
Who does he look up to most in the world?
"It’s cliché, but my mum, obviously. It is, 100%."
What's the best gig he's ever done?
"The best gig I’ve ever done is Woohah Festival, because there were 10,000 people or something like that, and from the front to the back every single person knew the words, they were all jumping, shutdown. Perfect."
Which football team does AJ support?
He told us that he supports Tottenham, so we asked which team he'd support if he couldn't support Tottenham... "It’s got to be QPR because I’m a local lad. There’s no conflict, there’s no beef, I’m not being a traitor, I love Tottenham but it would be QPR. "
If he wasn't a rapper, what job would he do?
"I would love to work with animals in some way. I don’t know what that is, but… I was never fired from a job, but I quit my job after a month and my first pay check, because the pay check was less than how much I had paid to work that month, if that makes sense."
What three items would AJ Tracey take to a desert island?
"I would take obviously my iPhone, one of those solar chargers that you can plug your iPhone in, because I’m on a desert island so it’s going to charge. And then I’d take a Magnum."
If he could have a superpower, what would it be?
"It would be invisibility, so I can just hear what people are talking about me when I’m not there!"
If AJ Tracey had to be an animal, which would he be?
"I would be a shark, because they’re the apex predator in the water, no-one’s trying to eat them, they just eat everyone and there’s no beef, it is what it is."
Grime or Garage, AJ?
"Ooh that’s mad, whichever one I say I’ll get mad hate for! Which would I pick… You know what, I love them both for different reasons, but I think Garage is feel-good nostalgic music that really symbolises the UK.
"I think Grime music is also feel-good music for the youth who grew up in that circumstance, you get me? That’s kind of our soundtrack, the council estate soundtrack, so I’d say both of them for different reasons, I love them both, they’re one and the same to me, it is what it is."
NOW WATCH: AJ Tracey chats #LadbrokeGrove, UK Garage, and his Grandma not feeling his music vibes and that! 😂
Now get to know more about AJ Tracey:
How old is he?
AJ Tracey is 30-years-old. His birthday is 4th March, and he was born in 1994.
Where does AJ Tracey live?
Unsurprisingly, AJ Tracey is from Ladbroke Grove in West London! Although AJ hasn't publicised exactly where he lives now, he revealed in an interview with TimeOut that he had moved 'south of the river' with his girlfriend before lockdown in 2020.
Growing up, he was surrounded by music, his mum was a jungle DJ and his father a rapper, so becoming an artist himself was basically written in the stars.
How much is he worth?
There's nothing official about AJ Tracey's net worth, but he's estimated by many online sources to be worth around £2-3 million.
When is he releasing new music?
With two mega successful albums already under his belt, it's no surprise that fans are begging for more! Following previous hints that he is working away on new music, AJ teased fans in February 2023 with an Instagram post showing him in the studio.
Sporting an au-naturel hair-do, he captioned the pictures: 'no trim till the album's done 💇🏽♂️👨🏽🦱'. (sic)
Although the post didn't divulge any info on a release date, the post came almost two-years after the release of his second album (in 2021) - so we're hoping it's soon! Sharing another image in August 2023, AJ hinted that he is still working on finishing his album.
Despite no new album just yet, AJ did feature on Jamal Blaq's track 'Bonita' in September 2023.
Upcoming live shows
AJ Tracey isn't currently on tour, however he does have some performances coming up - including at More Life - Pass The Mic.
AJ Tracey, Cat Burns, Clavish, Corinne Bailey Rae, Ezra Collective and George The Poet were the most recent acts announced for the 'generation-defining, multi-artist, cross-genre' event which will be taking place at London's The O2 on Friday 13th September.
Other previously announced artists include D Double E, Ghetts, The Kanneh-Masons, Mahalia, Nao and Wretch 32.
AJ Tracey's latest album
Fans were left begging for more after AJ Tracey released huge tracks such as 'West Ten' in 2020, featuring 'Don't Call Me Up' singer Mabel, as well appearing on the incredibly successful 'Ain't It Different' by Headie One, which also features Stormzy!
On 16th April 2021, the rapper answered all of our prayers as he released his second studio album 'Flu Game'. Taking to Instagram to celebrate the release, AJ Tracey wrote: 'Thank you for the wait 🤲🏽' (sic).
The new album release came shortly after The BRIT Awards 2021, where 'Ain't It Different' bagged itself a nomination for British Single with Mastercard. Despite Harry Styles taking home the award for his track 'Watermelon Sugar', it's safe to say that AJ looked extremely dapper as he arrived at the ceremony.
As well as releasing his album, in September 2021, AJ featured on M1llionz new track 'provisional license', and in October, he collaborated with R&B singer Mahalia on her single 'Roadside'.
In November 2021, AJ teased fans as he posted about going 'back to work' on Instagram. He even add the pencil and paper emoji, leading fans to believe that he was back in the studio. Updating us in September 2022, he shared pics in the studio writing: 'never not working 👷🏽♂️🧱'. (sic)
AJ Tracey BRITs 2022
Following his big win at the 2021 BRIT Awards, AJ was nominated once again in the Hip Hop/Rap/Grime Act for 2022 alongside Little Simz and Dave. This time, however, it was Dave who picked up the gong.
Did AJ Tracey and Aitch collab?
By the looks of things, Aitch and AJ Tracey are pretty good pals! Back in 2020, the pair collaborated on the track 'Rain', with Tay Keith , as well as AJ Tracey featuring on Aitch's 2022 track 'R Kid', as part of the young rapper's debut album 'Close To Home'.
In AJ's recent single 'Bubble Batch', you can also spot Aitch in the music video!
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
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You can hear songs from AJ Tracey on the KISS playlist. 🎶
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