Skepta: 'I'm what it looks like if you give an immigrant child a chance'

The Fork and Knife has been a long time in the making. Seven years on from his last album, Ignorance Is Bliss, and more than two years since it was first teased, the rapper knows how to keep fans waiting.

And with a Mercury Prize, a Brit and two Ivor Novello Awards under his belt, greatness is no less than what fans expect from this titan of the rap scene. It's taken so long in part because Skepta's got big issues in his sights, with the new album taking on everything from immigration and racism, to Brexit and culture wars.

"It doesn't matter whose song, what feature, what track, I'm always taking time in writing my music because I want my lyrics to be able to stand the test of time." Regarded as one of the pioneers of British grime music, he has gone on to draw enormous crowds at festivals like Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds - not to mention his millions of monthly listeners. His 2009 track Reflecting, which charts his journey from a difficult childhood to becoming a successful musician, was a major turning point for him and grime, he says.