Justin Reggie Samuel Clark (born October 11, 1984), better known by his stage name Ghetts (previously Ghetto), is a veteran Grime MC hailing from Plaistow E13 in the borough of Newham, East London.
He is a founding member of The Movement, a crew he formed after leaving N.A.S.T.Y Crew due to being disillusioned with the fall-outs occurring amongst the members and is now regarded as one of the premier MC's in the Grime scene. He is now focusing on his own solo career, releasing three mixtapes in the past 3 years and is currently completing his highly anticipated debut album, rumoured to be in stores for summer 2010.
Growing up in a Christian househould in East London, he was influenced heavily by listening to gospel and jazz music, as his mother was a singer and his father a musician. However he didn't perform well at school and starting at age 16 he was in and out of prison for robberies and several car offences. According to an interview in 2006 he gained his nickname, which he eventually used as his MC name, because his actions as a youth which were classed as "ghetto". As a young person he listened to the Grime and Rap music which was all the rage in his neighbourhood but, surprisingly for someone so talented, he did not became actively involved in songwriting or the scene until he left jail around 2005.
Career
In September 2007 the video for 'Top 3 Selected' from the album Ghetto Gospel was aired on Channel U. He has also featured on videos with Kano, The Streets, and Professor Green. In September 2008, Ghetts released a video for his single Sing 4 Me (produced by Rude Kid). This was then followed by two further videos, one for Don't Phone Me (feat. Griminal and produced by Nocturnal), and the second for a remix to Sing For Me (produced by Rude Kid), which was first aired end of 2008/beginning of 2009. In a recent interview, Ghetts revealed that his album will be called "Rebel With A Cause", and before that will be a short mixtape titled "Calm Before The Storm". Ghetts is currently working on his debut album, which is to be released in 2010.
Beefs
Ghetts has been involved in many beefs during his time in the grime scene, the most famous being a dispute with Wiley and Boy Better Know which was recorded and compiled on a CD entitled The War Report by DJ Logan Sama.
Partial list of MCs Ghetto has beefed with:
Bashy - Youtube Video - Despite most people thinking Ghetto was the better MC, it was decided by the majority that he lost this clash due to his anger at Bashy's provocative and purposefully personal lyrics.
Boy Better Know - Ghetto's crew had a rivalry with BBK since at least 2007, and as probably the two biggest crews in the game for a while their competition spilled over into a lyrical war. There were numerous clashes on stage and on radio between 2007 and 2009 between Ghetto and various members of Boy Better Know, most famously with Skepta (as can be seen and heard below). Ghetto's song "Who's Got" taken from his 2008 mixtape Freedom Of Speech infamously sent for all members of Boy Better Know at once.
Napper - In 2005 these two MCs clashed face to face in a clash which can be viewed here, [1]
Skepta - Ghetto and Skepta are seen to embody two very different styles as Ghetts is usually more fast and furious whilst Skepta is more laid back with his flow, and because they are two of the most popular MCs in the entire scene and have two of the biggest fanbases they have been rivals for many years. Ghetto has spat numerous direct and indirect lyrics towards Skepta, with the North London MC replying many times on tracks such as Say What You Like. In what is now remembered as a classic moment in September 2007 they clashed live on air on Logan Sama's KISS FM radio show. This famous and highly entertaining clash can be heard below: Radio Rip
Wiley - Ghetto and the "Godfather of Grime" were both heavily involved in Logan Sama's War Report in 2006 as Wiley's Roll Deep Crew and Ghetto's The Movement dissed each other repeatedly. In one of the most closely matched clashes in Grime history Ghetto spat 102 bars over Wiley's own North London Instrumental, before the older artist retorted with the now infamous Nightbus Dubplate. Ghetts and Wiley have also clashed live on stage a number of times down the years.
P Money - One of the most well publicised and important beefs of recent years in the Grime scene was the early 2010 bout between Ghetto and P. Money. P had been sending for Ghetto consistently on tracks and radio sets from 2008 onwards but it was not until late January 2010 that Ghetto finally responded directly. After both MCs appeared as guests on Sharky Major's Shark Attack Remix and indirectly dissed each other the war heated up very quickly with a number of war dubs flying back and forth on an almost weekly basis. By March 2010 P. Money had recorded 1 Grime Daily video and 2 tracks (The Dub and The Warning), whilst Ghetts himself had made 3 tracks, (All Black Winter, Suicide and The Destruction Of The Eiffel Tower). Despite intense interest and expectation from fans there was no live clash between the two artists to decide the outcome and so it was left to listeners to judge, from the war dubs, who had won. Although there was no definitive poll on the radio, television or internet, a slight majority of people on GrimeForum believed P. Money had just won the lyrical contest and DJ Tim Westwood said he thought P. money had won, although he said this on a show when P himself was a live guest. This beef is renowned for being possibly the best clash ever in Grime history, in terms of lyrical brilliance, directness and the fact that the two best MCs in the scene at that time were going head to head.
Famous Lyrics
What's happening, what's really good cuz? \ What's crackling, I be in the hood blud \ still battling, still tryna push drugs \ so when I see feds, they only see legs \ yeah i'm stil panicking \ and i've left them fakes in the past \ but I still here snakes in the grass, still rattling \ how they're all claiming they blast \ it's nothing but a pain in the arse \ will it matter when \ my mixtape's on display like a mannequin \ then, then out comes the album \ i've got this shit locked down like Falcon.
From when I was a teenager \ who can say that I ain't seen paper \ year nine, bare crime \ blackboxed cars like that's not hard \ next day straight to the Manor Park keymaker \ i'll get a nine for the MX-5 \ and i've got another key cut, believe blud \ i'll sell it twice, same car but a second nine \ now that's 18 double 0 \ I double doe, winter time all black duffle coat \ over the years i've seen doe come and go \ been broke then I hussled \ so know now i'm tryna get Russell doe \ Simmins, I don't want bring-ins \ I aint cool with just livin' \ i'm up all night like i'm pillin' \ willin' to do anything if it's winnin' \ women, ever since Sing For Me I can't stop not one i've met singin' \ ringin' my line all times of the night \ killin' my battery while it's alive \ it's so not alright \ sinnin', I can't help the situations that i've been in \ and I swear my hairlines growing back, 'cuz I can't go two weeks without trimming.
Mic check take it to the next level \ I be on the next level \ he's alright but he aint on Ghetts's level \ I arose like a red petal \ run up your mouth and get fed metal.
I can't be asked to be peaceful \ i'd rather target a star that's equal \ GET ME - no I don't \ I was writing them bars in pre school \ now I write bars for your people \ never write bars that are feable \ i'm way too advanced to be beat fool \ I don't give a rass what he thought \ talk is cheap and your the master of cheap talk.
Years in the game and i'm rolling the dice \ i'm bang on point I be over precise \ I put the poulter in gheist \ the chauffer in drive \ i'm so fly i'm getting closer to Christ \ im i'm close to your wife then i'm stroking her thighs \ next step big boner inside \ my persona's defined \ any moment in time niggas know i'm involved in the Grime.
There's no introduction needed \ i'm a genius, and i'm even schooling seniors \ next year, Porsches, Beemers \ nothing like a caution - i'm serious \ i'm far from short of experience \ bring arenas to a distorted frequence \ it's awesome, when you're somone important \ but as for unfortunate dreamers \ turn 40 and are forced to be cleaners \ a mop, broom and a brush \ i'm not losing my touch \ i'll up the gear like im using a clutch \ fuck losing my buzz, i do what i does \ the truth's in my blood, but the game's so loose and corrupt \ bigger than moon is a must \ i'm never affected except when i'm getting arrested \ had p's but I never invested \ but the rest did, now the whole ends are interested \ I been tested, but they couldn't penetrate my defenses \ stood here with my middle finger extended \ pissed 'coz you aint had a single requested \ me and my collective are really respected \ I don't know what the hell you expected \ I aint gonna help you perfect it.
I heard of a dead man walking it's nothing important \ ain't talking, me \ i'll run up on a man and blaze him in his face \ take his possesions, now i've got a dead man's fortune \ when threats are made i'll get my blade, head for the door, head for the war \ I don't wanna see nothing but heads on the floor ...\ just know none of your threats are ignored.
Niggas flip when they sniff \ a split personality stick to the script \ 'cuz I be in the bits with a stick \ and a black jacket, black hat to match it \ you prats have had it, i'll clap the matic \ unwrap the package, do the mathematics \ i've got crack for the addicts, come back so rapid \ so quick you can have an asthmatic panic \ it's no shit, how much of that could you manage \ you're hopeless attached to a habit \ your brain cells will naturally vanish \ i'll actually damage, you know the end has to be tragic \ you can't adapt to the baggage \ threaten me but i'll be back with a ratchet \ if it aint that i'll attack you with acid \ i'll swing 'til i'm knackered then capture the maggot \ now he's trapped in the attic \ got more tools than Gary the Mechanic \ with a knife on the waistline \ you can say bye to this planet \ them niggas aint done no drive-by shootings \ watch when I buy my new ting \ nothing but night life cruising \ if I see you on the side line snoozing \ you'll have your hands in the air like a high five \ looking back in hindsight fuming \ you better get them size nines moving \ or there'll be a body on the pavement \ feds can't find nobody for a statement \ back goes the shotty in the basement \ ain't nothing stopping your bleeding \ when it come to hospitals I know nobody don't wanna be a patient \ laugh no more like comedy's ancient.
Militant man with a brilliant plan \ I might play the innocent hand \ that's a William Scam \ but not only William can \ pull it off, I can pull off a trillion fam \ no fluke no incident, don't you ever think the only killer is cam \ i'm sicker with a stick than Sam when he's chasing a body, lettin' off a shotgun, there goes another hot one he's curry WOAH \ you better hurry HOME, dum-dums hit a dummy's BONES \ unlucky HOES i'm old-school like a runny NOSE \ strap on the stage when I spit but I don't need that to duppy SHOWS \ and i'm nobody's hubby SO \ if you see me with a slutty HOE \ you know it's a quick one like \ COME WE GO.
I be up from the crack of dawn \ I ain’t Aaliyah but I’m back & forth \ it’s cold but my jackets warm \ and even with a heat on my side somehow I still manage to catch cold \ my hats low so my eyes ain’t seen \ bandana on the neck 'cos I might bang a hammer on a threat \ my nine ain’t clean \ my name speaks for itself \ if I come for a fight i’m gonna leave with the belt or chain \ but I guarantee you won’t leave with your health or name \ everyday I see more pain \ i’ve been tryna get doe four ways \ and stack so I couldn’t be broke for four days \ I just scream Green Gate all day \ 'cos i’m a Green Gate gun happy goon \ and before 2007 ask anyone I never had one happy tune \ 'cos their ain’t nothing nice round here \ nothing but rats and mice round here \ G-H i’m in an unhappy mood \ niggas are wiling out \ 'cos their ain’t nothing to smile about \ enemies are telling me watch when they find my house \ I be like mind your mouth \ from now everything on my mind is foul \ fuck a nine to five i’m like \ give me a nine of crack, a nine of brown \ and let me provide the town.
Call me a confident one \ 'cos I feel like I could conquer a tonne \ of MCs when i’m around them they can’t breath \ I do worse than an anaconda has done \ and the reason I ain’t seen mainstream \ 'cos I still make songs for the slums \ they all say that i’m gonna lose out \ like a dad who just can’t bond with his son \ man are like Ghetts if I was in your shoes \ you done know I would be gone with the funds \ still I am what most man long to become \ I tell the kids what I tell myself \ the harder you work the longer the run \ that’s why i’m too strong to be spun \ they know I go hard from it's begun \ you’re a novice i’m so not bothered \ you should be honoured I can make you big \ if I take time out and go on the airwaves \ take the mic and respond with my tongue \ but why respond to a bum.
