Bet You Didn't Think AJ Tracey Was A Linkin Park Fan...

"22 years young" AJ Tracey, has been making serious noise lately. Taking grime transatlantic, the West London MC is on a roll and getting the recognition for it. As a Brand New For 2017 nominee, AJ said it's a 'blessing'.

In our exclusive interview AJ said: "When I was a little kid I used to sit at home watching MTV, used to run home, slap it on, get told off by my mum for turning it up too loud. To be on [the list], it’s a blessing."

Music has been in his blood from a young age. "I’ve been making music since I was about six," he revealed. "Literally everyone in my family is something to do with music. My little brother produces, my mum used to be a DJ on pirate radio, my pops, he had his own rap group, which I will not name, but they were alright. Not gonna lie, their music was actually good, I actually liked their music. You know you’re meant to be embarrassed of your dad, but nah his music was actually good still, my mum thinks it’s rubbish though!"

As for his influences there's the idol you might expect from a rapper: "When I was growing up some people I looked up to were Nas, that’s my favourite rapper ever, I think he’s the greatest ever." But he also revealed: "Linkin Park, I listen to a lot of Linkin Park, that’s a wild card innit? Bit random. I listen to a lot of rock on the sly but no-one really asks so I don’t tell them. Linkin Park, 30 Seconds To Mars I like, some group called Yellowcard, there’s a couple still."

WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON AJ TRACEY HERE:

AJ's recent video for 'Buster Cannon' is slick. He told us how he ended up shooting the video: "[It was] shot in Tokyo, mainly in Shibuya," he said. "I was there on tour, I was just taking it in. I was like ‘this place is amazing, a visual would be really good here.’

"I had the perfect tune, obviously it’s Japanese themed if you know about anime and that, so I thought, y'ou know what, let me call my video guy', called him up, he was like ‘I’m on it, cool’. Flew him out, shot the video, innit. When it came out everyone was like, ‘woah, video in Japan, what?!’. Yeah man, it’s proper colourful and that. Went in and shut it down."

WATCH AJ TRACEY'S 'BUSTER CANNON' [EXPLICIT] HERE:

On reflection of the last 12 months, AJ said: "2016’s been amazing for me, I mean it’s been way better than I could have ever imagined. I’ve toured, shot a video in Japan, got my first million views, got my first two million views, just done so much, so many things."

As for what 2017 will bring, AJ's promising: "2017, bigger live shows, more elements to it more of an entertaining show rather than just music. Couple more transatlantic collars, yeah man, just more music to be honest, a couple of singles and that, and visuals, I’m gonna keep the visuals to the quality I’ve been releasing."

To vote for AJ Tracey to win Brand New For 2017, like/heart the Instagram image below:

https://instagram.com/p/BPdBtO8AJWF/