Professor Green Talks About Near-Fatal Stabbing

The MC phoned his mum & nan to say goodbye after the attack in May 2009...

Professor Green has spoken out about his near-fatal stabbing last year.

The MC, who was born and raised in Hackney, East London, has revealed that the traumatic events of 23rd May 2009 - where he was attacked in a nightclub with a broken bottle to the neck - are still at the forefront of his mind.

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Speaking to The Mirror, the Monster rapper recalled: "It made me angry. I thought I was going to die when I was outside on the pavement holding my neck and face together."

"I phoned my nan and my mum and I said goodbye. I thought, 'If it's my time I'm not going to go out crying and screaming'."

He continued: "It took me a long time to resolve what had happened. I'd be going out to clubs or whatever and I'd be on edge if someone even looked at me funny. I'd be ready to do something to them."

"It made me vulnerable in that I was more likely to do something to someone else and that's not what I'm like. I don't believe in violence."

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Despite not having any counselling after his attack, Pro Green claims that it is his music that has been his form of therapy when dealing with the fact that he could have lost his life.

The rapper, who has scored two top five singles and a top three LP, explained: "It's been mental. A huge transition when I think back to where I was at the beginning of the year still working on the album."

"After the first single came out everything went nuts. Going out I get stopped all the time - that's the hardest thing to adjust to."

He added: "I'm not sure you ever really do. But I haven't become clouded or distracted. You want the music to get through. That for me is still the aim - the focus."

The I Need You Tonight hitmaker also claimed that he owes a lot of his success to pal Lily Allen, who he worked with on the single Just Be Good To Green.

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The Prof, real name Stephen Manderson, confessed: "Watching her taught me so much. If you look at the footage from when I first started performing with her to now, I'm a different person. My presence and confidence have changed."

"Last month we did what will probably be our last performance in some time with Muse at Wembley Stadium. The crowd went mental and we gave the best show we've ever given. It was a really good way to go out."

In other Pro Green news, Manderson was named BT Digital Music Awards Breakthrough Artist of the Year at last night's ceremony, beating the likes of Tinie Tempah, The XX and Marina And The Diamonds.

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