Rapper Skepta’s mother talks to Loose Woman about son and her memoir

Skepta’s mother has told how she has ‘always supported’ his music career, and wanted to ‘protect him from the stereotypes’ he faced in living in a east London council estate. 

Mother-of-five Ify Adenuga, 64, who detailed her origin story in her new memoir, Endless Fortune, migrated to Tottenham in 1980 at the age of 24, where she worked as a cleaner for £11-an-hour.

Her children, Joseph Junior, aka Skepta, 38, Jamie – otherwise known as rapper JME – Julie, a former Beats 1 DJ and Jason, a producer and graphic designer, have been hailed ‘the most creative family in Britain’. 

Appearing on Loose Women today, Ify told that growing up, she made sure she knew where her children were at all times because the area was ‘riddled with youth crime’ – and added that she always made sure her children ‘stayed out of trouble’. 

Skepta’s mother says she has ‘always supported’ his music career, and wanted to ‘protect him from the stereotypes’ he faced in living in a east London council estate. Pictured, Skepta in 2019 

Mother-of-five Ify Adenuga, 64, migrated to Tottenham in 1980 at the age of 24, and has detailed her origin story in her new memoir, Endless Fortune

Mother-of-five Ify Adenuga, 64, migrated to Tottenham in 1980 at the age of 24, and has detailed her origin story in her new memoir, Endless Fortune

She said: ‘I thought, if I’m with them, if at any point in time if they’re doing extracurricular away from home or school. Even if I hear the police siren on the street, i’m with them because i’m driving them around, making sure I know where they are and what they’re doing.’ 

She went on to explain that by the age of 15, Skepta had already dealt with being ‘stereotyped’, and that his name would ‘always be mentioned’ if there was trouble on their estate. 

‘I just wanted to protect them from the stereotype’, she said, ‘Junior was 6ft tall by 15 or 16 and he stood out in the area where we lived.

‘If you mentioned people young people doing this doing that, people would always mention his name. So I said, “if music is what he wants to do I will support him so he stays out of trouble – otherwise the area was riddled with youth crime.”‘

Her children (pictured as children) , Joseph Junior, aka Skepta, Jamie - otherwise known as rapper JME - Julie , a former Beats 1 DJ and Jason, a producer and graphic designer, have been hailed 'the most creative family in Britain'

Her children (pictured as children) , Joseph Junior, aka Skepta, Jamie – otherwise known as rapper JME – Julie , a former Beats 1 DJ and Jason, a producer and graphic designer, have been hailed ‘the most creative family in Britain’ 

As he began rapping, Skepta’s mother would drive him to rehearsals, waiting in  the car parks of ‘run down industrial estates’ for her son to finish practicing.

‘He would go to practice the music in industrial estates or in a run down area,’ she recalled. 

‘I would drive them down there and wait for one and a half hours. I would go and then drive them home.’  

She went on to explain that growing up she treated her family as a ‘team’ – adding that she always strived to have a bond with her children after her own problematic relationship with her parents. 

‘I would not say I was a happy child’, she said. ‘Because of the trauma and the poverty, I never really developed a bond with my parents.

Ify (pictured) explained that growing up she treated her family as a 'team' - adding that she always strived to have a bond with her children after her own relationship with her parents

Ify (pictured) explained that growing up she treated her family as a ‘team’ – adding that she always strived to have a bond with her children after her own relationship with her parents 

As he began rapping, Skepta's mother -(pictured, right) said she would drive him to rehearsals and wait in the car parks of 'run down industrial estates' for her son to finish practicing

 As he began rapping, Skepta’s mother -(pictured, right) said she would drive him to rehearsals and wait in the car parks of ‘run down industrial estates’ for her son to finish practicing

‘Everything I wanted to do, I could not discuss it with anyone. There was no time for a relationship with your parents, so I said I would really like that bond with my kids.

‘Rather than parents and children – I want a team, I don’t know everything – I don’t want my children to look at me and think I can solve every problem on the planet, we are all team members who help this family grow.’ 

Reflecting on why she wrote the memoir, Ify added: ‘I decided to document it as soon as junior, Skepta, won the Mercury Award. 

‘It gave me time to take a record of myself and think of where I came from and where I ended up, I thought it would be nice to document this for my children and grandchildren.’ 

And it wasn’t long before viewers took to Twitter to praise Ify for being a ‘good parent.’  

‘Ify is probably one of the most interesting guests #LooseWomen has ever had on,’ praised one, while a second enthused: ‘Good parent I like Ify.’

A third added: ‘I like Ify she seems nice tbf and was hard working.’

It wasn't long before viewers took to Twitter to praise Ify for being a 'good parent' (pictured)

It wasn’t long before viewers took to Twitter to praise Ify for being a ‘good parent’ (pictured)

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