Top 72 Quotes & Sayings by Tinie Tempah

Coming from an African background, obviously the foundation of the family home is education, probably because my parents had to work a lot harder for everything that they've got in this country.

I met Ellie Goulding at the BRITs. She's lovely. I've got a lot of time for her. I gave her congratulations and whatnot and she let me hold her BRIT. That was amazing - once I'd touched one for the first time, I said 'This cannot be the last time I touch a BRIT.'

I've seen how much effort has to go into a tour, the performance and also how to look after yourself, not just physically, but mentally too.

I watched a film called 'Elephant' recently. Its not stylish in the sense of expensive suits and Italian cars, but the styling on every single character is spot on.

People used to say poems were different to songs but I don't think they are.

At the end of the day, you sign a record deal and you understand where it could go if you had the right song.

Dizzee's just my childhood hero. He's definitely the inspiration. He's got himself to a very good place. He's defied the expectations of what British black urban music was like. He was the first person who made the rest of Britain realise it wasn't just a one-album-type situation. You've got to take your hat off to somebody like that.

There's this other girl called Lykke Li from Sweden - I really want to collaborate with her, that'd be great. Obviously Kanye West as well, and Drake would be pretty amazing.

People discover you at festivals. They come to see Coldplay or whoever, and then wander over and catch your act. Festivals make a lot of sense to me.

The way everyone in London is right up against each other makes it very real to you growing up, the fact that people have different lives to you. And that causes problems; of course it does.

I don't want to achieve less than my mum and dad.

My glasses are from Cutler & Gross. They're not prescription: I just love wearing them. I used to wear Ray-Ban a lot and then I realised that a lot of the things I've started going for are a little bit more refined. I liked the fact that I was supporting a British brand, somebody I could have a relationship with and people that I could talk to.

Being able to travel the world is pretty cool. There are places that I've always wanted to go to but being able to go there as somebody who's a musician and is recognised as one is cool.

You have to do a show, an interview, you've got to go straight back on the road to another location, make a track and edit things like footage etc. It's non stop. I really respect the hustle and work rate of Chipmunk, as well as N-Dubz and Tinchy Stryder.

Gone are the days when you'd have to tune in to a mad illegal radio station late at night to be able to hear the rapper of your choice. That's all changed now. That's all gone out of the window. And I feel like I represent that change. I represent the era of iPods and Shuffle and things like that.

Artists take on an alias that's suitable for their style of music. Everyone had a nickname when they were younger.

I first became interested in style when I was 16 and I had my first couple of gigs. I realised I couldn't look like the people I was performing to. Not in a condescending way, but just that it would be weird if I was wearing exactly what someone in the crowd was wearing.

Playing someone drum 'n' bass for the first time in 'Pass Out' - they're like, 'Oh my God, what is this?' I'm having a lot of fun and a good time showcasing the music.

I definitely believe in God.

I'm so down to earth, I'm bringing gravity back.

I was well brought up, my parents are still together. I lived in a council estate, but I don't anymore; I saw my parents buy a nice house and move me to a nice area.

I enjoyed my upbringing, my siblings did, we're polite, we're respectful, but at the end of the day we're young, we like to have fun. But now, more so than ever, the youth has been vilified to the point where it feels like you can't enjoy being young any more, you just have to sit it out and wait until you get old.

Nigeria is like everywhere, really: there are some beautiful places that have been invested in and others that haven't been.

Hopefully, young people will see that you can be young and make the sacrifices to follow your dreams.

When I was about 14 I remember thinking when it came to proposing to my future girlfriend, I'd make a CD with all her favourite songs and a message that said, 'Will you marry me?' Shows you what a romantic I was. No one listens to CDs any more. It's all about iTunes.

My goal, my aim is to be a superstar, but not in a cheesy way. I want to go to America and do what they do. But better!

I lived in Peckham for the first 12 years of my life and then my mum and dad decided they really didn't want to bring up their children there. So they saved up money and bought a house in Plumstead, semi-detached, three bedrooms.

Music has no race. It appeals to everybody.

Grime is a particular style of music. You've got electro, funk and garage; grime is its darker side. It's constantly evolving.

A lot of young people have all these aspirations but many of them don't believe they're possible.

If I go to an awards ceremony, I wear a suit, of course I do. I am proud to be there. If there are young kids looking at pictures of me, I want them to feel that they should long for the opportunity to go somewhere really smart and wear a beautiful suit, rather than to reject that.

I think it's imperative to have faith or religion, because it's good to have morals, to be kind to others.

I'm a bit of a mummy's boy.

I'm actually going to the gym, working on getting not fatter, just a bit bulkier.

I've definitely done something that's made my mum and dad forever proud.

I watched my parents go from having very basic jobs to educating themselves, to buying a house. They set a really good bar for what they wanted their kids to achieve.

When I feel like I'm renowned enough, I'd love to do a heritage-type line, but that takes time.

At the end of the day, I'm a human being and I just think that's what it is. Challenging stereotypes by just being who I am.

I don't think I've had to change anything, really, apart from being more serious and focussed on my drive. One thing I've realised is that you get out what you put in and because of that my work rate has increased ten fold.

I find my dress sense tends to be a bit of a mixture between high fashion and unique vintage pieces with a little bit of street trends. For example, I might find a really nice, suede dinner jacket that I'd wear with a basic plain white shirt and some chinos and a pair of Nike trainers.

I actually remember celebrating National Poetry Day at school; I remember having to write and read a load.

I feel like I'm indirectly showing people, not that there's another way, but just that if you really have a dream, you should try and give it a go.

Fashion Week is surprisingly very short. At least the actual runway shows are.

When you look at the Lady Gagas of the world, or the Jay-Zs, or the Black Eyed Peas, these are people who have one album release and it's a worldwide one.

If people are not listening to you as individuals, it's always good to get together and make a stand for something.

I'm merely a fan of fashion from high end to streetwear, from Nike to Comme des Garcons.

I'm starting to think about my life, thinking about where I'm going to be in three years time: who I'm going to be with, where I'm going to be situated myself.

Every generation that comes from this family has to do better than the last.

I'm just a young person trying to fulfil his potential and be the best he can be at what he wants to do... I guess that's why people connect with the music.

I grew up in an eclectic house where people were listening to all types of different music. I also think being educated, eloquent and knowing how to talk for yourself in the industry makes you go a long way.

This is the kind of fashion I grew up on - a good pair of trainers, great denim - and I will always love high-end streetwear.

I pray as much as possible.

I really want to work with Adele, I think she's amazing. Lykke Li as well. I love them both. I'd also like to work with The Script. I met them in Australia and we just got on like a house on fire.

I like to think I don't make music for ignorant people.

I'm a big fan of Paco Rabanne's 1 Million.

I'm into everything. My iPod is very eclectic - if you kept it on shuffle, you'd be amazed. For example, I was forced to grow up on Dolly Parton. My mum was obsessed by her. She bought all this memorabilia for the front room. It's ridiculous.

I think when you come to Australia you immediately get the sense of fitness and taking care of yourself and being healthy, and it really shows.

When I was about 14 I remember thinking when it came to proposing to my future girlfriend, I'd make a CD with all her favourite songs and a message that said, "Will you marry me?" Shows you what a romantic I was. No one listens to CDs any more. It's all about iTunes.

I was 18, and I either wanted to go to university in the States, and experience it like how it is in the movies - you know, date a cheerleader, be the coolest guy on campus - or I wanted to take a year and focus on what I wanted to do. I got into all the universities I applied to, but I took a year off anyway and said, let's see what happens.

I was like 14 and decided I wanted to be a rapper, so I needed a hip rapper name. I was with one of my friends in class and literally went through a thesaurus. I saw "temper" and thought, "I like this, but it's too much." My friend was like, "What about Tinie for tiny," and that was that.