Radio 1’s Kenny Allstar talks Headie One, how TikTok has changed rap and the ‘best job on the planet’
LEGENDARY DJ Kenny Allstar is renowned for his passion on the rap and hip-hop scene and has continued to make waves up and down the UK.
The Radio 1 host recently starred in a brand new show that spotlights four of the UK’s hottest rappers, showcasing the stories behind the fame.
Fronted by Kenny the four-part docuseries which airs on My5 sees each act deliver two iconic performances before a deep dive interview.
As a champion for Black music, Kenny told us all about why the show Living Lyrics is so important and why he thinks viewers should watch.
The Radio 1 DJ, said: “I have to present such a special project and I always put the artists first with anything that I do.
“When you put your neck on the line to do that, I think artists naturally have that trust for you. So for example, you could have got a well-seasoned presenter that does factual content to do Living Lyrics, right? Could be a Louis Theroux, could have been a Ross Kemp, it could have been anyone.
“But I think the conversation that you get with them is completely different to the conversation you’ll have with me.”
Going on to explain why viewers should watch the show, Kenny said: “I think naturally on the surface, we get to see the best sides of every artist, whether you’re a fan or you’re a casual listener, all you get to see is the best of them because that’s where we are in 2024.”
“I wouldn’t be nowhere without the rapper and rap as an art form is expression.
“So I hope people take that from Living Lyrics and even if they don’t, I just hope that it’s just a good watch for them at the bare minimum,”
The rise of TikTok has seen artists gain overnight success in just a few clicks.
Kenny now admits how hard it can be for some rappers to get mainstream success and revealed his thoughts on how TikTok has changed rap.
“More times out of none, artists now have to try and conform and what conforming looks like now is different to what it looked like in 2010.
“In 2010, a rapper would have to probably jump on a house song and repeat four bars and get a huge house DJ or garage or dubstep DJ at the time to remix it and then that’s their hit.
“Now with the rise of TikTok and short form content, it’s all about how do I get your attention for 10 seconds? I will find the best 10 seconds of that and push that till the cows come home, even though you might not have another hit.
“So now it’s more about the business, I’m not going to lie, it is.
“The special artists do find a balance, the Dave’s of the world, the Stormzy’s of the world, and Central Cee – the list is endless.”
In the docu-series fans get to see Kenny go behind the scenes with legendary rappers such as Mist and Headie One.
Speaking on his relationship with rapper Headie One, Kenny said: “There’s also other vulnerable moments speaking to Headie One, who has been through a lot in not just the world of rap, but just in life in general.
“If you type in Kenny Allstar and Headie One, you’ll see a million and one songs, 3,000 moments and we’ve been there from the beginning.
“I do feel like I’ve reached a certain stage in this rap world where I’m kind of like, that’s my responsibility now, to uphold the reputation of these individuals and help the media paint them in a good light for once.”
In 2023 Kenny was named as the host of the Radio 1 Rap Show, where he broadcasts on the prestigious Saturday night slot at 9pm.
The DJ took over from Tiffany Calver who stepped down from the role after four years.
Speaking about his job, Kenny said: “Every day I wake up and I say that I’ve got one of the best jobs on this planet.
“My mom always used to tell me that, I think my greater purpose on the planet is to put others before me, sometimes that might be a detriment, but I love that.
“Sometimes it’s good to just be the guy in the background that just motivates everybody else.
“Because you’ve done something great in the world, right? You’ve actually helped, you know, people change their perspectives. And through even the platforms that I have helped create, it’s gone on to help artists be multimillionaires in the UK rap world.”
Kenny went on to reflect on his own legacy and how the DJ hopes to build it.
The Radio1 host explained: “I think legacy for me is just making sure that I’ve helped change people’s lives.
“I think that’s happening right now, I think you could probably speak to a few artists that could probably say, you know what? At a time when no one wanted to listen, at a time when they didn’t want to let us in certain buildings, Kenny helped get the key for us.
“If that’s what I’m remembered for when this was all said and done.
“I’m happy with that.”
Living Lyrics is now available to stream on My5