Norman Lamb and the ‘prince of grime’

The Guardian’s Patrick Barkham has the story of the strange connection between Tinchy Stryder “a 22-year-old grime artist from east London, enjoying the highest new entry at No 3 in this week’s singles chart” and Norman Lamb “a middle-aged Liberal Democrat MP from Norfolk”:

Stryder’s tiny independent record label was created by Lamb’s son, Archie, when he was just 17, after his Lib Dem dad remortgaged their home to loan him £10,000. Archie and his friend Jack Foster dropped out of school after booking Stryder – then completely unknown – for their urban music nights in Norwich and persuading him to sign to their new label, Takeover Entertainment.

“We were nervous when our son left school halfway through sixth form to set up a record business,” says Lamb. “At the time it seemed very naive and a bit crazy but I’ve got a lot of time for what they’ve pulled off. It’s amazing.” … Lamb, who is confident Stryder’s success will help Archie repay his £10,000 loan, is juggling his day job as Lib Dem health spokesman with evenings of grime. Last week the MP got the midweek charts texted to his mobile during a select committee meeting and he often races straight from parliamentary debates to grime gigs. “He comes in a suit,” says Archie.

You can read the full story here.