Story by Nidai Esat
Something About Rocks’ Summer issue is on sale now and features the Godfather of British rap, Giggs. Shop the issue here
This might be the closest interview I’ve done in my life,” rapper Giggs laughs, his 100-watt smile lighting up the studio as we sit down to do our interview. We’re sitting close together, trying to get the perfect shot for our video shoot and it’s proving tricky.
“Relax man!” he implores, grabbing me by the hand and breaking out into an even bigger smile. An enthusiastic dab handshake follows. “Bro, I don’t even know where to look now!” he jests, as we’re directed by the camera crew to sit even closer. An awkward silence follows; Giggs bursts out laughing.
The rapper is certainly true to what he describes as his “street name” when we meet. Giggs was nicknamed “the giggler” as a child on account that he would always smile and giggle, even in situations where it wasn’t always appropriate.
When he started to spit bars on the streets of Peckham, South London, the more palatable street name ‘Giggs’ emerged. He signed his debut mixtape with the moniker and Giggs the musician was born.
Today, Giggs is the name recognised by millions of his fans. He does admit though that he likes being called ‘The Landlord’. “The people gave me that name,” he smiles, detailing how his fans affectionately christened him this anew at the start of his career (he later released an album of the same name in homage to them).
‘Hollow Man’ is another of his many identities – a reference in part to the fact he “can’t be seen on the beats” of his tracks but only heard via his idiosyncratic baritone. “Remember The Invisible Man? It comes from that,” he laughs.
Giggs’ personality, like his style, is all about understatement. Today he’s wearing a smart leather jacket, simple white tee and jewellery that he describes as “not too loud, not too flash, just a little decoration.” Does he have some statement jewellery that signifies his personality? “I am the statement,” he says. “If I choose to add a watch, or a nice Cuban, or a diamond bracelet, it will be an added complement.” As for what he collects, he says he “likes Audemars Piguet’s, Richard Mille’s, but I think I’m always gonna love a Rolex,” he says. Other watches he wears today include an Omega Seamaster, Hublot’s Big Bang and an Officine Panerai Luminor gold watch.
Yet the jewellery he wears often has some personal significance to him like a special chain he has – a medallion that represents his ‘Hollow Man’ name that his brother made, with a psalm inscribed on the back. He has a custom necklace by The Vault London – a Hatton Garden jeweller – and some favourites from a New York jeweller called Ami. He says often, his style is deliberately “low key.”
True to his preferred rap name though, Giggs certainly has a lot to smile about right now entering the third decade of his career. Widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed UK rappers of all time, his 2008, independently released debut album Walk in da Park was a critical and commercial success and saw him delivering socially conscious lyrics over skeletal, gothic-tinged beats that painted a bleak picture of life on the street.
Read the full cover story in our Summer 2025 issue, available here
Photographs by Carla Guler, creative direction by Tim Holloway, styling (fashion) Jordan Schneider, styling (jewellery) by Joshua Hendren, groomer Mata Mariélle, production manager Malcolm Mafara, photo assistant Josh Hippolyte, stylist assistant Sophie Casha
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