A testament to creative inspiration springing up from anywhere, last year East London rapper Not3s emerged with his debut smash single "Addison Lee". Catchy and infectious—racking up millions of streams and views in the process—the banger no doubt boosted the private taxi firm's public relations for the last quarter of 2016.
Propelled to the forefront of the new, genre-flexible hybrid scene currently being cultivated across the country, Not3s was amongst the headliners at last night's GRM Daily takeover of the adidas EQT Creator Studio in London. After whipping the crowd into a frenzy, running through an ever-growing selection of hits, we caught up with Not3s as he stepped off stage to get the lowdown on his style and essential tools.
What are your creative essentials?
I don't need much, really—just a good energy. I need sick sounds. A sick instrumental can really get me going! I don't care too much about genre, just anything that sounds dope.
Can you remember your first pair of adidas?
The first pair I got was probably the shell-toes, the adidas Superstars. Actually, nah, they weren't the first—it was these basketball ones my mum got me time ago. I used to wear them all the time, and I used to play basketball—I'm 6'2. So yeah, after that, it was the Superstars. The number 3 has always been of significance to me anyway, so three stripes, I was always down in that sense.
How do you best express your personal style?
Just flow with it, really. For me, trainers are the most important things. If I'm checking out the outfit, I'll probably notice the trainers first. These ones I'm wearing right now are sick—I love them, man—and they're so different to anything else. Trainers are important to me, so I focus on them first and then I check out how the trainers work with the outfit.
Coming off the back of some huge singles, what have you got lined up for the rest of the year?
My EP, it's all done and it's coming out in September. I'm hoping it's for the beginning of September but I haven't got the exact date for it just yet. After that, it's my tour; it should be the end of that month. I'm excited about it, man! Obviously, I'll have a few more collabs with some sick artists and amazing producers.
A lot has changed for you very quickly—what have you learnt over the space of a year?
I've learned to just always remember that people are out here to see you. I have to remember they've come here to see me, so I don't wanna fuck up for them. I have to make the people understand I'm there for them as much as they're there for me.
To discover more about 'Essentialism' and EQT, head over to adidas.co.uk.
