- Words Notion Staff
Stepz talks ten of his musical firsts, from winning the affection of Mabel to the obstacles he’s faced as an artist.
Breakout star Stepz is busy making moves, from his buzzing TikTok account with over three million followers, to his brand new track, “Book Bag”. At just 20 years old, he’s already working with some of the industry’s most prestigious names.
“Book Bag” sees the emerging rapper teaming up with Scratch, a mix artist who has worked with the likes of Blanco and Stefflon Don. Stepz’s choppy flow glides over flute samples and punchy 808s, the bars themselves bubbling with self-assurance.
The youngster’s rise follows last year’s viral hit single “Pacman”, featuring Fizzler, which catapulted Stepz into the limelight, making him the most viewed UK artist on TikTok for 2022. With an EP on the way and a debut show at The O2 Islington in the bag, this year’s shaping up to be a hefty one for the artist.
As his career continues to heat up, we caught up on ten of Stepz’s musical firsts, from first-ever concerts to Mabel’s ongoing support.
First song you ever made?
My first song was called “Eureka”. It meant a lot to me because that one track made me realise I have a plan. Plans are something that I see as steps before success, so this song made a bell ring in my head to take that first part of the journey.
First CD or record you owned?
Never even owned one.
First time you realised you wanted to do music full time?
When I linked up with my management flystr8.
First gig you went to?
Knucks’ headline show.
First obstacle you faced in your career?
Having to keep the work rate I started with, no matter how well or badly making content or releasing music is going.
First instrument you owned?
I’ve never owned an instrument, but I own a camera.
First time you felt like giving up?
The first time I felt like giving up was when my views dropped, but I didn’t realise that everything was still in place. It just takes hard work and dedication to be on point, to not let a lot of things distract you, and also to stick to your plan.
First time you felt starstruck?
I met Mabel one time when I was working for an anti-knife crime company, she followed me on Instagram. I then met her again at the MOBOs 2 years later and she said she’s been watching my every move and that she was proud of me. That was a big moment for me.
First time you realised you’d made it?
When people started stopping me in the street.