27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Dizzee Rascal ditches fame and makes huge career change as plasterer
Dizzee Rascal has revealed that he decided to re-train as a plasterer while during lockdown and was not recognised by his fellow students until at the end of the course
He has five No.1 singles under his belt but it seems Dizzee Rascal felt the need to explore a new career path, while during the pandemic. Dizzee has now that he signed up to train as a plasterer during lockdown.
The 40 year old rapper, who fast became a well respected grime artist among his peers during the height of his fame, explained why he splashed out £1,495 during lockdown to learn a new skill.
Having completed the course, Dizzee, who is known to his family as Dylan Mills, received a certificate which states that he is now a qualified plasterer.
The music artist trained at the Able Skills Construction Training in Dartford, Kent. During a recent interview he admitted to Fix Radio: "I did a plastering course for however long. I forgot how to do it, I got the certificate and everything."
He added: "In the pandemic yeah, for some reason I felt like I needed to learn to do stuff. Big up able skills It was wicked."
Considering his high profile status as a rapper, you'd think that he would be easily recognised. But it seems some of the course students didn't know who he was until the end.
He continued to explain: "Towards the end there was a couple dudes I've been with them for weeks. They were like 'Hey oh my God it's you, hey man, he's rich man, he's famous man'. Right at the end is when they clocked it."
It looks as though his course in plastering was clearly a hobby rather than a career change as he returned to the stage amid a UK tour last year. This celebrated 15 years since the release of his album Tongue n Cheek.
Dizzee launched his career in the UK music industry in 2003 following his debut album Boy in da Corner.
Speaking to the Mirror last year, Dizzee opened up about why having a hefty bank balance isn't important to him. He explained: "If I'm honest, you learn to appreciate it as you go along. It's harder in the music industry, it's easier in some ways and harder in some ways.
"I appreciate all the hard work that I put in when I was younger. My first album came out when I was 18, I kept ploughing through from then, and at this point I'm grateful. I've got fans that have stuck by me for so long. It sounds like an anti-climax but I just get on with it, keep going."
"You can argue 20 years since my first album and two years on the underground before that," he said reflecting on the changes in the music industry. Dizzee went on to add that "every few years, the game changes anyway." He continued: "At this point, I'm not even focused on how much money I make from the music.
"That's the big thing for today, I'm just really pleased that I've got the fan engagement, that's why I love the live shows, especially around the UK – I get to see parts of the country, the parts that you would never get to go to other than from a show. I'd accept certain festivals, not for the money, just to see that part of the country."
"The one thing with the live shows, you bring the music to life," he said, adding that his live performances allow fans to get to know the real "Dylan" and "inspire them to be rappers or performers". He added: "After the pandemic, I was one of the first live shows some kids saw."
But Dizzee, who often steers away from the media commented: "At the beginning, I never wanted to be out there, I remember not wanting to go to my first video shoot, I didn't want to be in it. I understood it didn't make sense to not be in it but I've always wanted to let the music do the talking.
"I've not done too much antics outside of it so it didn't take away from that." However, he understands that some musicians "play the game."
