We’ve seen lots of pictures of you at Glastonbury. Did you like it?

I was on the Pyramind stage – I opened it! I was there last year, but this was a whole different world! It was like a statement of how far I had come in just a year. To open the main stage at Glastonbury, that felt good.

 You have joined Disney’s Aim High scheme as a mentor. Why did you decide to get involved with Disney’s Aim High?

The idea of encouraging kids to aim high was enough for me, to be honest.

When I was younger there wasn’t a lot of opportunities to work with someone you admire, do what you want to do and to work with people you look up to. I liked the idea of being a mentor and being able to teach kids the music industry.

 Why is Disney’s Aim High important to kids?

Because it gives kids the chance to work with other people and get their ideas across. It also teaches kids about the industries they want to work in. For instance, someone might think: “I want to work in music”, but not everyone has to be the star. They could work as a producer or behind the scenes. Aim High is important because it teaches kids about these opportunities.

 One of the principles of Disney’s Aim High is making the most out of life. What’s your tip for making the most out of life?

Always stay focused and stay positive. People say: “Oh I can’t do this”, but you never know what you can do until you try.

 Another principle of Disney’s Aim High is trying new things. What new things would you like to try?

Acting. I’d be interested in acting.

 You started in the music industry working on pirate radio stations when you were just 14. How did you get started?

I started writing lyrics when I was about 12. 

It was at that stage when everyone I knew wanted to be a Garage MC. I shared a room with my older brother who used to DJ at clubs around London and he had turntables. So I just started rapping my lyrics over his music. It was a hobby at first, but people liked the sound and it kept building up from there. 

 How did you get your nickname?

Tinchy – I was the smallest out of all my mates – I was always the ‘tinchy’ one. And Stryder – everyone has a last name, it didn’t feel right to just have one name. So I thought, “What can I call myself?” There was a game on the Sega MegaDrive called ‘Strider’ and I liked the sound.

 Your clothing line, Star In The Hood, is rumoured to be hitting JD Sports soon. How did you branch out into fashion?

The name Star In The Hood came from my first album. I made some T-shirts to promote it and people liked them and wanted to wear them. So I started selling them and money from the sales paid for a few things. It grew from there really. Now they are in 60 stores. It was crazy! I like clothing and am into fashion, so it was a natural move.

 What’s the best thing about being famous?

You get a lot of free stuff! That’s a good part!