Jordy is the North London rapper and creator who’s making noise in every corner of the UK right now.

Whether it’s through his own brand of honest and introspective rap, or his takes on the beautiful game via ‘Filthy Fellas’, no-one represents the synchronicity between sport and music in contemporary culture quite like Jordy. At a time when more athletes than ever before are making music and more rappers than ever are going to football for creative inspiration, this storyteller symbolises the organic fusion of both lanes more effortlessly than anyone.

Fresh from shutting down the final ‘House Party’ of 2024 with size? and adidas Originals, Jordy spoke to us about the importance of being an ‘Original’, how he deals with creative fatigue, and why football is now a permanent part of rap’s landscape.

Do you have any ‘Original’ creators who have inspired you?

Dave Chapelle. My favourite rapper ever is Skrapz. I also love Ghetts and Chip. I think all of those people are so unique that they’re impossible to replicate. Their sense of originality makes me want to think different.

How important is style to your status as an Original?

It’s definitely important. I wouldn’t say I’m fashion week ready, but I love style and comfort. Put me in a nice tracksuit and we’re good. I wore the SL72 on my feet at ‘The House Party’ and I loved how that looked.

How much has football inspired your growth as a storyteller?

Football is everything. If I’m not thinking about music, it’s because I’m thinking about football. It’s what I talk about or watch everyday, and I’ve incorporated it into my music. I saw the England camp training to some of my songs recently and I thought, ‘that’s it, I’m done!’.

The relationship between football and music is more established than ever before. What do you make of that?

All of us that grew up in major cities wanted to become a success in either football or music. Both fields have become so synonymous with each other now that I think you’ve got some players thinking, ‘hold on, what can’t I do both’ – there’s some rappers like Don EE and Kamakaze that have done it the other way, but you’ve now got a generation of elite players experimenting with music. It’s a dream.

What advice would you give to a creative who’s on a journey to become an Original in culture?

Understand that no-one knows what they’re doing, all people ever do is make educated guesses, so trust your gut! Embrace mistakes but make sure they’re your own mistakes rather than someone else’s. There’s nothing worse than getting something wrong because of someone’s else word.

Jordy wears the adidas Originals SL 72. Shop adidas Originals at size? now.

VERSUS: Why is it important to be an Original in culture?‍

‍Jordy: It’s important to be an ‘Original’ because that is your IP – you don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, because everyone’s art is personal to them. You don’t want to be known as someone that’s copying someone else, it’s a pride thing.

What is it about your art that makes you an Original?

It’s probably the fact that my work is created by me and my cousins, everyone that’s involved in my stuff are people I’ve been raised with. Everything I do is very honest. I don’t think anyone else has the type of closeness with their team that I do.

And when it comes to your music, what are the stories and messages you speak to that no-one else can?

I try to be honest but relatable – I don’t want to talk about champagne problems, because what’s the point? I’m not someone that puts on any kind of persona, and I think that means I’m genuinely heard when I speak.

When did you first discover you had talent in music?

I’ve rapped all my life but it wasn’t until someone in my year at school made an actual tracking coming at me, that I decided to get in a studio and record something back. So the first song I ever recorded was a diss track, and I really liked the feeling of how it was received. I didn’t take music seriously until about 2017, though.

That story makes it sound like you’ve got quite a competitive mentality…

I am competitive but I am starting to see things from a new perspective. The older I get, the simpler I get, the more basic my wants and needs are. There’s always a competitive edge to music, so I’m still conscious of it but it doesn’t drive me in the way.

Fresh off appearing at ‘The House Party’ in Manchester with size? and adidas Originals, it’s clear your music reaches every corner of the UK. What’s given you so much appeal in so many different places?

I think I humanise myself, so I’m not too far away from the people that listen to me. We all have the same problems – friendship, loyalty, heartbreak, love – and I keep that at the heart of my music.

Originality isn’t an easy thing to maintain. Do you have any cheat codes that fuel your creativity when it’s time to write or record?

When I feel like I’ve got any sort of creative fatigue or writer’s block, I try not to do anything. I shut off. I’ve gone the opposite route at times and tried to push through, but find what I’m making sounds like it’s come out of desperation. I’m shooting from the half-way line basically…

I think it’s much better to take your time. Watch things, listen to things, play things until a moment of inspiration hits.