I’m a chart-topping rapper but didn’t earn a penny for 10 years – I worried about paying my mortgage, says Pro Green

HE'S sold over three million records and had a number one single but mainstream success didn't bring Professor Green the riches you might expect.

The UK rapper and mental health advocate - real name Stephen Manderson - spent sleepless nights worrying about paying his mortgage as he contended with record deals that saw the money flow back out as quickly as it came in.

He's now teamed up with British Gas Energy Trust after27 percent of adults are struggling with their mental wellbeing because of the cost-of-living crisis, rising to 70 percent of 18-24-year-olds and 52 percent of 25-34-year-olds.

The findings also come as a recent music industry study found nearly half of musicians earn less than £14,000 a year - less than half of the UK's average salary.

"It’s not lucrative for most people," admits Green, reflecting on his own industry. "I didn’t really earn a penny apart from the odd battle where I won a grand from the age of 18 to 28, and even then I was in a record deal prior to signing to Virgin, which was independent and with a sister company and my publisher, and everyone was just so happy things were moving and at such a pace as we were signing to Virgin I was the only one putting my hand up saying ‘hey, we’re still in a record deal’.

"So my Virgin deal was 82 (percent) 18(percent). Obviously the 18 percent is my share, that’s what I have to pay 50 percent of all costs out of before I can then earn money off my recordings, which is why there’s been no earnings off of recording during that whole time I was with Virgin."

Green estimates he also paid more than £800,000 to his former label in non recoverable income, adding further to his financial woe.

He continued: "This is just a little lesson for anyone who wants to get into music, but then I was in two deals so I had to pay my way out of the other deal which meant I wasn’t earning anything even when I was earning.

"Everyone’s situation is unique. Some people get huge advances but then that’s a lot of pressure that comes with that. You have a record that doesn’t perform and then all of a sudden that record label’s not looking at you too kindly, so the idea of an artist earning 14 grand a year is not surprising to me because for 10 years I didn’t earn a penny."

Unlike other professions, the music world is full of uncertainty and hard work alone is no guarantee of success.

"It’s not like you’re in a job with a bank or a company or a newspaper and they’re stepping stones ‘OK, start here as an intern and build my way up’. It doesn’t work like that, man," explains Green. "Ultimately, it comes down to is my song released on the right day? Is it on the right playlist? Are the right people hearing it? Is the right influencer using it? And does it catch fire? Because that’s going to be the significant shift in whether or not you make money, otherwise you get a job within the industry, right?"

The rapper's music has always had a cathartic effect on him, no more so than on his biggest single to date, Read All About It ft Emeli Sandé, the number one single written about his dad's tragic suicide.

But while his output has allowed him to process personal trauma, the pain of his lifelong gut health issues and get a handle on his own struggles with depression and anxiety, the industry itself has impacted on his mental health.

"It just starts to feel unfair," he continues. "You’re doing crazy, crazy hours. Sometimes getting offstage at God knows what time of night and having to be driven back to London to do TV first thing in the morning to promote this single you’re putting out on some label you’re then having to give an extra 25 percent of your money to on top of everything else.