The multi-award-winning rapper discusses his plans for world domination and why he wore a tracksuit on < i > Jools Holland < /i > .

Although Mr Michael Omari, better known as the rapper Stormzy arrives at the MR PORTER photoshoot accompanied only by his manager, there’s every reason to believe that in a year from now he’ll be moving with a posse in tow. Stormzy stands at the cusp of fame. In 2015 he had a UK hit with “WickedSkengMan4”, the first freestyle in history to enter The UK Top 40; played live in Europe, Australia and Africa; appeared on stage with Mr Kanye West at the Brit Awards; and won two Mobos for best male act and best grime act. He also ended the year tilting for a Christmas number one with his YouTube smash “Shut Up” (15.1 million views at the time of writing). The 22-year-old has rare talents, a winning openness and his sights are set high; when asked about the scale of his ambition he replies, “We’re going for Beatles status, that was always the plan.”

Standing 6ft 3in tall, Stormzy is physically imposing, but he’s approachable, good humoured and more than happy to laugh at himself. His attitude serves him well, and bears little relation to the stereotypical moody rapper from a tough neighbourhood – in his case, Thornton Heath in south London. He once tellingly rapped, in a memorable freestyle on the UK’s Radio 1Xtra station, “I swapped my beef for a future.”