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Dizzee Rascal Ditches Fame And Makes Huge Career Change
Dizzee Rascal, known offstage as Dylan Mills, made a dramatic shift in career during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The ‘Bonkers’ rapper, whose decorated music career includes five number-one singles and a groundbreaking debut with ‘Boy in da Corner’ in 2003, decided to learn a new trade while the world was on pause.
In a previous interview with the Mirror, Dizzee reflected on the nature of fame and wealth.
He said: “If I’m honest, you learn to appreciate it as you go along.”
Having started young (his first album dropped when he was just 18), he added: “At this point, I’m grateful. I’ve got fans who have stuck by me for so long. It sounds like an anti-climax, but I just get on with it, keep going.”
Speaking of his longevity in the music industry, Dizzee acknowledged that ‘every few years, the game changes anyway,’ and he’s no longer focused solely on the financial aspect.
“That’s the big thing for today, I’m just really pleased that I’ve got the fan engagement,” he commented.
The rapper saw a recent fall from grace and lost his appeal against a conviction for assaulting his ex-fiancée, Cassandra Jones, in 2023, per BBC.
The assault took place in June 2021 during a heated argument at her south London home.
Despite denying the allegations and claiming Jones hit him with a phone, a panel of judges upheld the original ruling, stating they were satisfied with the prosecution’s account.
Previously, Mills was found guilty of pushing Jones to the ground and was sentenced to a community order, a 24-week curfew with an electronic tag, and a 12-month restraining order.
He was also ordered to pay £620 in appeal costs.
Dizzee has made a major overhaul to his life in recent years.
In an interview with Fix Radio, the grime pioneer revealed that he enrolled in a plastering course at Able Skills Construction Training in Dartford, Kent, spending £1,495 ($2,013) to learn the new skill.
He said: “I did a plastering course for however long. I forgot how to do it, I got the certificate and everything.”
Despite Dizzee’s fame, many of his fellow trainees didn’t recognize him until the course was nearly over.
“Towards the end, there were a couple of dudes I’ve been with for weeks. They were like ‘Hey, oh my God it’s you, hey man, he’s rich, man, he’s famous, man,'” he recalled.
Although the plastering endeavor may have seemed like a career pivot, it was more of a personal project than a professional redirection.
Dizzee returned to the stage as part of a U.K. tour commemorating the 15th anniversary of his album ‘Tongue n’ Cheek,’ reaffirming his commitment to music.
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