Wretch 32 makes a song about a song

I've been wondering - what is a Wretch 32?

The dictionary definition for wretch is "a person of despicable or base character," which is more suited to a hardcore underground rapper than a chippy purveyor of chart-bound grime. On the other hand, when Fearne Cotton announces "here's a bit of Wretch 32", I immediately think of retching (and not just because Fearne Cotton's voice triggers an instinctive gag reflex). I'm pretty sure no-one would deliberately set out to call themselves "Dry Heave 47", so that can't be the explanation either...

A bit of Googling reveals that Wretch 32 is in fact Mr Jermaine Sinclair, and that Wretch refers to his old stage name Wretchro (as in 'retro'). The 32 refers to the number of bars in a verse. So there you go. Mystery solved.

All of this is a pointless preamble to the video for Wretch 32's new single Don't Go. It sounds like a love song, but on closer inspection it's a tribute to the redemptive power of music: "Whenever I'm in doubt, you forever calm me down." Basically, it's Abba's Thank You For The Music, but without the girl or the golden hair.

Still, no matter how you choose to interpret the subject matter, some of the lyrics are questionable. EG: "Phone in my hand while I listen to you moaning, everybody in the car wants to try and get involved".

Children, cover your ears.

Wretch 32 - Don't Go


The featured vocalist on Don't Go is Josh Kumra, who's got a nice line in sleepy acoustic ballads, in the style of Ray LaMontagne and Damien Rice. Check out his Facebook page for more.

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