He’s “A-Tola with a hyphen in it!” Puzzled, uk-fusion finds out why. Along with discovering what it was like to grow up on the mean streets of south London and inviting him to perform in Spain

First things first, what’s so important about the goddamn hyphen?

The A sounds for Asha. The whole name is a play on words, as in Asha Tola. It’s about starting a revolution in terms of music. The hyphen also gives me something else to rap about.

Erm, OK. Moving on, you were born and raised in Peckham. I imagine that’s like being in one long episode of Only Fools and Horses.

I’m from Dulwich actually. Dulwich is between Peckham and Brixton. The estate I grew up on was like a maze. It made the headlines for shootings, rapes and murders. The flip side of that was there were good times as well. Recently, the area’s got a lot better. It’s been regenerated, so if I’d stayed I’d probably be in a nice new flat. I live in north London now, but I don’t see things as north or south of the river. That’s narrow-mindedness. It’s all about London.

How would you describe your music to somebody who’s never heard it before?

It’s hip-hop definitely. But I steer away from rap’s negativity. I’m not into guns. That’s not what I’m about. I’m not that type of artist. That’s not my lifestyle. Still, there’s plenty of raw energy although we’re more music-orientated. We’re trying to bring more live instrumentation into what we do. My music is happy music, I want it to uplift spirits.

On your MySpace page, www.myspace.com/atolasdm, there’s a feature that allows fans to demand you play in their city. So is it possible for me to demand you play in my adopted home town of Las Palmas?

By all means do. You should demand it. Especially if it results in my record company flying me over to play in Spain.

How did you get to hook up with Street Dreams Entertainment?

That was through somebody hearing my demo tape, except it wasn’t really a demo tape. Back then, and we’re talking about as long ago as 1999, music was a hobby rather than something I saw myself doing as a job.

‘Beat of My Heart’ makes you sound like an old-fashioned romantic?

That’s because I am an old-fashioned romantic, or so I tell the ladies. But seriously women get negative press. My mum’s a single mum. She raised three boys. I wanted to do something women can relate to. It wasn’t just a case of “I love this girl”. The idea was to generalise. I’m trying to give women encouragement. They suffer a lot of shit from guys, stuff they shouldn’t have to put up with. I want to let them know they can move away from this and live their own life.

On ‘Goal (Grandstand)’, you name-check most of the Chelsea first team. I take it you’re a fellow Blue?

Nah, I’m a Gooner. As much as it pains me to say, Arsenal don’t have a whole lot of English players. There are actually two versions of the song. One focuses on the national team and the earlier version is more about football in general. That one includes me waxing lyrical about Thierry Henry.

Thanks for clearing that up. Am I correct though in assuming Grandstand must have been one of your favourite programmes growing up?

Well, I just loved anything that had anything to do with football. One of my earliest memories is of Michael Thomas scoring a last-minute winner at Anfield which meant Arsenal won the title instead of Liverpool. I actually played alongside guys who have gone on to make it as professionals. Looking back, they wanted it more. Now I try to take that hunger into everything I do music-wise.

How political would you say you were?

I’m not that political. One politician is the same as any other. Politics has got to the stage where whatever the little man wants, the little man doesn’t get.

What’s the “drama in the EEC” you refer to in ‘Stuck in Da Hood’ then?

Eh? Oh, that’s EDC not EEC. EDC stands for East Dulwich Corporation. I’ve still got friends in Dulwich, but I’ve also got enemies. I don’t intend getting involved with these people.

What are your short-term aims careers-wise?

I want Street Dreams Entertainment to be associated with good music. I grew up when Death Row and Bad Boy were dominant. Fans would buy records from these labels regardless of the artist because they knew both were stamps of quality. I want to have the same effect in that people don’t have to search to hear my stuff before they buy it.

And long-term? Producing, running your own record label?

I would like to A&R artists. Although I’ll do that when the writing bug’s left me, as well as turning my hand to making beats.

What’s only kinky the first time?

(Raucous laughter). Oh man, that’s random. I’ve no clue. I’m all for trying new stuff. I’m one of those kinds of guys. That’s a weird one. Probably a new girl. After that, it’s just the same old.