A CD is a piece of art, says Gillingham rapper Mayhem

Mayhem of the MLT came to Gillingham in 1987, when he was 12 years old. A few decades later, he owns his own record label and is able to live off being an artist.

Mayhem, whose real name is Sean Robinson, was born in Barbados. He said people there have a different outlook on life and are very lyrical – which is why he is such a good writer.

He is the only artist signed to the label, and prefers to have total control.

“I’m very selfish. I am the fan and I am the musician, so I make music that I would listen to and that I want to hear. I’m inspired by everything, but I make music for myself.”

The 41-year-old first got into music when he was 7, through his brother, who has inspired him a great deal. At 13, he was writing his own lyrics.

Nowadays, you can find Mayhem in the streets of London, selling CDs to promote his music. Why CDs? “Because I’m a professional.”

“If you buy a Van Gogh or the Mona Lisa, you don’t want a picture of it, you want the actual artwork.”

He’s confident that the CD always comes back, and that even the tape is making a comeback in certain environments.