Rapper Tinie, 33, formally known by his stage name Time Tempah and whose real name is Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, has spoken out against the suggestion young people must make sacrifices in order to get themselves on the housing ladder. It comes after Location, Location, Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp, was quoted as suggesting the younger generation should drop certain luxuries, such as Netflix and the gym, so they could afford to buy their own property instead.
Her opinion sparked outrage on social media at the beginning of the month, despite the TV presenter claiming her comments were “twisted”.
And while Tinie believes she might have been “misquoted” along the way, he slammed those people who do hold that view.
“I don’t know her personally and I’m pretty sure Kirstie was misquoted, but lots of my friends don’t have their own house,” he told Radio Times in a new interview.
“I don’t know what kind of background you’d have to come from to say something like that, but it’s always some ivory tower.
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“It’s very easy to say things and slip up.
“All I know is that I’m a council-estate kid and if you look at all the factors facing us, especially post-pandemic, this is probably the hardest time ever.
He went on: “For example, my cousin, who has lived in Peckham her whole life, enquired about buying her council house.
“She was quoted £700,000! It’s a lot.”
It comes after the Channel 4 presenter, who bought her first property with help from her family at the age of 21, admitted she feels “enraged” when hearing people complain about not being able to afford to buy a house.
She told The Sunday Times: “When I bought my first property, going abroad, EasyJet, coffee, gym, Netflix lifestyle didn’t exist.
“I used to walk to work with a sandwich. And on payday I’d go for a pizza, and to a movie, and buy a lipstick.
“Interest rates were 15 per cent, I was earning £11,500 a year.”
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But she understood the “drains on the finances” of young homebuyers, and despite it being “difficult”, she suggested people should consider properties up north to cut costs.
“It is difficult,’ she said.
“If you were born down south, and have family down south, my life is down south, but if we want a family house we have to move.
“If I had any roots further north and I was trying to buy [I’d do it].
“I don’t want to belittle those people who can’t do it,” she added.
“But there are loads of people who can do it and don’t. It is hard.”
Kirstie continued: “We’ve fallen into the trap of saying it’s impossible for everybody.
“I was brought up to believe owning your home is the be all and end all and in a way I still believe that…
“It’s about where you can buy, not if you can buy. There is an issue around the desire to make those sacrifices.”
Tinie’s full interview is available to read now in Radio Times.
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