Professor Green admits ‘fame almost killed me’ as he opens up on his father’s devastating suicide and how he’ll never let his son Slimane, five, experience the same trauma he did

by

Professor Green has revealed in a recent, emotional interview that he nearly succumbed to the pressures of fame, and also spoke candidly about the tragic suicide of his father.

The 41-year-old British rapper recently shared openly about his upbringing and personal difficulties, revealing he once believed success would fix everything.

I’ve always been fascinated by Green, or Stephen Manderson as he was born. His story is really something – his parents were so young when he came along, practically kids themselves! He was largely raised by his grandmother, and you can really feel that sense of abandonment in his music. It definitely shaped who he is as an artist.

Tragically, his father took his own life when he was just 25 years old. 

Professor Green believes the biggest issue with fame is the expectations people have before they become successful. He explains that he always simply wanted to achieve success as a musician.

I never sought fame; it just happened as a result, and I mistakenly believed it would solve all my issues.

He kept having James Smith as a guest on his podcast, ‘The Problem With…’ and shared a realization: he’d foolishly believed that musical success would magically fix all of his personal issues – that achieving his dreams as a musician would solve everything.

It simply wasn’t possible, and never could have been. There’s no single solution to every problem, and once something occurs, it’s irreversible.

The pressures that came with achieving success have almost destroyed me. Recently, I experienced intense suffering because I hadn’t dealt with challenges alone before. I found myself struggling to cope, and ended up making frightening choices simply because I wasn’t handling things well.

‘I think 40 years of being me nearly killed me, genuinely.’

Professor Green was diagnosed with ADHD and autism as an adult. 

The musician, a father to his son Slimane with Karima McAdams, admitted he dangerously combined alcohol and drugs when he was struggling, putting his life at risk.

He shared that he’d always handled challenges with support from others, and this was the first time he’d tried to cope with difficult personal problems alone. Unable to deal with his feelings or fully understand what was happening, and without any support, he felt he could have easily succumbed to despair. He realized isolating himself was incredibly dangerous.

During a really difficult time, I returned to a hotel and took four pills – I don’t even want to dwell on what led up to it.

My friend made a good point – I was acting foolishly. He asked if I realized I could have been seriously hurt, and I admitted that I did.

Let me tell you, that moment was incredibly difficult for me personally. My father tragically took his own life, and I made a firm promise to myself – a promise I felt I absolutely had to keep – that would never be my path.

I did something I deeply regret, and it could have caused my son the same pain I experienced. It was a terrible mistake.

He finished by saying that it’s important to discuss these issues, as people often engage in activities for enjoyment and social connection. He admitted he’d broken one of his own rules – that using substances for improvement is okay, but for escaping feelings is not. He explained he’d used them to escape his emotions, and that ultimately led to negative consequences.

Last week, the singer behind “Read All About It” publicly talked about the difficulties of raising his young son with another parent.

He discussed missing out on bedtime and birthdays as a result of his split from Karima.

Professor Green shared that co-parenting can be difficult, especially for children. He explained that kids in these situations miss out on the simple closeness of having both parents together, like sharing cuddles or being in the same space at the same time.

It’s hard when big events like birthdays feel different after a loss. It’s especially tough on parents. These small, everyday moments of parenting – fitting life around work and social commitments – become even more precious.

Honestly, those bigger things aren’t what I focus on first. It’s the small moments that really matter – coming home after a long day and just being able to quietly kiss my child’s forehead while they’re asleep. And knowing that before long, I’ll be woken up by their little hand or foot… that’s what it’s all about.

I’ve always felt that even the smallest moments with loved ones are precious. It’s like, even if you only have a quick chance to connect before heading back to work, those moments are gone forever. You can’t take back a ‘good night’ once you’ve said it – once the conversation ends, it’s truly over. It’s not a ‘good night’ you can revisit or improve, it just is what it was in that single moment.

‘You don’t get to cuddle, you don’t get to kiss, you don’t get to play fight – it ain’t right.’

Professor Green and Karima began dating in July 2019, and he proposed to her seven months after their son, Slimane, was born.

Karima is an actress famous for her role in the spy thriller Deep State, where she appeared with Joe Dempsie, known for his work on Game of Thrones. She has Moroccan and Irish heritage.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this heartwarming story! It’s lovely to hear that Professor Green and Millie Mackintosh have reconnected after nearly ten years apart. They shared that they’ve been in touch recently, and it’s so positive to see exes finding a way to be amicable and reconnect.

The ex-couple married in 2013 but divorced just three years later.

Professor Green and Karima ended their engagement in 2023, but they’ve remained friendly while raising their son together.

If you’re struggling with the issues raised in this story, help is available. You can contact the Samaritans by calling 116 123 or emailing them at jo@samaritans.org.

Read More

2025-11-04 13:34