British rapper Professor Green is a multi-platinum artist and a patron of a suicide-prevention charity, but what is the story behind his name and does he actually have a PhD?
What is Professor Green’s real name?
Professor Green is in fact called Stephen Paul Manderson.
His famous stage name was reportedly chosen because it was his favourite character in the board game Cluedo.
However, board game aficionados will point out that the characters in Cluedo are in fact Professor Plum and Reverend Green. Whichever way, the name stuck.
Is Professor Green actually a professor?
In short, no.
Professor Green, or Pro Green, as he is often known, has become a household name in Britain, but he had a tough childhood and actually left school without any qualifications at all.
Growing up on a housing estate in Hackney, he was raised by his grandmother, great-grandmother and uncles. He attended Stoke Newington School but his education was derailed by depression.
However, his lack of educational qualifications didn’t stop him becoming a published author. He released his autobiography Lucky in 2015 and it became a Times bestseller.
The rapper has released three studio albums and two EPs.
His sole UK number one hit to date is Read All About it, featuring Emeli Sandé in 2011, and his debut album Alive Till I’m Dead (sic) entered the UK album chart at number two.
Patron of CALM
Pro Green’s father committed suicide when the rapper was 24 and that had a profound effect on his life.
Now 37, he is the patron of suicide prevention charity CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably, having taken over the post from comedian David Baddiel in 2015.
He presented the documentary Suicide and Me on BBC Three and BBC Radio 1’s Stories programme Suicide Survivors.
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