Rapper Giggs building an empire

Rapper Giggs runs his own shop in Peckham, south London

Head into Peckham's indoor market in south London, and it sells everything from kitchen utensils to hair weaves, TVs to sandwiches.

It's also the home of the SN1 Wear clothing enterprise - the shop-cum-stall started by UK rapper Giggs.

There's a real community spirit in the air as the man, otherwise known as Hollowman, greets us with a beaming smile at the door.

Ever the opportunist he's wearing a brand new "Look What The Cat Dragged In" T-shirt - the title of his most recent single.

Pre-album nerves

To give some background, Giggs is the latest in the line of UK grime and hip-hop stars to not only receive huge attention for their music but also begin to build their own business empires. Think Tinchy, Chipmunk, Tinie.

After a stint in prison Giggs started selling rap demos from the boot of his car. A couple of years later his merchandise got so popular he started his own store.

Giggs behind the till at his shop SN1 Wear in south London

On record, he's explicit, cheeky and dominant with a slow, dark, meandering flow.

In person he's extremely softly spoken, and today, his huge smile is hiding a few nerves on the eve of the release of his debut album Let Em Ave It (21 June).

"It's kind of mixed emotions," he says, giving us a tour of the shop-floor. "Not wanting to fail, excited, anxious. It's a lot of pressure because obviously this is a whole new thing what I'm doing.

"A lot of people are depending on me not to fail because they want do what I'm doing as well."

Nick-name

Indeed, locally Giggs is known as a real community man - how many UK rappers can you walk into their shop and have a chat? - the leader of a group of people trying to do positive things.

Giggs employs many of the members of the SN1 crew he's part of - including his designer and video guy.

"It used to be Giggla," he says of his own nick-name. "Always laughing but as time when on, I shortened it.

"You have to have a name when you're young, I went through loads.

"Hollowman came from when I was in jail. People can't see me when I'm coming - if you get what I mean."

Personal triumph

Releasing a debut album is more of a triumph for Giggs than most other artists. After setting out on the road to reform following a stint behind bars he got signed by XL, the home of Vampire Weekend and M.I.A, last year.

"A lot of people get signed then don't really care what the people what anymore. They're just thinking 'How am I going to make that hit?' he says.

"Me being here today obviously it's come from a lot of hard work but it's always come from me loving making music and that's what everyone loves me doing.

"I'm not going to change that just to think, 'How am I going to get in the charts?'"

Debut album

That album, Let Me Ave It, is waiting to be received with baited breath by his devoted following.

Two singles Slow Song and Look What The Cat Dragged In have already been playlisted by BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra and have caught the attention of a wider audience.

"Yeah, I get recognised, it's mad, it's kind of crazy," he laughs. "I don't really go anywhere. I'm kind of low key.

Merchanise includes women's leggings, hoodies and T-shirts

"It's mad for me because I'm kind of shy. When everyone's running up to me shouting, 'Can I take pictures?'

"I just feel like, it's cool man I'm just like you, I'm a normal person - I'm just good at rapping."

'Family' man

Meanwhile, Giggs is showing us around the shop, pointing out all manner of merchancise including mixtapes, leggings and hoodies.

A lot of his regular customers are teenagers.

"You get a lot of babymothers in the hood and that, obviously I'm not condoning it or anything but it's happening innit. You'll get 16 plus girls with kids who want their youth to have the latest SN1 tee.

"I've got an 8-year-old son, I like him to wear a little top so we'll get them in for them".

Indeed, it's clear his son is the driving force in his thriving career in music and business.

"He's the reason I'm here today," he says. "That's the motivation to get off the road, if it wasn't for him I'd just be doing whatever.

"With me I think you've got to take whatever chances you get and just get whatever you can out there," he explains.

"You've just got to capitalise, that's what we're all about. Just seizing opportunities, we're opportunists so whatever we can do to make things better, we'll do."

With that Giggs returns to watch the world cup football with his fellow stall-holders - a real community man.