Stefflon Don on world dominance: Never have a plan B

If “world domination” is your ambition, it might seem wise to have a plan B. But Stefflon Don says a fallback just gets in the way.

The London-born rapper, 26, who worked with Drake, DJ Khaled and French Montana on single Hurtin’ Me, urged young people to pursue one main goal.

“When people say that [have a back-up] I get anxiety,” she told the Standard. “I can’t imagine somebody having to feel like that about their dream.

“In the midst of it you can get laughed at or feel like it might not work, so for someone like me to show you don’t ever think of a plan B because you might have to use one. Just don’t have one then there is nothing but plan A.”

Don, real name Stephanie Allen, was named on the BBC’S Sound of 2017 longlist after dropping her debut mixtape Real Ting the previous year. She has fast become one of the most in demand female rappers having worked with Drake, Luis Fonsi, Wretch 32, Lil Yachty and Lethal Bizzle.

She said she has always been driven to achieve “world domination” and signed herself up to street dance and piano lessons as a child as well as starting writing music aged eight.

Although she acknowledges there is a male-female divide she feels no different to her male counterparts, saying if she fails at something she only has herself to blame.

“I know that there’s a lot of male and female differences and that’s happening but I choose not to pay attention to stuff,” she said. “I don’t want to go into that because it almost becomes a little pity situation. I just put everything on myself – if I didn’t get that it’s because I didn’t do this or I didn’t do enough. It’s always on me.

“If that’s what’s happening over there, then you make something over there where you’re equally as good or getting more. When you know you’ve got something don’t go looking to the left and right – just tunnel vision [on that goal].”

She said her focus is to “crack the whole world” with plans to collaborate with PartyNextDoor and launch her own fashion line.

Stefflon Don recently performed to fans for Bacardi’s Do What Moves You campaign.