Mike Skinner of The Streets Embraces Family Life After Drug-Fueled Past
The Streets star Mike Skinner has publicly declared his departure from the wild drug binges that once defined his lifestyle, now embracing a far quieter existence as a dedicated family man. The renowned rapper, aged 47, first catapulted to fame with his groundbreaking Noughties album A Grand Don’t Come for Free, which delivered a blistering critique of masculinity during the era of then-Prime Minister Tony Blair's Britain.
From Moral Collapse to Fatherhood
Skinner later illuminated the darker challenges of the music industry through his follow-up album, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living. He described this period as a 'complete collapse in morality,' with lyrics detailing drug binges involving an unnamed popstar. However, the artist has now firmly left that tumultuous lifestyle behind. In a recent interview, he shared his journey from what he termed a 'collapse in morality' to a serene life as a father of two.
The musician has been married to his wife, Claire Le Marquand, since 2010, and together they share a daughter, Amelia, aged 17, and a son, George, aged 14. Skinner painted a picture of a typical family weekend, noting, 'a lunch outing in Selfridges, and then the girls went shopping and the boys hung out.'
Career Reflections and New Projects
Speaking to The Sunday Times Style Magazine, Mike also offered a glimpse into his pared-back lifestyle while reflecting on the years he took a hiatus from performing with The Streets to focus on filmmaking. He added, 'And then I started doing the Streets again because I’d spent ten years not making the film, but I then realised it might work if I made the music for it.'
He further explained, 'Plus, you know that Sylvester Stallone quote, that he made a film so his kids didn’t think all he did was play golf? There was an element of that too.' Mike is set to return to the stage this summer with a tour celebrating his most iconic album, and he revealed he is concurrently working on new music for The Streets to accompany a film he is creating about alien abduction.
Rise to Fame and Personal Struggles
The Streets' catchy anthems, which vividly depicted kebab shops, nightclubs, JD Sports, and Reebok Classics, began with Original Pirate Material and garnered an army of loyal fans. This success translated into two number-one albums and six top 20 singles. Despite this acclaim, Mike has previously disclosed that during his chart-topping years in the Noughties, he was grappling with profound personal trauma and significant financial losses from betting.
He told The Independent about the difficult period he endured behind the scenes following the rapid succession of deaths of his father, aunt, and niece. Skinner stated, 'I wouldn’t want to do that again. Which seems crazy – being in the charts, being in the newspapers… I like the Noel Gallagher attitude: it’s your job to show the next generation that it’s amazing being a creative. Stop complaining and take your mental collapse like a proper rock star.'
Overcoming Anxiety and Betting Losses
Mike admitted to losing tens of thousands of pounds through spread betting on football, an experience he described as 'incredibly traumatic.' He also noted that he no longer suffers from the paralysis and anxiety that plagued him in his 20s and 30s. Reflecting on this change, he added, 'I don’t have the feeling of being watched all the time any more, which is great. On my second or third album, you’d walk in somewhere and people would start talking about you. You didn’t know what people were going to do.'
