Afternoon:
14°c
Rapper Dizzee Rascal has attacked the London 2012 Olympics for turning east London into a giant hole'.
The hip-hop star, who grew up in Bow, close to the stadium site in Stratford, says he is not excited about the event even though it promises regeneration for the largely disadvantaged area.
But despite his furious tirade, Dizzee says he should be picked to perform at the opening ceremony.
“All that 2012 stuff does my head in,” he said. “I'm not even a little bit excited.
“I don't live in Bow, but I go back all the time and it is s***. The whole area is just a big building hole.”
Dizzee, whose latest hit Holiday is No.1 in the charts, added: “Maybe I should be involved because I'm from the area. I'd do the ceremony but they need to be talking about the right situation.”
The 24-year-old Mercury Prize winner, whose real name is Dylan Mills, also expressed his lack of interest in England's recent Ashes win over Australia.
“I'd rather eat glass than watch that s***,” said Dizzee, who now lives in Kent. “What the hell's it all about?”
He also told how he supports two London football teams, Arsenal and West Ham.
He said: “I'm not that into football, but I like West Ham because they're from East London.”
Reader views (24)
Hey Dizzee, Why would you think anyone wants to see you at 2012 Olympics. East London has always been a hole but it would have be a very large hole to include a head as big as yours(especially one that doesn't even know in which direction its going). You can't even put on your cap facing the front, never mind doing anything as intelligent as supporting something that is being done to improve the future prospects of Bowvans. You are one of those, who instead of knuckling down and contributing to make life better for people around you,just moves out and sits on his bum grizzling from afar and flapping his lips in an attempt to get noticed.
- Extoskip, Melbourne Australia
DIZZY BY NAME, DIZZY BY NATURE. PLEASE DIZZY OFF
- Therealbigman, Bedfordshire
Hey 'white flight' boy, you are living in kent of all places and tell us we are living in a dump now! I'm sure it looks that way from where you are these days..
- Gary, London
Dizee Rascal what are you? Just in case you've forgotten I'll gladly remind you! Yeah that's right a none entitey third rate rapper of a muppet with not much attitude. Desperately trying to cling on to any last possible bit of 'celebrity' before your 'pop hop' career dries up into oblivion! preferably that 'hole' you refer to in East London! Bonkers indeed! Youre like a bad rash bro' - irritating!
- Miss Afrobetty, North London
The Olympic knockers are in danger of creating a myth that the area of the Olympic site had some sort of character that is being destroyed by the big bad capitalist bull. WRONG. It was always an industrial site dominated by the old rail works and the freight depot. The only area of any character was Angel Lane (used in the Beatles promo for Penny Lane) and that was demolished years ago.
The Olympics can bring prosperity and character to the area if the post Olympics use for the site is carefully managed. That means by business and not Gordichov’s Politburo.
- Bj, London
Bob@ What a completly irrelevant and mind numbingly boring comment you make you silly boy 
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
Bob, Basildon, Essex- you seem to know a lot about being completly irrelevant and mind numbingly boring.
- Nj, London
OK, so the guy expressed his feelings and it may not have been what everyone wanted to hear but each to their own. However, I don't believe he deserves to perform at the Olympics if he's got nothing good to say about the area. I've lived in and around Stratford for 17 years and it's doing it's best to transform. I will never forget the first time arriving at the old Stratford bus station and thinking what a hell-hole, however, it's since changed and overall there is a lot of commitment to improve the area. Unfortunately the same can't be said for many of the residents, who think because they live in East London, they should treat it as a dumping ground. I'm hoping the Olympics and the Stratford City development will increase the perception of the area but again, the area will only be as good as the people living in it and to be honest that's where the problem lies as the true eastenders with the London/British pride are mostly long gone and instead it's populated by transient migrants who have no pride in the area. You only have to walk round to the Grove or Maryland Point to see the litter and dirt of the area.
- Alan, East London
Some people think he's bonkers, apparently. Now we know why.
- Richard, London UK
Is a popstar not being interested in sport really news?
- John Entwistle, Hertford, England
He is obviously aptly named... at least the ‘dizzy’ bit...
- Ade, London
oh be quiet you silly boy!!! the olympics are the best thing to happen to east london in a long time. Not all our kids want to be so called 'rap stars' - some aspire to some real achievements, and want to see people who are dedicated to their ambitions and who want to do more than just chat rubbish in a baseball cap. i am getting so sick of these killjoys - you wait and see come 2012 old Dylan (thats his real name by the way), will be clambouring to be seen as one of east londons 'celebs'.
- Kh, London UK
What a complete muppet
- David, London
Never heard of Mr Rascal before (or is it Master Rascal?) but he's absolutely right. I daresay there'll be a brief period when the presence of all the new buildings, etc., improve the place, but you can guarantee that once it has been down it will just turn into a vast, rundown and horribly deprived ghetto.
Still, it could have been a lot worse - they could have put it in South London!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
I'd never even heard of this 'star' until I read about him here.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK
This is just an attempt to perform at the Olympics, when the "artist" clearly doesn't have the skill to thrill.
I wouldn't go to see him, even if I was paid for it. I suggest he shuts up and takes his royalties with him, even though it is likely he doesn't write the rubbish he tries to sing.
- Rod, Epping, UK
Oh Dizzie i thought you were quite bright and then I read this. Don't worry it will be alright.
- Tomlayton, camden
He's right about cricket though. What a completly irrelevant and mind numbingly boring game.
- Bob, Basildon, Essex
who cares what this clown thinks ? he comes across as both stupid and two-faced hardly good characteristics for a wordsmith/tunesmith.
- Squiz, Islington
East London was a hole before this development started.
Glad he's moved if that's how he feels about the Olympics.
A word from East London - DON'T COME BACK !
- Zoe, East London, a better place to live !
I wondered why he was called Dozy Rascal.... now I know - dozy because there is very little between the ears and any prospect of engaging his brain before opening his mouth leaves the poor boy dizzy and dozy....
- V, Londonium
Well if Dizzee says it's a waste of time it must be.
respect.
I have to agree - are they just building a ghetto/urban waste land for the 2020s ?
- Hansel, London
Does anybody actually care what he thinks?
Perhaps he should stick to what he's good at... on second thought... maybe not!
- Adam, Soho London
What a prat.
East London has always been a big whole, that's why it needs the Olympics.
Isn't everyone getting a bit fed up with people who can't see beyond the end of their own nose?
- Liberal And Proud, London, UK
