Why Tottenham is so trendy

With an estimated $346 million (£210 million) fortune and a penchant for retina-dazzling multi-carat jewellery, Sean "P Diddy" Combs is not the type of person normally seen knocking about on Tottenham's Tiverton estate or queuing up at Chick King in White Hart Lane.

But last month, rap's grand fromage nearly did exactly that. Inspired by the glut of grime artists spewing from the area, he contacted native MC, Skepta, to give him a guided tour.
"He rung up as he heard Tottenham was happening and wanted to check out some pirate radio stations," says Skepta. "And I was going to take him "

Alas, Diddy's Tour-de-Tottenham never happened (something to do with him "being sick" and bad weather). But the fact that he wanted to visit this oft-maligned district searching for some ghetto cred indicates that after years of sky-high unemployment, gang violence, Broadwater Farm riots and Baby P, things are finally stirring in "Tota's Hamlet".

Last week, Tottenham artists had the number one album (Adele's 21) and number two single (Chipmunk's Champion), outselling Lady Gaga's new track. Local comedians play the O2 while its restaurants are a hidden secret. Meanwhile, under the auspices of ubiquitous Harry Redknapp, even Spurs are undergoing something of a purple patch, with David Beckham recently wanting to join the club on loan.

"There's definitely a good vibe in Tottenham at the moment," says local rapper Wretch 32, who recently scored a top five hit with Traktor. "When you're in a negative place, you want to reverse it. It's a rebel instinct."

Although grime emerged in east London a decade ago and its most-famous practitioners (Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder) hail from there, Tottenham housing estates currently seem to be churning out the brightest talent - Wretch 32 and Cell22 (Tiverton estate), Skepta and brother JME (Meridian Walk) and Chipmunk (St Anne's).
It's not just grime. Chart-topping chanteuse Adele Adkins was born in Tottenham, and although raised in Brixton, describes herself as "still a ratty-haired girl from Tottenham". Also flying the flag for N15 is 28-year-old saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who has racked up two Mobo awards, patronage from Russian president Dmitry Medvedev as well as an honorary doctorate, without having released her debut album. There's even reported to be a flourishing Turkish-Kurdish music scene.

Comedy is thriving too thanks to Tottenham-based funnymen Eddie Kadi (who grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo until he was eight) and Kevin J. Last September, Kadi headlined the 23,000-capacity O2 Arena despite having minimal TV and press exposure. He attributes this to building up strong parochial support - something he shares in common with grime artists such as Wretch 32, who had sold 15,000 mixtapes (many at Seven Sisters market) and amassed 30,000 Twitter followers before releasing his debut single.

"People underestimate the local 'underground' scene," says Kadi. "The reason I played the O2 and so many Tottenham acts are in the Top 20 is because we've had this following for years. People support each other - it's an echo effect."

The arts are also booming - with centres such as barge-based Arc gallery and the £15 million Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Then there are locals such as 24-year-old cycle courier Nico Hogg.

Having grown up on the Tiverton ("there were five crackhouses in the building"), Hogg's photographs are the visual embodiment of grime music: solemn urban snapshots of marginalised London. "The thing I like about Tottenham is that it's evidently lived-in," he says. "There's not much fuss on presentation."