by Harvey Marwood
Having achieved global recognition in his role as Aaron in award-winning Netflix TV series Top Boy, actor and musician Hope Ikpoku Jnr stands tall as one of the best multi-talented creatives in the industry right now. With a recent role in the film The Kitchen, written and directed by Daniel Kaluuya, the Hackney native has established himself as a respected all round creative, notably modelling for fashion label Labrum London as well as regularly being in front row attendance at Paris Fashion Week.
Hope is focused on what he wants to achieve, and he is now endeavouring to balance his creativity in the acting world alongside his passion for telling stories through the medium of music.
Harvey Marwood sits down with Hope to discuss childhood fame, his acting career, latest music ventures and what the future holds for the young star.
Coat: Labrum London
Suit: Labrum London
Sunglasses: Ray Ban
Rings: Cernucci
To start off the interview, I’d like to take it back to the beginning. Where did you grow up, what was your favourite childhood pastime and who were your influences?
I grew up in Hackney. That’s the ends. I always refer to it in terms of my upbringing – I went to school there and lived there for most of my life. My inspirations in terms of acting, someone who is closer to me, Daniel Kaluuya – he has always been an inspiration as of course he’s one of the biggest Black-British actors. He was always someone I wanted to work with, and I’ve been lucky enough to work with him recently. Music -wise it depends, but I’d say that Dave has always been one of my favourite artists and who I look up to in a way.
You found yourself in the public eye at quite a young age. How did you navigate becoming an actor as a teenager and being part of the iconic Top Boy series?
I mean to be honest I was balancing it with school. I got the role when I was 16 and I was decent in school, but when I got the role, I thought I didn’t have to worry about school and my A-Levels. So, at first, I wasn’t navigating I was just doing acting and turning up to school, but I didn’t care as much. I got 9s and 8s for my GCSE’s so I thought, I can get into my acting now. When it came to the end of Year 12 when I saw that my grades were low, I thought, you know what, I need to focus. So, I had to navigate trying to finish my education, even though it might not have been what I wanted to do at that time, but I had started (my A Levels) so I thought let’s finish properly, and I ended up doing alright in them.
You were navigating your acting role in Top Boy whilst at school then – did school life change for you at all in terms of social interaction?
I was in Year 12 when Top Boy was released – yes and no. It came too late in the day as the phrase goes. I had already been at school for what, 6 years? Maybe if it had come earlier, school life might have changed, but at that point people were old enough to understand. (When people approach me) it’s usually never with bad intentions, it’s just genuine excitement – they enjoy the show, so they want to talk to me about it, or they ask me ‘how was it meeting this person?’ or ‘did you meet Drake?’ It wasn’t that deep really.
Waistcoat: Rebecca Barker
Trousers: Armani
Bracelets: Chlo Bo and Dower and Hall
Necklaces: Solo Space Jewellery
Shirt: Stylist’s
Ring: Serge De Nimes
How would you compare acting in a series such as Top Boy to your latest role in The Kitchen?
I’d say The Kitchen was more demanding in terms of it being more of a performance. There was a lot more thought that had to go into the performance – there isn’t as much nuance with the character of Aaron in Top Boy whereas with The Kitchen I had to have many conversations with Daniel Kaluuya.
What does The Kitchen mean to you and how did you interpret the final cut?
The film has received a lot of mixed reviews – I feel that they are warranted in a way, but a lot of people miss the point and pick bones a little. It’s a predicted future of what life is like now – the cost of living, government negligence and how that can lead to marginalised people being even more marginalised than before. It was obvious who the enemy was in the film, you just have to look around in life right now as well.
You’ve now ventured into the space of music with songs such as Stop the Rain and Can’t Box Me. What does 2024 have in store for the musical side of your career?
So far, I’ve been dropping singles and I’ve just been enjoying it. I’ve been making music for two and a half years now, but I only started releasing music a year and a half ago. It was more for enjoyment, but I want to start taking it more seriously this year. I feel like it’s not necessarily clear who I am as an artist yet, and it’s not always clear until you drop a project or body of work, so that’s the next step. I’ve got an EP I’ve been working on for a little while, it’s got more of a conscious element to it – and that’s why Dave has been such an influence. The project is real rap, and that’s how people will understand who Hope is in the form of an artist. I want to show that I’m here to stay as an artist.
Jumper:Maxime
Trousers: Levi’s
Sunglasses: Versace
Earring: Cernucci
Ring: Serge De Nimes
Boots: Grenson
Jumper: Maxime
Sunglasses: Versace
Earring: Cernucci
Who are your favourite music artists?
Dave as mentioned. Drake has to be up there also. Justin Timberlake – he’s got one of my favourite albums, 20 20 Experience. I’ve probably listened to that album every single day since it came out, so it has to be up there. Ariana Grande – probably from her Victorious days, I used to rate her from then so when she started making music, I had to tap in. Kendrick Lamar as well, I’d say he has one of the best music albums of all time, with To Pimp A Butterfly. It ranges and depends on the mood; you can catch me listening to Frank Sinatra on some days.
What is your favourite music track right now?
(Hope motions to his phone and looks up some tracks). Kid On The Court by Potter Payper. Songs of Fear, it’s a French tune by Tayc – I’ve been playing that every single day for the last couple of weeks. Estelle by Rushy, (I’ve got to) shout out Rushy man, he’s hard. Those are the three songs that have been on rotation right now.
Cape: Joseph Brimicombe
Jewellery: Cernucci
Vest: Calvin Klein
Trousers: Jack and Jones
Boots:Timberland
Are there any other creative roles that you would like to explore such as directing or script writing?
Directing is something that I’ve never seen as suitable for me, it’s never called to me. However, writing is definitely part of my future goals. We are now at a stage where it’s easier to get things made or commissioned or at least start those conversations. I have so many stories to tell, as a creative my favourite thing is telling stories. As an actor, you’re telling someone else’s stories, but in music you’re telling your own story. I also want to tell my own stories in film too, and I can only do that through writing.
You’ve found yourself more in the fashion world than ever before – does venturing into fashion design appeal to you?
Not designing really – I’ve sort of acquired a taste for fashion. I don’t really care about clothes and materialistic things; I’ve probably only bought 2 pairs of shoes in my life. Obviously, as I’m in the public eye, I’ve managed to make relationships with brands and it’s something I have got more into. Hermès for example, who I always go to fashion week with – I have a taste for their type of clothes now. If you were to point to some of their clothes and they have come out in the last two to three years, I’d be able to tell you which collection they came from. Ask me from five years ago, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I modelled recently for Labrum London, so I wouldn’t mind doing a few more catwalks – but designing isn’t my world.
Cape: Joseph Brimicombe
Jewellery: Cernucci
Vest: Calvin Klein
Trousers: Jack and Jones
Boots:Timberland
You have recently attended Paris Fashion Week – are there any designers you really admire?
Obviously, the designer Foday of Labrum London is so talented, so I have to shout him out. One of my friends, Liz Sanya, makes loads of custom clothes. She’s going to be releasing more of her own clothes soon – she designed some clogs that went viral as well. She also made me some custom jeans. She’s a great designer, and obviously a friend, but I’ve witnessed her growth and her journey – so she’s someone I would say.
Is there any advice you’d give to younger people wanting to follow in your footsteps?
I’d say with acting, there’s one obvious one and that is to go to drama school. I think that’s the easiest pathway to get into it. Not everyone will get an open call for Top Boy or Netflix. Obviously, if you do your thing for three years, by the end of it you’ll have an agent. That’s the best way I’d say.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given yourself in the industry?
It’s from Daniel Kaluuya – he gave me a piece of advice about being honest. At first it was advice about acting, but the words transcended into real life. Whenever you’re making a decision, make sure you’ve been honest with yourself, and it’s based on how you really feel. If you’ve done that, you can’t have any regrets. If your decision comes back for whatever reason, it’s cool – you can’t be angry about it if you’ve been honest with yourself. It helps you to not dwell on the past. With acting, if you’re honest with what you’re doing, it’s going to be a much better performance as well, but this reflects as well within real life.
Cape: Joseph Brimicombe
Ring: Cernucci
From looking through public comments about yourself, most of what I read is praise about your multi-talented nature and driven persona. What would you say drives you the most?
I don’t know really – I think there are just so many accolades I want to get, it’s as simple as that. I haven’t scratched the surface of things I want to achieve in acting and music, and until I get there, I haven’t done anything yet. Until I’ve achieved something of a certain magnitude, I’m just working. The only motivation is that there’s a goal that I must reach, and I’ll reach it no matter what.
Do you feel you get time to have a break for yourself?
You have to find a balance; you should take breaks. It depends on the person though. Personally, I don’t think I’ve earned a break yet. Having the sort of attitude of maybe being hard on yourself, helps you to stay driven. When I’ve done a big film and it’s got some BAFTA nominations, then I can have a little break.
That ties in perfectly with the next question. What are your future goals having achieved so much already in such a short space of time – hypothetically if I were to interview you in ten years’ time, what would I be asking you?
The current goal is working towards winning a BAFTA, to have an accolade in the thing I love. I love the idea of getting an EGOT, although I know that would be a long journey, I’m ready to put in the work that comes with it. That’s not the main end goal though, the main end goal is to tell stories for the community, for people who are from where I’m from, be it in music or film. I’d like to be able to have a platform to give back in some way and educate.
Coat: Labrum London
Suit: Labrum London
Boots: Timberland
Jewellery: Cernucci
Sunglasses: Ray Ban
Finally- what is the meaning of life to you?
For me, I think it’s all about fulfilment. So long as you are fulfilled, and you know who you are, fulfilment should be the basis of your life. I don’t mean to a stupid length, but if you want to be an artist in your spare time? You do that. You want to go to the gym and reach various goals? Go achieve that. Happiness in terms of that should be the core, not the materialistic and flashy things. That’s not the basis of what’s important. It can be as little as having a relationship with your parents or having family time. Anything you can gain fulfilment from in a non- materialistic way should be the basis of life.
Team:
HMUA: Malika Chinn
Photographer: Jacquetta Clark
Photographer’s Assistant: Patrick Kershaw
Fashion Stylist: Charmaine McKoy
Styling Assistant: Silvia Asuquo
Styling Assistant: Sofia De Vita
Interview: Harvey Marwood
Videographer: Nana Opoku Agyeman
Graphics and Cover Design: Sofia De Vita
