Honey G has revealed she had to go on benefits and couldn’t afford to buy food
In a dramatic exit interview, the axed X Factor rapper told how she has quit HR and believes she will become a millionaire
HONEY G believes she will outsell ONE DIRECTION to become the most successful contestant in the history of The X Factor.
But in her first newspaper interview since being axed on Sunday night, the controversial white rapper has revealed she was so broke before competing on the show she ended up relying on benefits.
The hip-hop wannabe will now quit her ailing recruitment company to focus full-time on becoming the female equivalent of JAY Z.
Speaking to me in a dressing room at ITV just hours after being voted off the show by SIMON COWELL, Honey said: “I definitely want a first-class lifestyle. But my life up until now has been a real financial struggle.
“There have been times where I’ve hit rock bottom and had to go on benefits.
“I’d been running my business but it wasn’t going well and I wasn’t able to get a suitable job.
“So yeah, my life has been a struggle and hellish
“I’ve had times like Christmas as well when I haven’t even been able to afford to go out at the weekend, I haven’t been able to afford to eat or just seeing my friends or even get a train ride somewhere.
“To have wealth would mean so much to me. It would be amazing. I want to be like rap stars like JAY Z and MISSY ELLIOT with big cribs and stuff. I’m so ambitious, I’m so hungry and I’m so driven.
“I don’t want to ever worry about money again. I don’t want to struggle.”
That means it’s all over for her HR company ARG Search, which Companies House documents last month revealed was worth just £1 with debts of £1,338.
She admitted: “I really don’t want to go back to my business. I’m ready now to launch my career as a rap music artist, a recording artist – blowing up with albums and singles and global tours.”
I’ve been lambasted by many for backing Honey G on X Factor, but I genuinely believe she’s one of the most memorable contestants the show has ever produced.
But now the pressure is on for the 35-year-old from North Weezy (aka North West London) to prove she can go from TV novelty to genuine chart contender.
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That said, I know executives at Cowell’s label Syco are intrigued by her household name status, especially compared to this year’s less interesting finalists, and appeal to children.
Honey herself has absolutely no doubt about her potential.
She said: “I’ve put the feelers out over the past couple of weeks on whether they are going to offer me a record deal.
“I really, really want to sell records and I really do believe that I can sell records. I’ve shown my potential, not only as a rap artist but also as a writer.
“And I’ve got so many of my own beats as well to pitch to them for albums and stuff like that. They know how ambitious I am, so I can only hope that’s the way they market me.
“I’m kind of looking to come in at the level that One Direction came in at. I know that I can create that hype. I just need the opportunity to be able to sell the records, get the right PR behind me, get the right team behind me that’s really going to blow me up.”
During her time on the X Factor, Honey has come under fire by people who claim she is appropriating black culture.
But addressing the criticism, which includes high profile detractors LILY ALLEN, CLARA AMFO and PROFESSOR GREEN, she insisted she has become a victim of bullying – because she’s white.
She said: “All that stuff about people saying I’m raping black culture. They’re pulling the reverse card on me. To me, that is just so ridiculous. I’ve been involved in urban music for the whole of my life.
“I grew up as a very young child singing to blues and R&B records and going on to the underground dance scene, going on to be a DJ, going on to be a producer, going on getting as music degree, then becoming a rapper.
“Then for people to say I’m appropriating black culture and stuff like that, it’s really horrible because you feel like people are now discriminating against a white woman rapping.
“It’s so sad and it’s quite tragic really that people are clutching at straws, that people have to stoop so low to take a dig at someone.”
Honey has been single throughout her time on the X Factor, but rapped about sexual relations with a woman on a 2015 track which was unearthed from her SoundCloud account earlier this month.
On Sunday night after the show her mentor SHARON OSBOURNE appeared to suggest Honey might be bisexual by saying: “Listen, why limit yourself to one sex? For God’s sake. That’s what I always say.”
I asked Honey what Sharon mean. She replied: “I wasn’t sure what she was implying.
“I think Sharon is a very very modern woman.
“I think my view is that anyone can be whatever they want to be, whether they’re white, black, Asian, Indian.
“Whether they’re bisexual, heterosexual, gay, lesbian, transsexual.
“Basically I think maybe that’s what she was trying to say – it’s a free country, we can do whatever we like.”
Honey has always been totally honest with me about her rollercoaster life, including her drug addiction that saw her try cocaine, ecstasy and magic mushrooms.
But she doesn’t believe her new showbiz lifestyle will lead her down the wrong path.
She said: “I’m very focused on what I do. I wouldn’t go out and get really drunk if I knew I had to do a concert the next day.
“I would never put my career at risk like that. So yeah I think obviously I’ve learnt how to be sensible.”
There might be nothing sensible about Honey G – but that’s what makes her so totally compelling.
For tickets to see Honey G on The X Factor Live Tour 2017 go to
Hair's Harry
HARRY STYLES’s long locks are growing back at last.
The former ONE DIRECTION singer suffered the painful ordeal of having his trademark mop chopped off to get into character for his upcoming movie Dunkirk, in which he plays a World War Two soldier.
But with the filming wrapped up, Harry has been getting back to his old hairy self.
He sported this giant quiff, along with a standard flamboyant shirt, as he picked up a coffee in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Fans are still waiting for the 1D heart-throb to release solo music after bandmate NIALL HORAN put out his debut solo single, This Town, and LIAM PAYNE teased tunes online.
There was good news yesterday as ROBBIE WILLIAMS revealed that Harry’s been working with BRUNO MARS and super-producer MAX MARTIN.
He’s still a cut above.
Two for bargain 'byn
JEREMY CORBYN is at the centre of a race for the Christmas No1.
MARTIN NEELY and the cast of London stage show Corbyn The Musical have released the bitterly sarcastic track You Needed A Hero – You Got Corbyn, complete with cover art of Jeremy in his pants.
It is in response to political activists ROBB JOHNSON AND THE CORBYNISTAS’ single JC For PM For Me, in praise of the Labour leader.
Corbyn The Musical co-writer BOBBY FRIEDMAN said: “You Needed A Hero is just as likely to be Christmas No1 as Jeremy Corbyn is to make it to No10.”
This isn’t going to end in Christmas cheer.
Kate's new dawn
KATE BUSH looks set for another milestone.
Her 22 dates in London in 2014 were her first live shows for 35 years – and now they have put her on course for her first No1 in 30 years.
Live recordings from the shows feature on her new album Before The Dawn, which is 5,000 combined sales ahead of LITTLE MIX – and that’s without streaming, as the album is only available as a CD or download.
Kate last topped the charts with The Whole Story in 1986. It almost seems enough to encourage some more concerts . . .
DJ has closet fans
DJ WILKINSON had a surprise for big fan FEARNE COTTON when he did a set on Radio 1’s Live Lounge – in a previous life he’d unblocked a loo for her.
Aged 18 the producer did odd jobs at a West London garden centre, where he encountered celebs including Fearne, KATE MOSS and RICHARD E GRANT.
Wilkinson, whose new single Sweet Lies is out now, recalled: “I was a maintenance guy at Petersham Nurseries and Fearne used to come in a lot.
“It’s funny, because I did the Live Lounge with her and she is now supporting my music.”
At least she’s paid him back.
