Stormzy missed out on the chance to go to university as he was kicked out of college for a chair-based prank.
The U.K. grime star, 25, has started his own scholarship scheme funding promising black youngster's study at Cambridge University - but regrets his own lack of discipline cost him a shot at higher education.
"That was always the path that I was supposed to go on (to go to university)...I got kicked out (of school), not for anything crazy," he tells British chat show host Jonathan Ross. "It's going to sound way crazier than it was, I put loads of chairs on another student. It sounds mad but we were messing around, it was horseplay and I just put loads of chairs on the student so he was trapped. Enough to entrap the whole human body. It was a spontaneous attack actually."
The musician is at pains to point out that he did not mean anything malicious by the prank - but that as he had been disciplined for bad behaviour before, he was expelled.
"It was just some banter, as you do," he explains. "It sounds crazy but it was just jokes. It was like the hundredth strike, you don't get kicked out for putting chairs on someone. I was just a little s**t, I'll admit it now."
He believes the misconceived joke cost him the chance to go to university as he struggled at his next college.
"I got kicked out of college then I went to another college and I just walked out of that college because I didn't really like it," the musician adds.
Stormzy, real name Michael Omari Owuo Jr, says he feels he disappointed his mum by quitting education and an apprenticeship - but was determined to pursue a music career.
"I quit because I wanted music to be my life," he says. "That's why I felt I hadn't let her down."
The Shut Up hitmaker's chat with Jonathan will air on U.K. network ITV on Saturday (3Nov18).
