The first song I fell in love with
The first song that gave me that “eyes closed” feeling was Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson. I think my mum or dad had given me Bad as a present. I remember listening to it on those mad, really wiry headphones, and thinking it was quite dangerous in a good way.
The first single I bought
Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble by PJ and Duncan from Our Price in Chiswick. Ant and Dec feels quite entry-level rap. Something about it was just calling me.
The song I can no longer listen to
I just don’t get Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar. The beat is overly repetitive. He’s great and clever, but he’s also going at my very close friend Drake, so it hurts me.
The song I inexplicably know every lyric to
When I was about 20, I was at the Big Chill, Mr Brightside came on in a tent and I was like: “Wow, what is this?” If I would have put that on, my mates in Brentford would have thought there was something wrong with me.
The song I do at karaoke
Adorn by Miguel is really hard to sing as it’s basically in the Stevie Wonder range and I can’t do it. But I love that song and always choose it.
The song I secretly like but tell everyone I hate
Let Me Love You by Mario is bit of overly cheesy R&B. But secretly I’ll dance in front of the mirror if it comes on.
The best song to play at a party
Lapdance by NERD: an amazing beat, it’s really easy to sing along to and never doesn’t work.
The song that changed my life
When I was at school, Closer Than Close by Rosie Gaines would get played on pirate radio. That’s how I discovered pirate radio, because I wanted to hear that song before I had decks. It’s where my fascination for underground music started.
The best song to have sex to
X Gon’ Give It to Ya by DMX.
The song that gets me up in the morning
At the moment, it’s Vacay by Aminé, this Ethiopian-American rapper who works with all these interesting producers.
The song that makes me cry
I was doing call centre and retail jobs, and life was not looking great. Then I was given a musical opportunity – a remix of Heaven by Emeli Sandé. I remember listening to Don’t Go by Wretch 32 in the car around the same time, and it making me very emotional.
The song I’d like played at my funeral
J Dilla made his album Donuts when he was dying on his deathbed, with soul samples and hidden messages in the vocal cuts. I love Time: The Donut of the Heart in particular.
Hugo Chegwin’s new EP Shark Tooth Necklace is out on 16 October.