Songfacts®:

• Jermaine Scott, who performs under the stage name of Wretch 32, is a Grime MC and rapper from Tottenham, London, where he grew up the son of a local reggae DJ. He achieved his first taste of critical acclaim for his work as part of the grime collective "Combination Chain Gang" before forming The Movement with Scorcher, Ghetto, Devlin and Mercston. After releasing a series of mixtapes, Scott came to the attention of BBC Radio 1 Xtra's DJ Cameo. A series of awards followed and after signing a deal with Ministry Of Sound records, "Traktor" was released as his debut single with the label.
• The song was produced by Yogi and features the vocals of L. Scott said: "I was actually sent a demo of the track with the gaps for verses and no bridge. After writing and recording my verses I felt that it needed a soulful bridge so met up with Yogi and L to construct it after that."
• Wretch explained the song's meaning in an interview with Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul Magazine: "'Traktor' is actually about a dad talking to his child. Like on the intro the dad is saying 'Hey, go get a job' and basically telling his son to get outta the house. Then the chorus is actually the son explaining what's going on in his life. Like he's quit school; he hasn't got a job yet; his girl's upset 'cause she's pregnant and - though his daughter's on the way - he keeps on clubbing and raving... But yet through it all he knows that he rides the beat like a TRACTOR - that he's a great RAPPER! You know, though everything is so wild in his life he literally does know that he has got a talent and he wants to stick with it... So yeah, it's basically all about having a gift and taking a risk with the music and BELIEVING in it. Which is pretty much how it is for ME!"
• The success of this song meant that L became the fifth artist with a one letter name to chart in the UK Top 10. The previous four were:
  (1.) A, who was a UK group that had a series of chart entries in the late 90's and early 00's including "Nothing," which peaked at #9
  (2) H & Clare were a UK duo formed by ex-Steps members Ian Watkins, who recorded under the moniker of H, and Clare Richards. They had three Top 10 entries in 2002 including the #3 charting "DJ."
  (3.) M was UK singer.multi-instrumentalist Robin Scott, who scored an international hit in 1979 with "Pop Muzik."
  (4.) V was a UK group who scored two Top 10 in hits in 204 with "Blood Sweat & Tears" and the double A-side, "Hip To Hip/Can You Feel It."
• Scott told Q magazine that Wretch was a nickname from his mum, while 32 "is lucky."