Tinie Tempah wants to be a role model

Tinie Tempah wants to be a role model.

The 22-year-old British star hopes he can challenge people's notions that rappers are involved with drugs and violence and to also remind them that young people can be good members of society.

He explained: "When young people get talked about, it's always negative: it's ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders) or shooting people or binge drinking. I want to be someone who represents people in a positive light. That's become my prerogative."

The 'Pass Out' hitmaker credits his Christian faith for keeping him on the right path and teaching him to treat people well.

He said: "I definitely believe in God. I pray as much as possible. I think it's imperative to have faith or religion, because it's good to have morals, to be kind to others."

Tinie - whose real name is Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu Jr. - also admitted he gets frustrated when people make assumptions about him because of his career as their perceptions are usually wrong.

He told The Observer magazine: "I get annoyed by people's, almost, awe when they find out you aren't what they were expecting you to be like, when they say, 'Oh, you dress really well, you can speak well.'

"It gets on my nerves. Being a rapper is a career choice for me. I exist apart from that as a human being. I can be into foreign cinema. I can like to dress up as well."