It's 2025, young people can get into any chosen career ... they just have to pick up their phone

RAPPER AND TV CHEF BIG ZUU TELLS LISA SALMON HOW TEENAGERS NEED TO FOLLOW THEIR PASSIONS LIKE HE DID

- LISA SALMON

MOST parents, when their child announces they want to be a rapper may encourage their love of music, but try to steer them towards a more attainable career.

Big Zuu's mum was no different - when her rap-crazy teenage son told her he wanted to be a rapper, she thought her son had "failed".

The now-successful rapper and TV chef who also presents the U&Dave show Big Zuu's Big Eats, went to university to study youth work before dropping out to follow his rapping dream.

He recalls: "When I dropped out of uni to pursue a career in rap, my mum thought her son had failed. She thought, 'What have I done wrong?' - she blamed herself.

"Then I was like, 'You haven't done anything wrong - this is what I love, I'm passionate about it.

"Once I started getting paid, and helping her around the house and paying for bills, she realised it was actually feasible, and ever since then, she's been my biggest fan."

Now Big Zuu - whose real name is Zuhair Hassan - wants to help the next generation pursue their dreams like he did, and he's supporting the EE LearnSmart campaign to stress the importance of young people following their passions when looking at future careers.

The 29-year-old, who also hosted the recent EE Learn Live event, which offered sessions designed to get teens thinking about how they can apply their passions to their future pathways, says: "Working with young people has always been a massive thing for me.

"It's been something that's connected to my work - I feel like I can make more of an impact because I was studying to be a youth worker."