Tinchy Stryder has given his thoughts on the 2011 London riots, hinting that he sympathises with one of the root causes of the unsavoury episode.

Speaking to the Guardian, Stryder - whose music career was launched in London - spoke out about the riots which took place in the capital city and elsewhere in England last year.

Whilst he does not condone the vandalism which took place, he understands that it was a way for young people who may have previously gone unheard to get some attention. He said:

"When you're destroying things around your own surroundings, and people in the same situation as you, there's no sense in that. But what I do understand is that there was a lot of people who weren't being heard before, and that was their way of getting attention."

He continued: "People felt the police spoke to them in wrong ways, did so much wrong to them – this was their way back. This was how they were going to be heard. In interviews afterwards, you could really hear their anger and frustration. They try to get jobs, but get nothing, so what are they supposed to do? But that doesn't mean you've got to go and burn down people's houses."