Kano feels like he's been given "a second chance" with the re-emergence of grime.
Kano
The 20-year-old rapper admits he was left wondering where he "fit in" when many other artists began crossing over to major labels and appearing on pop-dance anthems.
He said: "It feels like a second chance - doing it the right way. We don't want to make it to a mainstream audience by doing just anything.
"Let's not hide the fact we're British, when in the past we have, with American accents."
Kano's fifth studio album 'Made in the Manor' sees him look back on past relationships, with one track, 'Strangers', about a dissolved friendship and 'Little Sis' talking about his half-sister, who he hasn't seen in years.
And the musician - whose real name is Kane Robinson - is feeling "scared" as he knows the songs have the potential to change his life if his subjects view them as an "olive branch".
Talking about 'Strangers' he told the Guardian newspaper:"It's about my mate Dean - we'd play football together, and he was on the first couple of tours. We fell out. But there's nothing really gone on that should stop us from being mates; he's got two kids, I've never seen them, and that's stupid. That track is an olive branch - let's grow up, myself included.
"This is why I love this record, and why I'm scared of it: some of those tunes could change my life when they get out. My dad might call me after this record, my sister might DM me. I might be friends with Dean again.
"Or people might say: why the f**k d'you say my name for? I really don't know what this record will bring, but it was done with pure intentions and no negativity. It's alive."