Rascal's Mercury Music Prize boosted his profile enormously

Rascal, whose real name is Dylan Mills, saw his career take off in the UK last year when his debut album, Boy In Da Corner, won him the Mercury Music Award.

He told BBC World Service's The Music Biz programme that he felt the US would embrace his music because, unlike many other artists who try to crack America, his work was not going to be "watered down."

"That gap is definitely open," he said.

"I think it'll work over there. This is a worldwide thing. I'm in it for the long run. I'm not playing."

Experimental follow-up

Rascal, who is currently working on his follow-up album to Boy In Da Corner, said that he had been strongly influenced by US rap music.

"The beauty of American stuff is because it was real, and it was reflective of what they are, because they were talking how they talk, and weren't changing anything - they were being themselves," he said.

I'm writing about whatever comes to mind Dizzee Rascal

"I've done that to the max on my album... It's going to go over in its purest form."

Rascal said that he had been very happy with the "achievement" of the Mercury Award, but that he was now "moving on."

He also revealed that he was feeling pressure after notching up such a successful debut album.

"There's definitely pressure there, because there's this big hype around," he said.

"But I'm really focused on what I've got to do next... It's all about moving on. I'm saying, 'take every day as it comes'.

It's a hustle, but I like this hustle Dizzee Rascal

"I'm really focused on what I'm going to do next musically, definitely, because it's about experimenting with the music, playing with it."

He said that he felt the reason Boy In Da Corner had achieved mass appeal was because many people felt they could relate to it.

He hinted also that the follow-up album would be highly experimental.

"[Boy In Da Corner] sees things from a different perspective, from an angle - but I don't necessarily pass a judgement," he said.

"People that are listening to it can get into it for their own reasons. It's obviously very reflective of my life, but also London street life as a whole.

"But it's got mass appeal. So what I'm writing now - I'm writing whatever, to experiment with music.

"The whole thing is not always necessarily about me as a person, this music is fun, creativity, adding to the world of music.

"All music revolves around other music - it's a cycle at the end of the day. It's just going on, and so I'm writing about whatever comes to mind, innovative stuff."

'Bigger picture'

Rascal also stated that, as he was experimenting with music, he was keen to avoid being categorised this early into his career.

"It's something that's still being worked on," he said.

"To generalise it now, pigeon-hole it, there would be no point, because it's growing.

"It's in its early stages - I don't know where it's going next. All I know is when me and my sound are elevating.

"Anyone can get anything out of it - people into punk could get something out of it, that's what it is, it doesn't pass judgement."

And he added he felt his horizons were limitless, having achieved what he had so far "from scratch."

"It's a hustle, but I like this hustle," he said.

"I've come from the bottom, having to do it myself, so I've seen the bottom end of it all. That's how I think of things, from that angle, that corner.