Ghetts was a member of grime collective NASTY Crew, however he left, saying that things had gone "pear shaped" This quote needs a citation] due to the number of people in the group. He later went on to create the grime collective The Movement, including Devlin, Wretch 32, Scorcher, Mercston, Lightning, and DJ Unique. Ghetts has made a number of well-known songs within the UK grime scene. In 2008, Ghetts was nominated for a BET Award for Best International Act: UK along with Chipmunk, Giggs, and Skepta. In the end, Giggs took the award home.
In October 2020, Ghetts collaborated with Fraser T. Smith in the production of Smith's debut album "12 Questions".
After being released from prison in 2003, at the age of nineteen years, Ghetto put out his first release, 2000 & Life in 2005. The mixtape contains 24 tracks and numerous collaborations. 2000 & Life is widely regarded as pioneering within the context of grime music.
Initially after his release from prison, Ghetto was using the artist name "Freedom", however the name "wasn't catching on". His friends used to say he was "ghetto" and did "ghetto things", which began to catch on. Stormin, a fellow Plaistow-based MC, released a song called "Day By Day" which contained the lyric, "Back in the day me and my bredrin Ghetto". Following the release, he took on the name "Ghetto".
Ghetts featured on Kano's album Home Sweet Home. In 2004, they filmed the video for "Typical Me" together, and Ghetts accompanied Kano on touring with Mike Skinner.