Professor Green is hoping for a BRIT Award nomination this year.

The 'I Need You Tonight' hitmaker landed the trophy for Best UK Hip Hop/Grime Act at the 2010 MOBO awards, and is secretly hoping he'll be able to follow it up with a nomination for a BRIT when they are announced in January ahead of the ceremony in February.

He told BANG Showbiz: "Will I win a BRIT? I don't know, to just get a nomination would be incredible."

The rapper attended the BRITs ceremony in 2010, where he witnessed his friend Lily Allen pick up her first trophy - after she missed out on four awards in 2007 - and said it was incredible to be on the same table as her when her name was read out.

He recalled: "I was there this year and Lily was so nervous, bless her, but being on her table when she got the award was wicked. She didn't expect to win it and she was so ecstatic."

Lily has been a mentor to Green, and helped set him off on the road to success when she agreed to sing on the chorus of his single 'Just Be Good to Green', which later became a top five hit in the UK.

He added: "Lily's fans really warmed to me on tour and she is a sweetheart and an absolute darling. She has done so much for me and my career and she has really helped me turn my life around.

"I've met a lot of people in this business but with her she's a really, really good friend of mine and I'm hugely grateful to her."

Professor Green's second album is set to be called 'The Myth' and will be released in 2011.