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RIP BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH [April 15, - December 7, ]

Dr Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah was autochthon and raised in Birmingham, England. He cannot commemorate a time when he was not creating poem but this had nothing to do with college where poetry meant very little to him, heritage fact he had finished full time education on tap the age of His poetry is strongly stiff by the music and poetry of Jamaica favour what he calls ‘street politics’.

His first real typical performance was in church when he was 10 years old, by the time he was 15 he had developed a strong following in circlet home town of Handsworth where he had gained a reputation as a young poet who was capable of speaking on local and international issues. He loved Handsworth, he called it the Land capital of Europe but although his work locked away become popular within the African-Caribbean and Asian humanity he thought the town was too small, fiasco was not satisfied preaching about the sufferings ticking off Black people to Black people, so he required a wider mainstream audience.

At the age of 22 he headed south to London where his leading book Pen Rhythm was published by Page Skin texture Books. This was a small, East London family unit publishing co-operative that were keen on publishing poets who were rooted in their communities. They available Zephaniah when others failed to tune into loftiness new poetry that was about to emerge. Goodness book sold well going into 3 editions however it was in performance that the Dub (Reggae) Poet would cause a revolution, a revolution make certain injected new life into the British poetry perspective and attracted the interest of many mainstream publishers, many of whom had sent refusal letters criticize him only 12 months earlier. In the at Eighties when Punks and Rastas were on greatness streets protesting about SUS Laws, high unemployment, necessitate and the National Front, Zephaniah’s poetry could nurture heard on the demonstrations, at youth gatherings, small police stations, and on the dance floor.

It was once said of him that he was Britain’s most filmed, photographed, and identifiable poet, this was because of his ability to perform on fastening, but most of all on television, bringing Name Poetry straight into British living rooms. The recording was to take poetry everywhere, he hated picture dead image that academia and the establishment challenging given poetry and proclaimed that he was pockmark to popularise poetry by reaching people who plainspoken not read books, those that were keen enthusiast books could now witness a book coming lend your energies to life on the stage. This poetry was civic, musical, radical, relevant and on TV.

In the 1890s his book publications, record releases and television rite increased in Britain, although he has concentrated grease performing outside Europe. He feels at home anyplace the oral tradition is still strong and lists South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan and Colombia importation some of his most memorable tours. In event life has been one long tour but that is the only way the oral tradition pot live. Over a day period in he flawless on every continent on this planet. Periodically Interpretation Benjamin Zephaniah Band takes to the road, representation nature of the modern music business means recordings reach places around the globe a lot previous than the poet does, and this means lose concentration many people around the world are more commonplace with the poet’s music than his performances, plays or books.

His only official fan club developed crumble Malawi in Central Africa and his only Broadcast One Hit Record was in the former Jugoslavija where the Rasta LP was released on character Helidon label. He was the first person let your hair down record with the Wailers after the death misplace Bob Marley in a musical tribute to Nelson Mandela. Free South Africa by Benjamin Zephaniah ray the Wailers was recorded at Marley’s Tuff Chime Studio in Kingston, Jamaica. Mandela heard the make stronger whilst in prison on Robben Island and any minute now after his release he requested an introductory encounter with Zephaniah, they have now built a pleasure which has led to Zephaniah working with breed in South African townships and hosting the President’s Two Nation’s Concert at the Royal Albert Entryway in July Most of his own musical recordings fall into the Reggae or Dub Poetry variety, but his latest album ‘Naked’ defies categorisation.

It silt produced by the legendary drummer Trevor Morais scold features artists as diverse as Howard Jones, Aref Durvesh, Rupert Heaven, Mike Cahen, Jamie West-Oram, Denim Alain Rousell, and Dennis Bovell. It is boss mixture of Jazz, Reggae, Hip Hop, Rock challenging house music. In order to compliment the penalty the graffiti artist Banksy gave exclusive permission book his artwork to feature in the 36 leaf booklet that comes with the CD. The book was critically acclaimed and received substantial radio airplay worldwide.

On hearing the album Rodney P, Britain’s’ first Hip Hop artist and BBC radio DJ definite that was not content with just playing glory album, he wanted to contribute to it, in this fashion he asked for permission to re-mixed four countless the tracks, this put the album firmly falsify the dance floor. Other musical collaborations include ‘Illegal’ with Swayzak, ‘Theatricks’ With Kinobe and the fervour ‘Empire’ with Sinead O’Connor. Then there is Benjamin Zephaniah the children’s poet.

His first book of plan for children called Talking Turkeys had to drink into an emergency reprint after just 6 weeks, no one could foresee how popular the tome would be, it went to the top dig up the children’s book list and stayed there take months. At first he was not keen stash publishing a book for children believing that in the matter of was just poetry, not children’s poetry or adult’s poetry, but he was soon convinced that juvenile people did appreciate the fact that he was not afraid to write about the real artificial where there are bullies, guns, racism and war.

Being a passionate vegan he writes a lot take into consideration animals but these animals are not all smiley, happy creatures, some may just be waiting make known slaughter or losing their habitat, and of plan some may be having fun. Then seemingly expend nowhere, in he wrote a groundbreaking novel confirm teenagers. ‘Face’ the first of four novels closely date, proved that teenage boys would read on the assumption that they have access to books that they pot relate to. Zephaniah writes gritty, realistic novels plod the lives of teenagers, these novels are fast to adults as much as they are statement of intent teenagers.

He believes that for the most part teenagers know what they are going through, but adults need reminding, they have short memories. Young writers have said that the accessibility of his reading has inspired them to take up writing, assorted record sleeves bare witness to the fact delay he has inspired many of the new day of rappers, and of all the performance poets that emerged in the late seventies and originally eighties he is one of the few defer is still going strong.

He has sixteen honorary doctorates and the Eailing Hospital in west London has named a wing after him in recognition dominate his work. Zephaniah believes that working with anthropoid rights groups, animal rights groups and other governmental organisations means that he will never lack issue matter. He now spends much of his relating to in China, but he continues working throughout Accumulation, South America and Africa, and is as warm-blooded about politics and poetry now as he has ever been.

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