UK Hip-hop artist Otis Mensah is going to be formally appointed the role as Poet Laureate by Sheffield’s Lord Mayor Magid Magid during an annual literature festival.
Otis has supported the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, The Sugarhill Gang, Arrested Development, Brother Ali, Killah Priest, and Charlie 2na (Jurassic 5), and also performed on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury last year.
The young story-teller-rapper has a unique talent for drawing on the poetic from the everyday happenings in life.
Mr Mensah said in his new role he hopes to break down stereotypes of what poetry is, and added ‘I feel that hip-hop, although as prevalent and present in our culture and society as it is, rarely receives spoken recognition for the impact it has. Mayor Magid appointing me as poet laureate displays an appreciation for hip-hop and the art form of rap as poetry’.
Read the entire article on BBC.
