Latest news with #BenjaminZephaniahDay
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘His delivery cut through class barriers': Moby, Mala and other musicians on working with Benjamin Zephaniah
Tuesday marks the 67th birthday of the late Benjamin Zephaniah – revolutionary poet, playwright, musician and fearless voice for social justice – following the inaugural Benjamin Zephaniah Day held over the weekend at Brunel University. But while he is widely celebrated for his work in literature and activism, Zephaniah's influence on music remains relatively overlooked. Emerging from the dub poetry scene, Zephaniah channelled personal experiences of systemic racism and state violence into intelligent spoken word. Albums such as Rasta combined politically charged poetry with dub rhythms and studio effects, laying the cultural groundwork for UK genres such as trip-hop, jungle and dubstep. We revisit his unique collaborations in electronic music, hearing from the artists who had the honour of working with him. Zephaniah's Rastafari-inspired wisdom, Natty's roots-infused minimalism and Mala's DMZ-era dubstep combine to raise the consciousness vibration in Word & Sound – an uplifting, intergenerational union years in the making. 'Benjamin was like an older brother to me, we were sometimes on the phone for hours,' Natty says. 'So when I asked him to be part of a project I was doing, he wrote his verse immediately.' They recorded at Akala's Ladbroke Grove studio in London then spent hours listening to Zephaniah's stories – including his rightous refusal of an MBE. Natty says the vocals were meant for the track Badman (Rastafari mix), but when Mala reached out, the dubstep producer was sent them instead. 'Working with such powerful voices was something else,' says Mala. 'Their words guided my creative process. Benjamin's verse is a reminder to stay true and keep growing in heart and spirit. Rest in peace, sir, we salute you.' Natty continues to include the track in his live sets in memory of his friend. 'Whenever we met, we'd sometimes spar, as we both studied martial arts. I remember how strong he was, which made his passing even harder to accept. He was just a down-to-earth, brilliant human being. I'm so grateful to have known and learned from him.' Born-and-bred Brummies Kofi Stone and Zephaniah are a force to be reckoned with in this collaboration – one of Zephaniah's last, recorded in summer 2023. He steps into the resilient role of mentor in this ambient electronic-infused hip-hop track, as Stone reflects on growing up in Birmingham and navigating poverty and racism. 'It was truly an experience I'll never forget,' Stone says. Ahead of the recording, Stone met Zephaniah outside the Birmingham Hippodrome, where he was narrating the Peaky Blinders ballet. 'Before the show, we spoke at length about family, music and the state of the world,' recalls Stone. 'He later drove us to the studio and recorded his verse in just a few takes. The whole process was surreal and beautiful.' The video to the track was produced months later. 'Benjamin was actually quite unwell at the time,' says Stone, 'but he was determined to make the shoot. We filmed his scene on a rooftop car park in Birmingham's Chinatown.' That was [another] day I'll never forget.' Zephaniah joined Bomb the Bass and Sinéad O'Connor to deliver a critique of colonialism in this trip-hop-influenced production, imagining a life-sucking vampire as a metaphor for empire. Tim Simenon, AKA Bomb the Bass, says: 'I remember smoking a lot of weed with Sinéad while recording Empire. She sang the lead vocal in one take, then added harmonies and backing vocals.' Simenon instinctively knew that Zephaniah's voice would contrast powerfully. 'He was such a warm, open guy. We spent a long day in the studio, bouncing ideas around until we landed on the spacious delivery we recorded. He gave the final mix an approving head nod – he was super pleased with the result. We mostly spoke about music, especially dub. We shared a love for Big Youth, Lee 'Scratch' Perry and On-U Sound.' I Have a Dream pairs Zephaniah's cheeky twist on Martin Luther King's iconic speech with atmospheric dub techno. It's one of two tracks featuring him on Luke Slater's LB Dub Corp album Unknown Origin, the other being Take a Ride. 'When I reached out about combining a track with his poem I Have a Scheme, he was up for it straight away,' Slater says. 'We somehow ended up debating vegan food in China.' Reflecting on their final exchange, Slater said: 'Benjamin had just received the album copies I sent and told me he played the track for his students. I was humbled. I miss him in this dimension, but his words live on.' He had intended to ask him to collaborate a second time. 'Then a week later he was gone. He left too soon. His words always carried a message – not always comfortable, never bland. His delivery cut through class barriers and reached people from all walks of life.' The duo Swayzak captured Zephaniah's rebellious spirit in this unapologetically anarchic track. 'Working with Benjamin was an unexpected delight,' says James S Taylor. 'There was no ego, no pressure, just good vibes.' The collaboration quickly grew into a friendship. 'We talked deeply about politics and the British empire,' David Brown says. 'The Brummie West Indian poet – quite a person to have in one's life.' A 2024 'redraft' of Zephaniah's 1999 poem Illegal was released under the title Do Something Illegal as a tribute to Zephaniah under Brown's ambient alias, the Eightsome Reel. The track ends with the sound of heavy rain, recorded the day Brown learned of Zephaniah's death. 'It hit me hard – I was in East Kilbride when I heard, a place where he once lived.' Released in June 2024 as part of his album, Always Centered at Night, Moby's Where Is Your Pride? is a tribute to Zephaniah. He says: 'As a vegan activist and as a wise and compassionate man, Benjamin inspired me for many years. I hope Where Is Your Pride? honours his legacy and also draws people's attention to his life, work and principles.'
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Music, poetry and joy mark the first Benjamin Zephaniah Day tribute
A festival of 'music, poetry, joy and laughter' has taken place to honour the trailblazing artist and activist Benjamin Zephaniah. The Handsworth-born dub poet, who appeared in hit BBC show Peaky Blinders as Jeremiah Jesus, died at the age of 65 in December 2023, shortly after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Saturday's celebrations at London's Brunel University where he worked as a professor of creative writing, were billed as the first Benjamin Zephaniah Day – A Festival of Rhythm, Unity and Revolution. His widow Qian Zephaniah, who was dressed in one of his old suits and a hat, watched with a smile as she saw fellow poets Linton Kwesi Johnson and Michael Rosen recite some of his work, along with other tributes. Rosen later told the PA news agency: 'Benjamin was somebody who could speak to everybody and to anybody. 'He could speak with passion, wisdom and beauty about the way life is, the way he wanted life to be and the way he saw us all as human beings. 'He could not stand hierarchy. He could not stand discrimination, oppression or exploitation. He wanted to say that and he could say it in so many different ways – ironically, humorously, angrily and he could say it to children, adults, on television, radio. 'He could go all around the world and say it – that is what was so special about him.' Rosen said it felt 'unbelievably important and special' to take part, adding: 'He meant so much to me. I learned a lot of things from him – ways of writing, ways of thinking and even ways of being. 'I feel I kind of owe it to him (to be here). ' Basil Gabbidon, a founding member of the band Steel Pulse, took to the stage to sing a new song he penned in tribute to Zephaniah called True Revolutionary, which said: 'He was a Handsworth man, a cultured man, peace and love was his intention.' After the performance Gabbidon, who said he knew Zephaniah from their youth in Handsworth, said: 'He was very direct. He knew what he wanted to say and he said it. I had a lot of respect for him because he was a good man. 'He respected everyone and wanted the world to be a better place. He was a true revolutionary.' Brunel's vice-chancellor and president Professor Andrew Jones described the festival, which was staged three days before what would have been Zephaniah's 67th birthday, as a fitting tribute to a man who gave voice to the voiceless. He told those gathered: 'Now, as many of you may know, this weekend would have marked Benjamin's 67th birthday. We are filling this day, his day, with music, poetry, joy and laughter. 'I don't think there's any better way for us to show our love and appreciation for the many many things that Benjamin achieved in his life.' Performances from poets, musicians and artists from around the world, contributions from the Royal Society of Literature and stage takeovers from the Black Writers Guild were among the events. There were also chances for people to showcase their talents plus creative workshops, exhibitions and film screenings. Today's the day to honour Benjamin Zephaniah—everyone welcome. Let's turn his words into action: stand for justice, speak with kindness, and weave unity into every verse of life. 📖✊ The world needs more bridges, not walls. #BenjaminZephaniahDay #PeopleNeedPeople — Professor Benjamin Zephaniah (@BZephaniah) April 12, 2025 The aim is to make it an annual event in celebration of Zephaniah whose talents as a poet, writer, actor and musician made him a hugely influential figure across the UK. He published numerous collections of his poetry, wrote novels, and was included in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008. In 2021, he won a Bafta for Life And Rhymes, which eclipsed Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Strictly Come Dancing and The Masked Singer to land the best entertainment programme award. Dubbed the 'people's laureate', he was also an anti-racism and animal rights activist, and he appeared in several episodes of the hit television show Peaky Blinders. An invitation posted online from the organisers said: 'Today's the day to honour Benjamin Zephaniah — everyone welcome. Let's turn his words into action: stand for justice, speak with kindness, and weave unity into every verse of life. The world needs more bridges, not walls.' Global Majority Writers (GMW) helped to kick off the tribute with poetry performances about issues that were close to Zephaniah's heart including race, food, environment, Windrush and mental health. Abiodun Abdu, of GMW, told the audience: 'He was a prolific poet with passions across a range of themes including racial equality, social justice, shared humanity, environmental protection, neuro diversity, veganism and so many more.' Earlier, his widow Qian Zephaniah said: 'When Benjamin was asked what he wanted his legacy to be, he said simply, 'love'. 'Benjamin Zephaniah Day is one of the ways we honour that legacy.' She said the day 'shows what was close to Benjamin's heart' at an event packed with people who loved him and open to those who like him feels that 'love is one of the greatest gifts we can offer to one another'. Zephaniah's first writings used dub poetry, a Jamaican style of work which evolved into the music genre of the same name. He was nominated for autobiography of the year at the National Book Awards for The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah, and the work was also shortlisted for the Costa Book Award in 2018. The writer, who rejected an OBE in 2003 because of the association with the British Empire and its history of slavery, was often outspoken on racial abuse and education.
