Benjamin Zephaniah
Benjamin Zephaniah, born Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah in Handsworth,
Birmingham, England, on April 15, 1958, was a British dub poet, writer, actor,
musician, and professor of creative writing who lived until 2023. Raised in
Birmingham, he began performing poetry at age 11 in church before moving to
London, publishing his debut poetry collection, Pen Rhythm, in 1980. He released
his debut studio album, Rasta, in 1982—featuring members of the Wailers—which
topped the charts in Yugoslavia and led to an invitation from Nelson Mandela to
host the Two Nations Concert at the Royal A...
