Stormzy promotes diversity

Image Credit: Courtesy at Atlantic Records

11th Aug 2020
Tags: Music News Justice Stormzy Rap

Successful grime MC Stormzy has recently enjoyed airtime on xRhythms with the song "Don't Forget to Breathe" from his new album ‘Heavy is the Head’.

Outside of his music though, the artist is known for championing black British causes and promoting diversity. 

Stormzy has openly spoken out against racism in the UK and challenged policymakers. He notably criticised the government’s handling of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and attended the London Black Lives Matter protests in June.

He has now pledged to donate £10 million to fight racial inequality in the UK over the next 10 years.

This pledge has inspired others to do the same. Kenny Imafidon, a trustee of BBC Children in Need, said, “I can speak for the entire Board of Trustees and all the staff at BBC Children in Need when I say, we were really inspired by Stormzy's pledge.”

BBC Children in Need will also donate £10 million over 10 years and work with Radio 1Xtra to develop young black talent in the media.

He won a Sandford St Martin Trustees’ Award for expressing his faith.

Stormzy has openly credited his success and career to God. In June he won a Sandford St Martin Trustees’ Award for expressing his faith and contributing to the “public understanding of religion.”

Dr. Hartley, Bishop of Ripon, said, “The openness and clarity about which Stormzy speaks and sings about his faith and the efforts he’s made to translate that into action resonates with people around the world who have heard his music on the radio, seen him perform on television or watched his videos online."

In receiving the award, he said, “Every award I’ve ever collected, whatever achievement I’ve ever had, I’ve always been vocal about the fact that it’s not possible without God. 

"He’s the reason why I’m here today.  He’s the reason that I’m able to have a career.”

He plans on releasing a series of children's books.

The grime artist is actively promoting diversity in other fields. He plans on releasing a series of children's books that teach on this in a child's early education.

This project follows his commitment to paying for two black students to go to Cambridge University and his deal with Penguin Random House to help young black authors get published in the UK through #Merky Books.

Recently, he also teamed up with Good Guys Decorating, a social enterprise that provides free decorating for people in need, to help his local community in Croydon.