Words by Chanelle Goddard
From selling out the o2 to providing scholarships, Stormzy proves that his influence stretches far beyond the streets of Croydon.
Last year, during his headline Glastonbury performance, Stormzy did something few artists could—he had the whole crowd screaming “f**k the government”. Whatever your political opinions may be, it’s hard to overlook his impact: Stormzy has a platform, and he’s not afraid to use it.
To some, Stormzy’s global reach may constitute as an example of stunning overnight success, but to him and those who know him well, his story began 27 years ago, when little Michael Kwadwo was born in South London to a Ghanaian mother. Whenever he talks about his story, his success and his life, Stormzy makes it clear that without his mum and God, nothing would be possible; and when he wowed the world with his headline Glastonbury act, his mother’s response was poignant: “you made me so so proud…I am going to dance for you at church”. Stormzy may be a global star, but he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
At just 11, Stormzy noticed he had a talent for music. He began his career on the streets of Croydon, by participating in rap clashes at youth clubs around his hometown. His performances showed a clear love for idols like Skepta, but Stormzy wasn’t afraid to make his mark. His first major impression on the music scene came in 2010, with the release of his “Wicked Skegman” freestyles on YouTube. Fans viewed in their millions, and many enjoyed his raw talent, strong delivery and effortless flow – a star was in the making. Alongside other staple grime artists like JME, Lethal Bizzle and Skepta, Stormzy made a name for himself within the underground music scene.
Stormzy was gaining attention, and he was ready to go bigger. In July 2014, he dropped his first debut EP ‘Dreamer Disease’, which saw major success. His collaboration with fellow grime artist Chip on a track won plaudits, and the EP was a huge success. A month later, Stormzy won a MOBO award for the ‘Best Grime Act’. It’s clear to say that 2014 was an extremely good year for Stormzy – the boy from South London had officially arrived.
In 2015, he dropped his now-famous ‘Shut Up’ freestyle video, which has become a British rap stable – you would struggle to find anyone who doesn’t know it. The record ended up selling over 1 million copies worldwide and charted number 9 on the UK singles chart. If 2014 was the year he arrived, 2015 was to be the year Stormzy began to make his mark on the world. Shut Up was a huge hit and Stormzy was gaining fans across the country.
In 2017, after a year’s hiatus, Stormzy released his ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’ album, which took the UK Album Charts by storm and quickly reached number 1. The album was the first grime album to win a ‘British Album of the Year’ award at the 2018 Brit Awards – with the album, Stormzy raised the bar, and a new grime King was crowned. He didn’t stop there; with millions of fans and a list of adoring celebrity friends, including Adele, Stormzy powered into 2019. Throughout his headline Glastonbury act, he made a series of nuanced and well-placed messages which spoke volumes. The Union Jack vest by Bansky, the citing of names of rappers he admired, the music he chose to perform, and the people he performed with: in its entirety, it was a celebration of Black British culture. He was the second Black British person to headline the famous festival. He knew he had a platform, and he was determined to use it. At Glastonbury, the King of grime spoke of everything that concerned his people, from his opinion on the government to the artists that needed to be highlighted. In an hour and 15 minutes, the world was his stage, and he made sure to deliver the greatest show.
If all his achievements up to that point left some critics unconvinced, the release of his ‘Heavy is the Head’ album, which reached number 2 of UK charts, would have sealed the deal. ‘Heavy is the Head’ was Stormzy’s most mature work, and his collaborations with global artists such as Burna boy and H.E.R. carried his name across the globe.
Stormzy’s rise to prominence has been a story of dedication, talent and humility. He had always acknowledged where he came from and, his community – with his rise and global stardom, he turned his attention to raising awareness of the causes he deeply cares about.
On the important issues that affect his community, Stormzy doesn’t sit idly by
In 2018, he launched his Merky Foundation with the aim of supporting the causes he cares about. For him, the obvious place to start was with education – the Merky Foundation was to offer scholarships for two Black students per year to study at the University of Cambridge. Stormzy recognises the importance of helping those who look, act and talk like him be the best they can be. But in a society where opportunities can often be denied, extra support and help are often needed. He received criticism for his scholarship, some called him racist. His response was simple: “It’s so important for black students especially, to be aware that it can 100% be an option to attend a university of this calibre” he stated. Stormzy and most (sensible) people knew he was doing right, and the support for his actions far outweighed the criticism.
When explaining the reason behind his scholarship scheme with Cambridge University, he mentioned that he once had the academic ability to study at one of the most elite universities in the UK, but that, unfortunately, fell through. His hope is that through his scholarship programme, other Black students can have the opportunity to excel at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. On racial issues, Stormzy has used his platform to raise awareness, whilst making an active contribution to help.
On politics, another area he cares about, he doesn’t hold back. In 2016, he publicly supported then Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and in 2018, he criticised Theresa May on stage at the Brit Awards for what he saw as her government’s lack of action after the Grenfell Tower fire. After the death of Gorge Flloyd and in the midst of the global protests, the grime King once again made his commitment to his people and social change clear: over the next ten years, his foundation was to donate £10 million to support black charities and movements which work towards equal opportunity, racial justice, and social change.
In his own words, this is why he’s making such a pledge:
“The uncomfortable truth that our country continuously fails to recognise and admit is that black people in the UK have been at a constant disadvantage in every aspect of life – simply due to the colour of our skin…I’m lucky enough to be in the position I’m in and I’ve heard people often dismiss the idea of racism existing in Britain by saying ‘If the country’s so racist how have you become a success?!’ and I reject that with this: I am not the UK’s shining example of what supposedly happens when a black person works hard…there are millions of us. We are not far and few. We have to fight against the odds of a racist system stacked against us and designed for us to fail from before we are even born…We have to fight against the odds of a racist system stacked against us and designed for us to fail from before we are even born… Black people have been playing on an uneven field for far too long and this pledge is a continuation in the fight to finally try and even it”
Stormzy.
With huge success, dedication and a philanthropic mission, Stormzy marches on to even higher heights. With all he’s done, he’s become the embodiment of Black British excellence.