The R.A.P. Party @The London Library: More Fiya (In person)
Poet Inua Ellams brings his exhilarating live literature phenomenon, the R.A.P. (Rhythm and Poetry) Party, back to The London Library for a nostalgic, no-clutter, no-fuss, evening of hip-hop-inspired poems and favourite hip-hop songs. This time we'll be celebrating More Fiya: A New Collection of Black British Poetry, edited by Kayo Chingonyi for Canongate, with a line up (tbc) of contributors to the book, including: Raymond Antrobus, Eric Ngalle Charles, Inua Ellams, Samatar Elmi, Rachel Long, Nick Makoha, Louisa Adjoa Parker, Degna Stone, Keisha Thompson, Kandace Siobhan Walker and DJ Lily Fileen.
Ten poets + a DJ = the best night out you’ll ever have in a library – or anywhere, for that matter.
'A truly fluid literary event not just mingling poetry and music together seamlessly, but also bringing different tribes of poets: ages, races, gender, styles together. You will be moved in your heart and in your head.’— Roger Robinson
This event will be BSL interpreted.
Raymond Antrobus MBE FRSL is a multi-award-winning poet, writer and educator. He is the author of Shapes & Disfigurements (Burning Eye, 2012) To Sweeten Bitter (Out-Spoken Press, 2017), The Perseverance (Penned In The Margins / Tin House, 2018) and All The Names Given (Picador / Tin House, 2021).
Eric Ngalle Charles is a Cameroon-born Wales-based writer, poet, and playwright and a Ph.D. researcher at King's College London. Following the publication of his autobiography, I, Eric Ngalle, Eric was selected by Jackie Kay as one of the UK’s top ten BAME writers. His most recent work, Homeland, was published by Seren Books in April 2022.
Inua Ellams is a Nigerian-born, UK-based poet, playwright and performer who has written for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and the BBC. His latest play was an adaptation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters set in Nigeria, staged at the National Theatre. The Actual, his fifth poetry release and first full collection, was published in 2020 by Penned in the Margins.
Samatar Elmi is an Obsidian Fellow, Numbi Associate Poetry Editor, graduate of the Young Inscribe Mentoring Program and winner of the 2021 Geoffrey Dearmer Prize. A Darker Light, the title of both his forthcoming poetry collection and, as Knomad Spock, his second album, is a multidisciplinary exploration of discovery, individuation and integration during Covid-19.
Rachel Long’s debut collection, My Darling from the Lions (Picador 2020 / Tin House 2021) was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, The Costa Book Award, The Rathbones Folio Prize, and the Jhalak Prize. She is the founder of Octavia Poetry Collective for women of colour, housed at the Southbank Centre, in London.
Nick Makoha’s debut collection Kingdom of Gravity was shortlisted for the 2017 Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection and he won the 2015 Brunel International African Poetry prize. His poems have appeared in, amongst others, The New York Times, Poetry Review, Poetry London, Wasafiri.
Louisa Adjoa Parker is a writer and poet of Ghanaian and English heritage who lives in south west England. Her poetry collections include Salt-sweat and Tears, How to wear a skin, a pamphlet, She can still sing, and her debut short story collection is Stay with me. She set up the Where are you really from? project which tells stories of black and brown rural lives.
Degna Stone is a poet and editor based in north east England. Their writing pulls towards the dark seam of life, exploring the troubling and unsettling cracks in society, raising questions about social injustice and complacency. Their debut full-length poetry collection Proof of Life on Earth is available from Nine Arches Press.
Keisha Thompson is a Manchester based writer, performance artist, producer and Artistic Director and CEO of Contact theatre, Manchester. In 2020, she finished touring award-winning solo show, Man on the Moon. Her debut book, Lunar, features her poetry and the show script, whilst Moonwhile is a poetic mini album featuring music from the show.
Kandace Siobhan Walker is a writer and artist of Jamaican-Canadian, Saltwater Geechee and Welsh heritage. Her work appears or is forthcoming in The Poetry Review, Ludd Gang and Bad Lilies, among others. She is the author of Kaleido, published by Bad Betty Press in 2022.
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
More Fiya and other books by the artists will be available to purchase at the event and online through our partner bookshop Hatchards.
N.B. This event will take place in person at The London Library. Please see our Event Access and COVID Guidelines before you arrive. Doors (and the bar) open at 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start.
London Library events are subject to Terms and Conditions.
