Ghetts to headline this years Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre
One of the most prominent names in British rap and grime is set to headline this year’s Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre.
The annual event celebrates the power of spoken and written words to bring audiences together and illuminate the issues of the present.
From October 23 until November 3, the seventeenth edition of the London Literature Festival will take place across various venues at the Southbank Centre with an unbeatable line-up of international and local voices.
Co-curating the festival’s opening weekend, is one of the founding fathers of grime: Ghetts.
On October 26, there will be the chance to hear his new album, On Purpose, With Purpose, before he hosts Ghetts Presents, which will bring together some exciting names in poetry and rap for an open discussion.
Showing no signs of slowing down, Ghetts currently stars in Netflix’s Supacell, which was filmed around Peckham and Deptford. The award winning MC recently scooped a Mercury nomination in 2021 after reaching No 2 in the charts for his album, Conflict of Interest.
Other highlights of the festival include writer and one-half of duo Rizzle Kicks, Jordan Stephens reading his book Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs and a children’s pet-themed show by comedian Russell Kane.
If you are looking for free events, there will be a song and rhyme session for under 5s on October 25 followed by a Poetry Day on October 26.
This year’s programme is also filled with writers showcasing their new works.
On the twentieth anniversary of her historical-fantasy novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke introduces audiences to her latest story, The Wood at Midwinter on October 26.
British playwright and author Hanif Kureishi unveils his memoir Shattered, a tender reflection on the incident which left the writer paralysed, with an exclusive launch event and accompanying free live stream on October 31.
Ted Hodgkinson, head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre, said: “I’m thrilled that award-winning rapper and songwriter Ghetts will be headlining London Literature Festival this year with a series of specially curated events drawing us into his distinctive artistic sensibility and delving into the deep connections between the city’s music and spoken word scenes.
“From spotlighting the cultural communities on our doorstep to an incredible array of world-renowned voices, the festival celebrates the power of poetry, plurality and dialogue to spark new thinking.
“In these turbulent times, the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival provides an evermore vital space for democratic discussion and we’re proud to offer a fantastic programme to inspire and nourish the next generation of creators and storytellers.”
For full event listings and more information visit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RRIMHB8hj98_kDxrI4G-zZjFdW68czC-6WZmF4LPo94/edit
Pictured top: Ghetts (Picture: Seye Isikalu)
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