New Blood Entry — Wise Up to Words
Award: Wood Pencil
Penguin / 2021
There’s a bias that rappers are uneducated.
What many people don't realise is the influence of literature on rap and the education behind the voices at the forefront of our generation.
Since Shakespearean times, storytelling has relied on word of mouth. Nowadays, the stories and lives shared through rap have the potential to educate and inspire - becoming contemporary classics. By changing who we view as an author, we can break down the barriers that are stifling voices of colour.
Wise Up To Words challenges these preconceptions, inspiring the young generation to appreciate and harness the power of words themselves.
