Stormzy: ‘The greatest music on Earth is coming out of Africa’

By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Stormzy has said having “the greatest music on Earth” coming out of Africa is “inspiring”.

The 29-year-old British rapper, who has had three UK number ones including Vossi Bop, has previously spoken about his Ghanese heritage along with his support of the country during the World Cup in Qatar last year.

In an issue of Dazed magazine, Stormzy said: “People are just being unapologetic in their blackness and it’s the greatest music on Earth right now.

“The greatest music on Earth is coming out of Africa. Even that is just inspiring: be your black self and look! It’s got the world on fire.

“I’ll tell my kids I was a part of this time in culture. I had an offering. I was here; I was a part of it.”

Over recent years, the continent has seen the emergency of Nigerian musicians such as Wizkid, Burna Boy and Olamide, Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie and Cameroonian-American singer Libianca Fonji garner global recognition.

Stormzy, who performed at the Global Citizen Festival in Ghana’s capital Accra in September, also spoke about how his mother’s country is his “home” and in his “blood”.

The Dazed magazine cover star added that as he has grown older, he has begun to understand “everything goes back full circle”.

Stormzy also said: “You get it, like that’s home innit? That’s home, bruv.”

The musician released his third album, described as a “heartfelt” collection that explores personal topics such as forgiving his absent father and his feelings of self-doubt, called This Is What I Mean in November last year.

Stormzy also said he can see himself getting “maybe” creatively “bolder, braver and fearless” with “maturity”.