Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah (1958–2023) was a British dub poet, writer, musician, and activist. Born in Birmingham to Jamaican parents, he became renowned for performance poetry that fused reggae rhythms with incisive social and political commentary. He authored poetry collections, children’s books, and novels such as Refugee Boy and Face, campaigned on issues of racial justice, class, and animal rights, and famously declined an OBE in opposition to imperialism.