East London-born, Birmingham-raised rapper KOFI STONE makes his long-awaited return today with brand new single ‘May Sound Crazy’ featuring the late great Writer, Poet and Activist, Benjamin Zephaniah.
‘May Sound Crazy’, produced by Joice, is a deeply layered offering and straight-talking reflection of the environment Kofi was raised in. An ode to Hip-hop’s golden era, Kofi’s storytelling is introspective, thought-provoking and profoundly honest, detailing the complexities of being a Black man in Britain today. The Ross Carson-directed video, shot against the background of Birmingham, pays homage to the city and its influence on the artist and man Kofi has become. The visual seamlessly shifts between dynamic performance shots and glimpses of the vibrant Birmingham community. It’s interspersed with poignant scenes representing unity, solidarity and resilience in the face of adversity and is a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by marginalised groups.
Of the single he says: “I wanted to tell my story on this record. My aim was to let the listener into my world. The highs, the lows, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unfiltered truth. I wanted to highlight the city I grew up in and shed some light on it. I wanted to inject a sense of Brummie pride, and at the same time give you a snapshot of my life and the things I have had to deal with. ”
In what will be one of his last artistic contributions to the world, the single and video features a spoken word performance from one of Britain’s most revered cultural figures, Benjamin Zephaniah. Honouring Birmingham, it’s yet another powerful display of Zephaniah’s life’s work and a reminder why he’ll remain at the heart of Black Britain.
“Working with Benjamin Zephaniah was truly a beautiful experience, he was so welcoming of me and my music.” Kofi says. “It was an honour to be in the room while he recorded his verse. Everyone present could feel how powerful his words were. This definitely was a moment I’ll never forget.”
From one generation to the next
We survive and we thrive so babylon dem getting vex
Brumtown
Can you feel the unity?
Where the streets overflow with creativity
Here we love
We dance our celebrations
Here we speak the language of many nations
From the Windrush generation
To multicultural nation
Our sisters and our brothers fight
With self determination
From one generation to the next
We come to raise your consciousness so people gather round
Kofi Stone and Zephaniah from the heart of Brum town
- Benjamin Zephaniah
More about Kofi Stone -
Inspired by his Grandad’s poetry, Kofi has had an advanced taste from as early as he can remember, freestyling and writing whenever he had the chance. A musical diet of Lupe Fiasco, Common, Kano and Sway further sparked his fascination with Hip-hop which later led his father to introduce him to an engineer who organised Kofi’s very first studio session. 2017 saw the release of his debut single ‘Stories In Pyjamas’, soon followed by ‘Nothin’ Ain't Free’, which quickly positioned him as one of the most exciting emerging artists that year. With a growing fanbase, multiple sold-out headline shows and relationships built in all the right places, his debut album Nobody Cares Till Everybody Does was proof that Kofi had arrived. The record was independently released via his label Tru Community and featured BRIT-nominated musician Loyle Carner and Irish songwriter, Maverick Sabre. Kofi has since toured with Loyle Carner, graced the stage at festivals across the world, and joined forces with the likes of Jacob Banks, Mr Jukes & Barney Artist and Tiana Major9. After a brief hiatus, he is back and new music is finally on the horizon. Expect a triumphant 2024 for Kofi Stone.
‘May Sound Crazy’, produced by Joice, is a deeply layered offering and straight-talking reflection of the environment Kofi was raised in. An ode to Hip-hop’s golden era, Kofi’s storytelling is introspective, thought-provoking and profoundly honest, detailing the complexities of being a Black man in Britain today. The Ross Carson-directed video, shot against the background of Birmingham, pays homage to the city and its influence on the artist and man Kofi has become. The visual seamlessly shifts between dynamic performance shots and glimpses of the vibrant Birmingham community. It’s interspersed with poignant scenes representing unity, solidarity and resilience in the face of adversity and is a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by marginalised groups.
Of the single he says: “I wanted to tell my story on this record. My aim was to let the listener into my world. The highs, the lows, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unfiltered truth. I wanted to highlight the city I grew up in and shed some light on it. I wanted to inject a sense of Brummie pride, and at the same time give you a snapshot of my life and the things I have had to deal with. ”
In what will be one of his last artistic contributions to the world, the single and video features a spoken word performance from one of Britain’s most revered cultural figures, Benjamin Zephaniah. Honouring Birmingham, it’s yet another powerful display of Zephaniah’s life’s work and a reminder why he’ll remain at the heart of Black Britain.
“Working with Benjamin Zephaniah was truly a beautiful experience, he was so welcoming of me and my music.” Kofi says. “It was an honour to be in the room while he recorded his verse. Everyone present could feel how powerful his words were. This definitely was a moment I’ll never forget.”
From one generation to the next
We survive and we thrive so babylon dem getting vex
Brumtown
Can you feel the unity?
Where the streets overflow with creativity
Here we love
We dance our celebrations
Here we speak the language of many nations
From the Windrush generation
To multicultural nation
Our sisters and our brothers fight
With self determination
From one generation to the next
We come to raise your consciousness so people gather round
Kofi Stone and Zephaniah from the heart of Brum town
- Benjamin Zephaniah
More about Kofi Stone -
Inspired by his Grandad’s poetry, Kofi has had an advanced taste from as early as he can remember, freestyling and writing whenever he had the chance. A musical diet of Lupe Fiasco, Common, Kano and Sway further sparked his fascination with Hip-hop which later led his father to introduce him to an engineer who organised Kofi’s very first studio session. 2017 saw the release of his debut single ‘Stories In Pyjamas’, soon followed by ‘Nothin’ Ain't Free’, which quickly positioned him as one of the most exciting emerging artists that year. With a growing fanbase, multiple sold-out headline shows and relationships built in all the right places, his debut album Nobody Cares Till Everybody Does was proof that Kofi had arrived. The record was independently released via his label Tru Community and featured BRIT-nominated musician Loyle Carner and Irish songwriter, Maverick Sabre. Kofi has since toured with Loyle Carner, graced the stage at festivals across the world, and joined forces with the likes of Jacob Banks, Mr Jukes & Barney Artist and Tiana Major9. After a brief hiatus, he is back and new music is finally on the horizon. Expect a triumphant 2024 for Kofi Stone.
