Tempest of Words

Kate Tempest has made a name for herself as a slam poet and has scooped several awards in the process, including the Ted Hughes Award in 2013. She also received acclaim as a member of the UK hip-hop collective Sound of Rum. But for her debut solo album Everybody Down, which appears on the excellent Big Dada label, the 27-year-old south Londoner has created true hip-hop that’s unapologetically straight to the point. Her flow is precise, natural, and most importantly, showcases her diverse talents. Whether she raps about society, politics or more personal matters, it is, first and foremost, top notch storytelling. Her talent is strengthened by wide-ranging influences that include Virginia Woolf, Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, Yeats, William Blake and the Wu-Tang Clan. Tempest, as she is so fittingly named, has so far made a sensational entrance into the overwhelmingly male-dominated rap scene, making the not-so-simple crossover from performance poetry to hip-hop beats. Furthermore, she’s broadened her artistic sphere by writing her first novel, ‘The Bricks That Built The Houses’, with its' expected publication by Bloomsbury in spring 2015. The 10 tracks on the Everybody Down album are set to coincide with the 10 chapters of the novel. Also check out below other word-play performances by Tempest with the Royal Shakespeare Company and her award-winning show ‘Brand New Ancients’. Download or stream Everybody Down in Qobuz Hi-Fidelity today.