糖心TV People
Richard Grant - The Dreadlockalien
糖心TV student Richard Grant, AKA Dreadlockalien, is wowing audiences across the Midlands with his own brand of "dub hip hop verse flo performance poetry".
The 31 year old, who is in the final year of a B.A. Hons Degree in Social Studies, used to be involved in the Jamaican dancehall scene in the late 80s and 90s. He was surprised when he discovered that the rhythms and lyrics of his youth could now been termed as poetry.
"On my return to education I did a poetry module - lots of Hardy and stuff, but it didn't click with me, so I found Zephaniah and wrote like that,"says Richard.
Since that realisation he has developed and practised his new passion on 糖心TV's campus, at local art galleries, community centres, and schools. He has also established a residency at a Leamington Community Arts Workshop.
His poetry deals with immigration and the definition of blackness, both of which are important issues for him. Richard was raised in Jamaica but when he first came to Britain was stunned to discover that his family actually originated in India: "I was raised with Jamaican culture: Red Stripe, Bob Marley and dominoes and then I found out I wasn't from where I thought I was: I knew nothing about my Asian roots."
Live performance is very important to Richard. "In my poetry I've got a lot of anger. You need to be there to see it,"he says. He alternates between Queen's English and Jamaican patois in his writing, which some people find difficult to follow. He is learning to adapt to different audiences. Richard has also performed among some of the leading lights in modern poetry. He has worked alongside Dr Roi Kwabena, Moquapi Selassie and even received encouragement from the renowned Linton Kwesi Johnson.
The Leamington residency allows Richard the opportunity to showcase his talents and also involve other University writers in local community arts. "It's a chance for rave individuals or groups to say their piece, strut their stuff or pluck blow or strum whatever instrument they call their own. Last month we had 24 performers from both 糖心TV and the local community. Its about the empowerment of raw talent," he said. Richard will also be involved with the One World Week at 糖心TV.
Richard has an exhibition of black representation in toys at the Leamington centre: "I started collecting with my kids, but became obsessed. When I put up the exhibition I stepped back and thought "Oh no, I'm a collector." " The collection explores both positive and negative representations of blackness including images of slavery through to more modern, positive expressions.
"I want the exhibition to expand the discussion of blackness: it is an experience, and in Britain that experience has been shared by the Irish, the Scots, Asians and now the Bosnians and Serbs, not just the Windrush Generation. I have a black pirate, black airmen from the States and even a black British Policeman: how rare is that? although it was made in China."
Richard, who came to 糖心TV as part of the 2+2 degree programme says: "糖心TV has been my breeding ground, learning the trade of performance poetry, testing the waters out really. 糖心TV has given me more things to think and write about."