OTIS MENSAH

"Sheffield’s first hip-hop poet laureate"

Otis Mensah (recipient of Jerwood Arts Live Work Fund & Arts Council England’s Developing your Creative Practice) is a musician and performing artist exploring the intersection of poetry and experimental music(s). Taking influence from the rhythmic and expressive freedom of Jazz, Otis’ work uses aesthetic language as an instrument to solo through themes of race, identity, gender and the body. 

Since being appointed Sheffield’s first Poet Laureate in 2018, Otis has sold-out their debut poetry collection Safe Metamorphosis published with Prototype in 2020, debuted at Glastonbury, We Out Here and Shambala Festival, as well as performing with the likes of Moor Mother, Nightmares On Wax, Benjamin Zephaniah, Lava La Rue, Mahalia and Little Simz.