POETS and Peaky Blinders star Benjamin Zephaniah has died aged 65 – and his devastated family are sharing emotional tributes.
Zephania’s death was announced in a statement posted on his Instagram profile.
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Benjamin Zephaniah died aged 65 Credits: PA
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Zephaniah (second from right) plays Jeremiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders Credit: BBC
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Zephaniah with series star Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy)
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Zephaniah accepts an honorary degree from the University of Hull in 2018. Credit: Alamy
His family said he died with his wife after an eight-week battle with brain cancer.
A beloved poet, Zephaniah also played street preacher Jeremiah Jesus in six series of Peaky Blinders between 2013 and 2022.
It read: “It is with great sadness and regret that we announce that our beloved husband, son and brother passed away in the early hours of the morning.
“Benjamin was diagnosed with a brain tumor eight weeks ago.
“Benjamin’s wife was by his side the whole time and was by his side when he passed.
“We have shared it with the world and we know that many will be shocked and saddened by this news.
The family added: “Benjamin was a true pioneer and innovator, he gave the world so much.
“Through an incredible career that includes a vast body of song, literature, music, television and radio, Benjamin leaves us a joyful and fantastic legacy.
“Thank you for the love you have shown, Professor Benjamin Zephaniah.”
Fellow poet Michael Rosen said: “I have received the tragically awful news that the family of Benjamin Zephaniah has announced that Benjamin has died.
“I am devastated. I admired him, respected him, learned from him, loved him.
“Love and condolences to the family and all who loved him.”
Aston Villa said it was “deeply saddened by the news of the death of legendary writer and poet, Benjamin Zephaniah”.
Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah was born in the Handsworth area of Birmingham in 1958.
His father was a postman from Barbados and his mother was a nurse from Jamaica.
Dyslexic, Zephaniah left school at the age of 13 unable to read or write – but went on to become one of Britain’s best-known modern poets.
He revealed that he was inspired to become a writer when he received an old typewriter as a gift.
Zephaniah published many collections of poetry as well as five novels and seven plays.
He was known for performing innovative “dub poetry” with reggae rhythms and for political campaigning.
In 2008, The Times included him among the 50 best British post-war writers.
His autobiography The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah was nominated for the 2018 Costa Book Award.
In addition to his role in Peaky Blinders, Zephaniah appeared in The Bill and was a panelist on QI 2020.
The proud Brummie told the Birmingham Mail: “My name is Jeremiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders.
“The real character was known to everyone as Jimmy Jesus.
“He was a bit of a madman who walked the streets of Birmingham preaching hell and damned fire.
“The day we started shooting, and day two and day three, it was like, ‘Is this going to work?’
“Will people get this, a gangster thing set in Birmingham?
“I was the only one approached from Birmingham for the first series of Peaky Blinders.
“When they approached me I said ‘It’s good to have something from Birmingham’.”
FOLK POET
The writer started performing publicly as a teenager, but he published his first book only in 1980, when he was in his 20s.
This was after he got into trouble with the law and left Birmingham for London to change his life.
There he attended adult education courses and discovered that he was dyslexic.
Zephaniah said, “When I first learned to read and write, it was because I wanted to read my contract and not be cheated.
“At that moment I was really into reggae poetry and rap poetry.
“I thought all other poetry was written by dead white people talking about narcissists, and then someone showed me Shelley and I was like wow.
“And there was Burns, he used the beat, like a rapper of his time, using the language of ordinary people.
“Then I saw the connections and realized that poetry and novels are people trying to speak their truth.”
He added: “Everyone has their own personal journey and it’s very difficult to think about what would have happened if I was someone else.
“Sometimes people will say, ‘you dropped out of school at 13, got in trouble with the police and then had success, isn’t that wonderful?’
“And I say ‘should we take your kids out of school and put them in jail?’
“The truth is that only a handful of people come out the other side like I did.
“I went to adult education courses and found out I was dyslexic there. I still struggle and have word blocks.
“But I know, because of the work I do in prisons and institutions for young offenders, that young people who can’t read and write can’t get a job as easily as others because they can’t write forms or organize themselves.
“One of the reasons I get involved is because I want to inspire people.”
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Source: HIS Education