Otis Mensah

Otis Mensah is a British alternative hip-hop and spoken word artist. He was the inaugural Poet Laureate of Sheffield.

Career

Mensah has described his work as a means of challenging dominant models of masculinity, which he claims suppress the discussion of emotions, with negative consequences for mental health.

As a hip-hop artist, Mensah has performed at the BBC Music Introducing Stage at Glastonbury Festival. His lyrics combine playful imagery and unconventional symbolism, often accompanied by boom bap instrumentals.

In November 2018, Magid Magid, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, appointed Mensah as Poet Laureate of Sheffield. Mensah stated that he wishes to use the position to "break down barriers" and change "elitism attached to poetry."