Speaking for the first time about coming out as non-binary, the hip-hop poet and playwright recalls the pain of adolescence, and how lyricism, rapping and music provided a lifeline

Kae Tempest is perched at a table outside a station-side cafe, playing with a cigarette. Murphy, Tempest’s alaskan malamute, stirs as I approach, and on clocking me, Tempest returns the cigarette – still unlit – to their chest pocket. For years, Tempest’s long curly barnet was a trademark look. Today, though, wearing white trainers, upturned jeans and a turquoise jacket, their hair is short, a neat fade that, Tempest says, they still occasionally catch themselves admiring.

We are meeting to take a walk in Catford, south-east London, at Tempest’s request; a corner of the capital they’ve called home since childhood. A prolific poet, author and recording artist, Tempest has spent the best part of a decade touring the globe, but something has always pulled them back here. People ask why I’ve stuck around,” they say. “It’s because I feel so close to this place, and the people I’ve known my whole life here.” Tempest, now 36, has never felt a need to escape.

Continue reading…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Leaving burnout behind: the pain and pleasure of starting a new career in my 50s

I spent 30 years as a journalist before deciding to become a…

How type 2 diabetes can remain hidden | Letter

Dr David Griffith points out that the lack of symptoms for type…

Twitter down for more than an hour around world

Site unavailable for users in latest technical difficulty suffered by site since…