Ghostpoet looks forward to Oxford's Common People festival + WIN tickets

GHOSTPOET confounds everyone's image of the brash hip-hop star.

While most rappers are only too ready to 'big themselves up' and blow their own trumpet, this softly-spoken gentleman talks quietly and sparingly.

If I didn't know better I might think he is hungover, gloomy or simply unfriendly.

"I am just being me," says the artist, real name Obaro Ejimiwe.

"It's important to talk about emotions. It's cathartic – but more like a spa treatment than a bonfire."

Obaro's deeply personal style, slightly off-key voice and keenly observed vignettes of modern urban British life has endeared him to fans. His debut Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam and most recent, third, album Shedding Skin (featuring appearances by Nadine Shah, Etta Bond, Mélanie De Biasio, Lucy Rose and Paul Smith) were both nominated for Mercury Prizes. The beats are down-tempo, touching on low-key trip-hop; the lyrics are introspective and talk of hardship, loneliness and small pleasures; while his moodily-lit videos show him wandering around street-lit high-rise housing estates – in one case with a mug of tea – or are filmed on tube trains, night buses, in greasy spoon cafes and pubs.

With his large-framed glasses and penchant for hats, he cuts a distinctive figure, his gentle humour hidden behind downbeat lyrics and horizontal grooves.

"There's something of me in my music, but it's not about me," he says. "It's not confessional. It's made to let go of things and have the opportunity to do things. I want to talk about things everyone goes through, good or bad. It's purging, getting rid of information I have soaked up over time."

Songs touchon mistakes and missed opportunities, relationships and issues of identity. There's no bombast or glamour.

"It's a snapshot of what's going on in my world, or the world or a combination of both," says the London-born and Coventry-educated 33 year-old.

"It's getting rid of chapters of my life," he goes on. "I love artists who are not afraid to put their emotions out there to see – people like Nick Cave, Patti Smith and Jarvis Cocker. And that's where it comes from.

"What I define as good music, is music that moves me.

"I am not doing this to achieve record sales. I want to evolve as an artist. I don't see the point turning out the same stuff every time. How do you keep yourself motivated and intrigued as an artist? You've got to try and push it. I am not trying to re-invent the wheel, but keep myself interested."

And what is his greatest achievement so far? "My memory is bad, and it's hard to recall everything," he says, with a little chuckle.

"I had no formal musical training, but I am a massive listener and hobbyist in terms of music production, so just having a record out for people to purchase was the greatest achievement.

"I needed to release a record. I realised this was the path for me."

His music comes comes across as poetry, though Obaro shrugs that off. "I would never call myself a poet; I'm a mediocre songwriter at best," he deadpans.

Still, he admits it resonates with listeners way beyond London – or Coventry.

"I've been lucky enough to travel to a lot of places around the world and see people get into my stuff, if not on a language level, then on a musical level. I'm trying to be a world citizen and make music that you can get into wherever you come from."

Next weekend he heads to Common People, a new festival taking shape in Oxford's South Park. He joins an eclectic bill rich in hip-hop in all its glorious forms. Also appearing are pioneers of the genre Public Enemy and Sugarhill Gang, urban star Craig David, and Soul II Soul. Of course it's more than just hip-hop and soul, with headline sets by new romantic icons Duran Duran and indie-rockers Primal Scream, and shows by Katy B, Chas and Dave, and our own Gaz Coombes, among many others. Oh.. and the Chuckle Brothers.

"I have played a few festivals," says Obaro. So does he like them, or prefer the captive audience of a regular gig? "I like both. They each have good and bad points, but it is nice to play to a big audience, and certainly a more random one. The audience always enjoys it and are up for a good time. Maybe they are not punching the air, but people have an impression of what I am like on record, and are pleasantly surprised."

When he played Wilderness festival, near Charlbury, he delighted fans by coming down to the pit barrier after the show to talk to the crowd and pose for selfies.

"I've never felt the need for a barrier between artist and audience," he says. "I'm lucky to be on stage and don't feel different to anybody else.

"It's nice to chat, and the beauty of festivals is coming across people who want to say hello."

And he is looking forward to next weekend. "It should be great fun," he says.

"It's all about putting on a show; about great musicianship, effort and passion – and that's what we do, and people can connect to that.

"If you are playing for an audience who have paid to come to a festival, you've got to put on the best show you can. I don't put pressure on and try to win people over – but if they do, that's great.

"At festivals there is so much stuff going on at the same time, and more than anything, people just want to enjoy it!"

WIN!

Festival founder Rob da Bank has FIVE pairs of tickets for Common People, to give away to readers of the Oxford Mail Guide

All you have to do to win a pair of tickets is to tell us the name of Ghostpoet's second album.

Send your answer to:

Common People competition, The Oxford Mail Guide, Newspaper House, Newsquest Oxfordshire, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0EJ.

Or email tim.hughes@nqo.com

Answers must be received by midday on Monday, May 23. Usual rules apply. The editor's decision is final.

Check commonpeople.net/ for more information and ticket details.