Taking it to the streets

wikipedia

Lowkey (born Kareem Dennis, 23 May 1986) is a English musician, poet, playwright and political activist of English and Iraqi descent. He first came to fame through a series of mixtapes he released before he was 18, before taking a hiatus from the music business. He would return in 2008 with wider music coverage, featured on BBC Radio  and appearing at various festivals and concerts including the Electric Proms, Glastonbury, T In The Park and Oxygen in the build up to his first solo album, as well as collaborating with other famous British musicians to form a supergroup.

Early lifeDennis was born in London to an Iraqi mother and an English father. From the age of twelve he began to rap, initially imitating American rappers but soon using his own accent. He began attending the open mic sessions which took place at the Deal Real record shop on Carnaby Street, Central London. The first time he went he introduced himself as Lowkey and was told there was already a regular there by that name; the two had a rap battle over the use of the name which Dennis won. He was stabbed at the age of 15, the wound severed two tendons and narrowly missed his ulnar artery. His older brother killed himself when Dennis was 18, he suffered from mental illness but was never diagnosed. Dennis has said that the loss of his brother taught him that some things can never make sense or be understood.


Lowkey: Israel is a terrorist state