Campaigns Blog

Interview with Ibrahim Sincere

Ibrahim Sincere is a young rapper/poet from London, and member of the group 'OntheD'. He propagates a message of revolution, spirituality and activism through his music in an intellectual and unique way.

Also set to study Actuarial in September with AAA at A-Level, the future looks promising, especially after opening at Lowkey's recent album launch in Manchester, where Ibrahim got a buzzing response from the crowd. He has recently released an online video to the song 'Rise Up' on Youtube, with more to come... So search that up and watch this space! We talked to Ibrahim following our live chat session about his work – here’s what he had to say:

When did you start writing poetry?

I started writing spiritual/revolutionary poetry and rap style pieces when I was about 16 and I'm 19 now.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by everything I see and have seen happen around me on a local scale, as well as what happens every day on a global scale. Religion and history also inspire my work.

What would you like to achieve with your poetry?

I'd like to bring a change to the world before I leave. I would like to achieve this by inspiring people with my words.  

Is there a difference between poetry and rap?

'RAP' - stands for Rhythm and Poetry, so all it is, is poetry confined by a specific rhythm and structure. I guess the main difference is that poetry is not confided to a specific rhyming pattern whereas rap perhaps is.

When did you write your first piece?

I don't even remember sometime when I was about 16...

Do you prefer writing or performing?

They both go hand in hand; I like to perform what I write, so that the people are able to see the emotion and passion behind the speech. This is an important element of being a poet as it gives you the opportunity for others to listen to your work. It also improves your quality of work as it gives the audience a chance to provide feedback.

Follow Ibrahim on twitter - @ibrahimsincere to keep up to date with all his latest releases!