Image Text:

FOR THE CULTURE: Stormzy

RAPPER STORMZY is venturing into the literary world.

The Croydon-born MC has announces the launch of #Merky Books - a publishing imprint with Penguin Random House.

This will be part of a growing #Merky empire, which already encompasses a record label and music festival, and Stormzy said he was “super proud” of the collaboration.

“We will be using this as a platform for young writers to become published authors,” he wrote on Instagram. “I know too many talented writers that don’t always have an outlet or a means to get their work seen and hopefully #Merky Books can now be a reference point for them to say ‘I can be an author’ and for that to be a realistic and achievable goal.”

"Reading and writing as a kid was integral to where I am today,” he continues, “and I from the bottom of my heart cannot wait to hear your stories, your poems, your novels, your sci-fis and then getting them out into the big wide world.” He also announced there will be paid internships at the imprint.

The first book #Merky Books will publish is by Stormzy himself, titled Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far.