Stormzy is a multi-award-winning musician who hails from South London, England. His three albums to date; ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’, ‘Heavy Is The Head’ and ‘This Is What I Mean’ all finished at #1 in the UK album chart, with the former two subsequently being nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. 

His remarkable ascent has been accompanied by his honest and relatable character. A true spokesman of black empowerment and social activism, Stormzy is one of the UK’s most inspiring figureheads who has consistently stood up for people from all areas of life; encouraging his fans and listeners alike to speak openly about their beliefs and fight for their rights. 

In July 2018, he announced #Merky Books, an imprint within Penguin Random House UK, dedicated to publishing the best new fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and in August 2018 he announced ‘The Stormzy Scholarship’, an annual studentship to fund black British students to go to the University of Cambridge. Since its launch, the scholarship has supported six Black students through their Cambridge education and - in addition to their contribution in 2021 - earlier this year HSBC UK pledged a further £2m in funding (total of £4m 2021-26), and is expanding its mentorship and internship opportunities for Black Heritage students. In June 2020, he announced the launch of his charity, #Merky Foundation, to which he pledged £10 million, over 10 years, to organisations, charities and movements that are committed to fighting racial inequality, justice reform and black empowerment within the UK. In November 2022, Stormzy announced the launch of his collaborative venture with Adidas titled #Merky FC; a programme committed to enhancing and protecting diverse representation within the football industry.

In August, the award-winning rapper teamed up with All Points East (APE) festival for his own headlining day, “This Is What We Mean Day” featuring a full day of artists curated by Stormzy and APE. The festival, which took place at Victoria Park in London, included performances from Kehlani, Sampha, Knucks, Lucky Daye, WSTRN, Ms Banks, The No Signal Stage and more.