The death of Benjamin Zephaniah, a writer and poet, occurred at the age of 65. He had been diagnosed with a brain tumor eight weeks before his passing.
It was confirmed that he passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning via a statement that was posted on his Instagram account.
Zephaniah’s wife “was with him throughout and was by his side when he passed away,” according to the statement the family released.
“We shared him with the world, and we know many will be shocked and saddened by this news,” the statement continued.
Benjamin Zephaniah was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham, but at the age of 22, he relocated to London and published his first book, which was titled Pen Rhythm.
Benjamin Zephaniah: Writer and poet dies aged 65
Jamaica had a significant impact on his work, and as Zephaniah’s reputation rose, he was credited with contributing to the introduction of dub poetry into the living rooms of the British.
Conversations with Turkeys, his first book for younger readers, was a tremendous success when it was published in 1994. He also wrote five novels and poetry for children. Talking Turkeys was his first book for younger readers.
During the anti-war event known as One Big No, which took place in 2003 at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, Zephaniah gave a performance on stage.
In addition to his profession as a writer, Zephaniah was also an actor. He made an appearance in the drama series Peaky Blinders created by the BBC between 2013 and 2022.
It is well known that Zephaniah turned down an honor that Queen Elizabeth II had offered him because he disagreed with the empire of Britain and its connections to slavery.
Indeed, Benjamin was a pioneer and an inventor in his field. According to the statement that was released to announce his passing, “He gave the world so much.”
“Through an amazing career including a huge body of poems, literature, music, television, and radio, Benjamin leaves us with a joyful and fantastic legacy.”
According to a statement released by the Black Writers’ Guild, which Benjamin Zephaniah was instrumental in establishing, “Our family of writers is in mourning at the loss of a deeply valued friend and a titan of British literature.” In addition to being a man of integrity, Benjamin was a model of how to live according to your principles.
Michael Rosen, a novelist, was among those who paid tribute. He expressed his sorrow by saying, “I am crushed. In addition to loving him, I admired him, respected him, and learned from him. I send my love and condolences to the family, as well as to everyone else who loved him.
Charlene White, a presenter for ITV News, wrote on her Instagram account, “Thank you for everything, Benjamin Zephaniah.”
Trevor Nelson, a broadcaster, shared the sad news of Benjamin Zephaniah’s passing and expressed his sorrow. It was too soon, and he had a lot more to contribute. He was too young. He possessed a special ability that was unmatched.
The musician and singer-songwriter Billy Bragg continued by saying, “I am deeply saddened to learn this news.” Our radical poet laureate was Benjamin Zephaniah, and he was a radical. Please rest in peace, my dear friend.
It was said on the X/Twitter account of the Premier League football club Aston Villa, which Zephaniah supported, that everyone at the club was “deeply saddened” by the news.
Having been a lifetime supporter of Aston Villa and having acted as an ambassador for the Aston Villa Football Club Foundation, Benjamin was recognized as one of the top fifty post-war writers in Britain in 2008. During this difficult time, we are keeping his family and friends in our thoughts.