Kae Tempest

Kae Tempest is a spoken word performer, rapper, poet, novelist and playwright from Brockley, London. Born in 1985, Tempest begins as a rapper and spends several years on the spoken word circuit before working across poetry, music, fiction and theatre.

Work in music and spoken word

Tempest performs and records under the name Kae Tempest and is associated with hip hop, political hip hop and spoken word. Early music includes Balance, the first album with the band Sound of Rum. Tempest later releases the debut solo album Everybody Down on Big Dada and Ninja Tune; it is produced by Dan Carey and is nominated for the Mercury Prize. In 2016, Tempest releases Let Them Eat Chaos, which also appears in book form through Picador and receives another Mercury Prize nomination. The fourth studio album, The Book of Traps and Lessons, follows in 2019.

Poetry and theatre

Tempest publishes the first poetry collection, Everything Speaks in its Own Way, on the Zingaro imprint, with a CD and DVD of live performance. A second poetry collection follows in 2014 through Picador. Tempest also writes GlassHouse, a forum theatre play for Cardboard Citizens, and the plays Wasted, published by Methuen Drama, and Hopelessly Devoted for Paines Plough. The epic poem Brand New Ancients wins the Ted Hughes Prize for innovation in poetry and a Herald Angel Award, and is published by Picador. It tours nationally and later draws wider attention after a sold-out run at St Anne’s Warehouse in Brooklyn and a strong New York Times review.

Novels, commissions and collaborations

Tempest’s debut novel, The Bricks That Built The Houses, is published by Bloomsbury in 2016, becomes a Sunday Times bestseller, and wins the Books Are My Bag Best Breakthrough Author Award. Tempest also receives commissions from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Amnesty International, Barnardo’s and Channel 4 Television. Musical collaborations include work with producer duo letthemusicplay on Our Town, with Speedy Wunderground on Hot Night Cold Spaceship, and with Sinéad O’Connor, Damien Dempsey and Bastille.

Recognition and performances

Tempest performs at Glastonbury and at major UK festivals, as well as internationally. They sell out the Old Vic Theatre in London for the launch of Everything Speaks... and appear frequently on BBC television and radio performing poetry. In 2017, Tempest curates the Brighton Festival. They are nominated for Best British Female Solo Performer at the 2018 Brit Awards. Tempest’s song “People’s Faces” is later used in a Facebook commercial.