Obaro Eijimiwe (aka Ghostpoet) is from South East London, and his family tree takes him to Dimica & Nigeria. He went to Coventry University and although he didn’t study music (he went for a film and editing degree), he put on club nights in the town and was making and performing music in the form of a grime / MC collective for a couple of years.
That fizzled after few years and Ghostpoet moved back to London, where he was signed to Brownswood Recordings. Since then he’s been quickly rising the ranks on the music scene here in the UK.
2011 has seen live performances around the country, a string of festival dates and widespread radio support, as well as a well-deserved Mercury Music Prize nomination for his debut album “Peanut Butter Blues and Melacncholy Jam”. He didn’t win but it’s still confirmation that this album has make a positive mark in 2011.
He cites influences ranging from Fela Kuti to Radiohead to the UK Grime scene, pirate radio and everyday life. The album is in my top ten of the year!
And a Ghostpoet remix of Metronomy.
And earlier this year, he worked with UK MC Kano to remix his own track “Carry Me Home,” which you can stream and download here
Ghostpoet – Cash & Carry Me Home (feat. Kano) by ghostpoet
( Love From London is an ongoing series where correspondents Alex Kenning and Izzy Lawrence introduce us to bands generating excitement across the pond.)