By Maria Bregman
Benjamin Zephaniah, who left us on December 2023 at the age of 65, was a poet, a Peaky Blinder, and a people’s laureate. He was one of the most influential and celebrated writers of his generation, who used his words and his voice to challenge injustice, racism, and oppression. He was also a charismatic actor, who played the role of Jeremiah Jesus, a preacher and an ally of the Shelby family, in the hit BBC series Peaky Blinders.
Zephaniah was born and raised in Birmingham, England, the son of Caribbean immigrants. He left school at 13, unable to read or write, and became involved in street politics and music. He was influenced by the poetry and culture of Jamaica, and by the Rastafari movement, which he embraced as his faith and identity. He began performing his poems at local events, and soon gained a reputation as a young poet who could speak on local and international issues. He moved to London at 22, where he published his first book, Pen Rhythm, in 1980.
Zephaniah’s poetry was political, musical, radical, and relevant. He blended the rhythms of reggae and dub with the language of the streets and the people. He addressed topics such as racism, police brutality, colonialism, war, poverty, and animal rights. He also celebrated his heritage, his culture, and his love for life. He performed his poems on demonstrations, in prisons, in schools, and on television. He released several albums and books, and collaborated with musicians such as Bob Marley, The Wailers, and Sinéad O’Connor.
Zephaniah was also a prolific writer of fiction, especially for young adults. He wrote novels such as Face, Refugee Boy, and Gangsta Rap, which dealt with issues such as identity, violence, and immigration. He also wrote plays, such as De Botty Business, which satirized the beauty industry, and Dread Poets’ Society, which featured four Rastafarian poets in a mental hospital. He also wrote children’s books, such as We Are Britain, which celebrated the diversity of British society, and Funky Chickens, which introduced poetry to a younger audience.
Zephaniah was not only a writer, but also an actor. He appeared in several films and TV shows, such as Farendj, Exodus, and Doctor Who. His most notable role was in Peaky Blinders, the crime drama set in 1900s Birmingham, where he played Jeremiah Jesus, a street preacher and a friend of Tommy Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders gang. Zephaniah brought his charisma, his humour, and his authenticity to the role, and became a fan favourite. He appeared in 14 episodes of the show, from 2013 to 2022.
Zephaniah was also a passionate activist and a humanitarian. He supported various causes, such as animal rights, veganism, environmentalism, and anti-racism. He was involved in campaigns such as Stop the War Coalition, Fairtrade Foundation, and Amnesty International. He also founded the Benjamin Zephaniah Trust, which supported young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue their creative talents. He was offered an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2003, but he declined it, saying that he was opposed to the idea of empire and its legacy of slavery and oppression.
Zephaniah was a poet of the people and a Peaky Blinder. He was a voice of resistance and a voice of hope. He was a man of many talents and a man of many causes. He was a legend and a hero. He will be missed and remembered by millions of fans and admirers around the world. As he wrote in one of his poems, “Don’t mourn me too long / Celebrate my life / It was nothing without you / Remember me and smile”.
