• Latest
  • Trending
  • All

Stormzy prize winner wants to write for ‘next gen of black boys’

March 26, 2025

Armed police arrest man on small Orkney island

October 15, 2026

VisionQuest fans to meet Marvel villain from Wales, with Cardiff accent

October 15, 2026

Omagh Bombing Inquiry: ‘Fair chance’ bomb may have been prevented, senior officer tells inquiry

October 15, 2026

Australian woman charged with lacing colleague’s curry with snail poison

October 15, 2026

Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood attacker’s execution by firing squad

October 15, 2026

UK threatens visa bans for Eritrea over migrant return policy

October 15, 2026

At least 27 pupils and teacher killed after Pakistan school roof collapses

October 15, 2026

Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking oil refinery after Zelensky says strikes to resume

October 15, 2026

Brazil’s Congress approves shorter working week in win for Lula

October 15, 2026

Hundreds of IDF investigations into killings without public outcome, BBC Verify finds

October 15, 2026

US teenager appears in court over alleged Hindu temple shooting plot

October 15, 2026

NI health: Hospital doctors to strike as pay dispute continues

October 15, 2026
News
  • Login
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Worklife
  • Travel
  • Reel
  • Future
  • More
Thursday, October 15, 2026
No Result
View All Result

NEWS

3 °c
London
8 ° Wed
9 ° Thu
11 ° Fri
13 ° Sat
  • Home
  • Video
  • World
    • All
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East
    • US & Canada

    Australian woman charged with lacing colleague’s curry with snail poison

    Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood attacker’s execution by firing squad

    UK threatens visa bans for Eritrea over migrant return policy

    At least 27 pupils and teacher killed after Pakistan school roof collapses

    Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking oil refinery after Zelensky says strikes to resume

    Brazil’s Congress approves shorter working week in win for Lula

    Hundreds of IDF investigations into killings without public outcome, BBC Verify finds

    US teenager appears in court over alleged Hindu temple shooting plot

    Sydney teen charged with murder of boy who was shot in face

  • UK
    • All
    • England
    • N. Ireland
    • Politics
    • Scotland
    • Wales

    Armed police arrest man on small Orkney island

    VisionQuest fans to meet Marvel villain from Wales, with Cardiff accent

    Omagh Bombing Inquiry: ‘Fair chance’ bomb may have been prevented, senior officer tells inquiry

    Burnham had two hospitality dinners with Man City chairman, deleted records show

    Sussex time capsule celebrates 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh

    We are behind you and that will not change, PM tells Zelensky

    Swimmer Archie Goodburn thanks prime minister as brain cancer review announced

    Ji-sung Eom racist abuse: Millwall boss Alex Neil criticised for stoppage comments

    Waterford: Vigil held after murder of four family members

  • Business
    • All
    • Companies
    • Connected World
    • Economy
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Global Trade
    • Technology of Business

    Thousands of NI workers to get pay bump as Real Living Wage rises

    Netflix to shed 1,000 jobs in steepest cuts since 2022

    US inflation rises more than expected – here’s what is happening with prices

    Shropshire heating oil users face tough choices as prices rise

    Poundland in rescue talks as owners seek buyer

    Three things we’ve learnt about the UK economy from the IMF

    Cost-of-living struggles inspire new supermarket in Newcastle-under-Lyme

    Lego fraudster among last year’s most high-profile insurance scammers

    Healey faces £35bn Budget challenge to meet spending pledges, says think tank

  • Tech
  • Entertainment & Arts

    Meghan hits red carpet at Power of Women in Hollywood

    Margot Robbie unable to speak at Saltburn premiere

    Barbra Streisand: Siri can now pronounce my name

    Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel inspires cinema’s look

    Taylor Swift/ Travis Kelce romance reaches White House

    The Killers booed at Georgia concert after inviting Russian fan on stage

    Watch: Memorable moments from Parkinson's star-studded show

    Tom Jones: Neighbour surprised to find singer in flat below

    Black Country Folk Festival showcases local musicians

    Watch: Australians set new world record with Tina Turner dance

  • Science
  • Health
  • In Pictures
  • Reality Check
  • Have your say
  • More
    • Newsbeat
    • Long Reads

NEWS

No Result
View All Result
Home Newsbeat

Stormzy prize winner wants to write for ‘next gen of black boys’

March 26, 2025
in Newsbeat
7 min read
244 10
0
494
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Pria Rai and Andrew Rogers

BBC Newsbeat

Will Fahy Abaka Debrah, winner of the #Merky Books prize, smiling and wearing a grey top. Behind him is branding which reads "Merky Books" in white letters.Will Fahy

Abaka’s novel Where Geezers Call Home has won the New Writers’ Prize

When Abaka Debrah thinks about the future, he has one big mission in mind.

“I want to write for the next generation of young black boys,” he says.

His new novel Where Geezers Call Home is partly inspired by the UK riots last year, while also drawing on his own experiences of moving to the UK from Ghana aged two.

The book has just won the New Writers’ Prize on Stormzy’s #Merky Books label, with the story catching the attention of the judges, including the rapper himself.

They described the story as “a thrilling and shocking dystopian exploration of the complexities of race and identity, trust, and rebellion in modern British culture”.

This year there were over 700 submissions, with the contest – launched by Stormzy six years ago – aiming to increase access to the publishing industry for a wider range of voices.

‘Being British can feel like an ongoing battle’

Known as Abs to his friends, 25-year-old Abaka’s story shows a future where race riots lead to the United Nations (UN) taking over the UK government.

“It’s set in this alternative world where the UN steps in to implement strict laws where everyone has to be equal,” he says, describing it as a “wacky little story”.

But that doesn’t take away from some of the serious themes in the book, such as race relations in the UK.

“I love the UK but you also realise there’s a lot we need to do to not be oblivious of cracks and divides,” Abs says.

He thinks there’s a danger too many people sweep these issues under the rug.

“There’s this idea that everything is great in the UK and we all get along,” he says.

Will Fahy A group of 15 young writers, at an event, with Abaka standing in the middle. The backdrop is a black board with white writing which reads "#Merky Books"Will Fahy

There were over 700 submissions for the prize this year

The book draws on Abs’ childhood, with main character Xavier being relocated to Essex, where the author also moved as a kid.

It also incorporates some of his ideas of a more complicated identity, which he’s worked into his spoken word poetry.

“I’m from Ghana and I’ve lived here most of my life. What it means to be British is this ongoing battle,” Abs says.

“The UK is my home and I love the UK but I thinks sometimes for a lot of people who contribute a lot to this society they wonder if this place is really home.

“Or if it’s just an Airbnb they’re passing through.”

Abs hopes his book will help to inspire the next generation of writers, saying he didn’t get the chance to read many authors like him in school.

“It brings out representation and support for people not seen in traditional publishing.

“There’s so many great writers from marginalised communities not represented,” he says.

But he does feel there has been progress in the types of stories being told about minority communities.

Previous winners of #Merky Books prizes have included stories from Sufiyaan Salam, junior doctor William Rayfet Hunter, Hafsa Zayyan, Jyoti Patel and Monika Radojevic.

“We’re seeing a lot more media now about black love and black joy, instead of just black pain,” Abs adds.

A footer logo for BBC Newsbeat. It has the BBC logo and the word Newsbeat in white over a colorful background of violet, purple and orange shapes. At the bottom a black square reading "Listen on Sounds" is visible.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.



Source link

Tags: BlackboysGenPrizeStormzywinnerwrite

Related Posts

Raye hits back at ticket touts who took over Albert Hall sign-up

October 14, 2026
0

Raye has hit back at ticket touts who she says "overwhelmed" the sign-up process for an upcoming live show...

Fortnite-maker Epic Games confirms ‘huge pivot’ towards using AI

October 13, 2026
0

The announcement brings a fresh focus to the long-running debate around the role of AI in the creative and...

Carrie: Is Prime Video’s adaptation still relevant in 2026?

October 11, 2026
0

Adaptations, remakes and reboots are all the rage right now, and there’s often one question that crops up -...

  • Lee McGregor: Scot seeks world title in 2025 & Nathaniel Collins bout

    680 shares
    Share 272 Tweet 170
  • Belgian footballer arrested in cocaine investigation

    535 shares
    Share 214 Tweet 134
  • Next to raise prices to help pay for rising wage costs

    534 shares
    Share 214 Tweet 134
  • South Wales Police officers injured, one arrested

    526 shares
    Share 210 Tweet 132
  • ‘It stirred the people to breathless wonder and scalding abuse’: The tumultuous history of the Sydney Opera House

    521 shares
    Share 208 Tweet 130
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Lee McGregor: Scot seeks world title in 2025 & Nathaniel Collins bout

January 16, 2025

Belgian footballer arrested in cocaine investigation

January 27, 2025

Next to raise prices to help pay for rising wage costs

January 7, 2025

World Cup 2022: TikTok brings football fever to millions of fans

0

UK economy will get worse before it gets better, warns chancellor

0

One of Central America’s most active volcanoes erupts again

0

Armed police arrest man on small Orkney island

October 15, 2026

VisionQuest fans to meet Marvel villain from Wales, with Cardiff accent

October 15, 2026

Omagh Bombing Inquiry: ‘Fair chance’ bomb may have been prevented, senior officer tells inquiry

October 15, 2026

Categories

Scotland

Armed police arrest man on small Orkney island

October 15, 2026
0

A man has been arrested by armed police on an island in Orkney.Officers travelled from mainland Scotland to the...

Read more

VisionQuest fans to meet Marvel villain from Wales, with Cardiff accent

October 15, 2026
News

© 2023 GODJ - NEWS CORP - news.godj.com.

Explore NEWS.GODJ.COM

  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Worklife
  • Travel
  • Reel
  • Future
  • More

Follow Us

  • Home Main
  • Video
  • World
  • Top News
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Tech
  • UK
  • In Pictures
  • Health
  • Reality Check
  • Science
  • Entertainment & Arts
  • Login

© 2023 GODJ - NEWS CORP - news.godj.com.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.