Stormzy prize winner needs to jot down for 'subsequent gen of black boys'

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. — Abaka’s novel The place Geezers Name Residence has gained the New Writers’ Prize

When Abaka Debrah thinks in regards to the future, he has one large mission in thoughts.

“I need to write for the subsequent technology of younger black boys,” he says.

His new novel The place Geezers Name House is partly impressed by the UK riots final yr, whereas additionally drawing on his personal experiences of shifting to the UK from Ghana aged two.

The e book has simply gained the New Writers’ Prize on Stormzy’s #Merky Books label, with the story catching the eye of the judges, together with the rapper himself.

They described the story as “an exciting and surprising dystopian exploration of the complexities of race and id, belief, and rebel in fashionable British tradition”.

This yr there have been over 700 submissions, with the competition – launched by Stormzy six years in the past – aiming to extend entry to the publishing trade for a wider vary of voices.

‘Being British can really feel like an ongoing battle’

Often called Abs to his buddies, 25-year-old Abaka’s story exhibits a future the place race riots result in the United Nations (UN) taking up the UK authorities.

“It is set on this different world the place the UN steps in to implement strict legal guidelines the place everybody must be equal,” he says, describing it as a “wacky little story”.

However that does not take away from a number of the severe themes within the e book, corresponding to race relations within the UK.

“I really like the UK however you additionally realise there’s rather a lot we have to do to not be oblivious of cracks and divides,” Abs says.

He thinks there is a hazard too many individuals sweep these points underneath the rug.

“There’s this concept that every part is nice within the UK and all of us get alongside,” he says.

There have been over 700 submissions for the prize this yr

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" — There have been over 700 submissions for the prize this yr

The e book attracts on Abs’ childhood, with most important character Xavier being relocated to Essex, the place the creator additionally moved as a child.

It additionally incorporates a few of his concepts of a extra difficult id, which he is labored into his spoken phrase poetry.

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

“The UK is my residence and I really like the UK however I thinks generally for lots of people who contribute rather a lot to this society they marvel if this place is basically residence.

“Or if it is simply an Airbnb they’re passing by.”

Abs hopes his e book will assist to encourage the subsequent technology of writers, saying he did not get the prospect to learn many authors like him in class.

“It brings out illustration and help for individuals not seen in conventional publishing.

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

However he does really feel there was progress within the forms of tales being informed about minority communities.

Earlier winners of #Merky Books prizes have included tales from Sufiyaan Salam, junior physician William Rayfet Hunter, Hafsa Zayyan, creator of We Are All Birds of Uganda, and Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

“We’re seeing much more media now about black love and black pleasure, as a substitute of simply black ache,” Abs provides.