A British rapper who toured with Eminem and an Australian music journalist are just two of the acts set to appear at Royston Arts Festival.
The festival – the biggest event in the town’s calendar – includes live music, arts and crafts, talks and film screenings all with this year’s theme, voyages of discovery.
Hip-hop artist Blade, who cites Run DMC among his inspirations, will be talking about his life and experiences touring with Eminem at the screening of 8-Mile at Steeple Morden Village Hall on Thursday at 7pm.
The film is based on the difficult upbringing of the ‘Lose Yourself’ artist, and his struggles being a white rapper attempting to launch a career within a genre dominated by African Americans.
Blade told the Crow: “I shared a stage with Eminem during the time 8-Mile was being filmed, it was released a year after we toured.
“I saw his struggles shown in the film, first hand, I can relate to what he went through.”
Blade – who was born in Iran and raised in Britain – will also be delivering an assembly and songwriting workshop at Meridian School about careers in music, with his son who is in the early stages of his own rap career.
“I want to get across the reality of the music industry to the children, what is required of them if they really want to pursue their dream,” he said.
“Being a musician is like being a soldier, you need the hunger and the soul to do it. It’s a tough competition out there.”
Another exciting talk will be delivered by Andrew Mueller. The writer of Rock and Hard Places will be speaking at a Q&A with journalist Angus Batey about his books and career on Saturday at Royston Library, from 7.30pm.
Andrew began as a rock journalist and went onto report from 80 countries as a travel and foreign correspondent. The book is a collection of his journalism.
He said: “I enjoy the thrill of the job, how you have the licence to turn up to people’s houses, explore strange places, war zones and trouble spots to find out what makes people tick.”
He is keen to find out what Royston readers think of his books, which will also be available to purchase at the event.
For more information on Royston Arts Festival, which has been organised by Creative Royston, go to www.creativeroyston.org.
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