‘Kingdom Rapper’ has spoken of his local pride after his song ‘0115’ premiered to significant acclaim during BBC Two’s coverage of Trent Bridge’s opening fixture in The Hundred.
The rapper, whose real name is Benje Howard, filmed the performance, which hails the rich cultural heritage of Nottingham.
The video was filmed at a selection of famous landmarks and cultural epicentres ranging from Trent Bridge to Wollaton Hall.
“Nottingham is a great city with so much going for it,” he said.
“We have champions, we have great sporting institutions, we have landmarks, the people are friendly and it’s a great location for tourists.
“If people around the country didn’t know already about the great things we have in Nottingham, they definitely do now.
“It was nice to do a piece for the city and have so many people rating it and sharing it. I’m taken aback by the reaction. It’s all gone a little bit crazy.”
The 35-year-old, who had previously performed on BBC Radio Nottingham’s BBC Music Introducing, spoke in glowing terms about the new found synergy between his genre of music and cricket.
“I didn’t think rapping and cricket went together, but, with The Hundred, the sport is reaching out to a different demographic and getting younger people involved,” he said.
“I love the format. It’s got cricket looking pretty hip right now, so maybe rapping and cricket do go hand in hand!
“Lord willing it carries on and people will have an awareness of how good a sport it is and how fun it can be to watch.”
The Hundred is an action-packed new cricket competition being played across eight venues during the height of summer, with matchdays comprising both a women’s and a men’s fixture.
The Trent Rockets men’s team have opened the tournament with three consecutive wins, with Alex Hales inspiring a dramatic victory over Northern Superchargers at Trent Bridge on Monday evening.
The 100-ball action in Nottingham now pauses while Nottinghamshire’s historic cricketing home plays host to England’s LV= Insurance Test Series opener against India starting on Wednesday 4 August.
The Hundred will return for Trent Rockets versus Birmingham Phoenix on Friday 13 August, followed two days later by the home side’s clash against Manchester Originals, with tickets available from TheHundred.com.
City Council Leader, Cllr David Mellen, said: “Nottingham people are rightly proud of their city and this comes through loud and clear in this rap.
“Trent Bridge puts Nottingham on a worldwide stage and it’s fantastic that Kingdom Rapper has used that stage to literally sing Nottingham’s praises.
“The references to everything from sporting successes and cultural highlights to culinary delights and local landmarks are brilliant and instantly recognisable to anyone who knows and loves Nottingham.”
Kinga Kapias, Marketing and Communications Manager at Visit Nottinghamshire, added: “Nottingham is a city with stories worth telling and the ‘0115’ song by ‘Kingdom Rapper’ is a fantastic way to tell some of those stories and showcase Nottingham’s gems and visitor offer.
“Nottingham is buzzing with life, with new experiences around every corner – and it’s waiting to be discovered.”
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