Writing rap lyrics is much harder than you think - particularly when you’re living through a global pandemic.

Mark Grist, a 39-year-old Ex-English teacher & multi-award-winning poet, has been using his time in lockdown to learn how to rap. Along the way he’s interviewed some of the world’s greatest emcees & learnt lessons that have made him completely re-think his life.

Whether you're an aspiring rapper, a fan of the English language, or just interested in hearing an incredible story about fear, hope & the power of human connection, then this is the podcast for you.

Photo by Ed Brandon.
Thumbnail text by Dom Le-Hair from Paper Rhino

Mark meets with his series editor, Ross Sutherland, to discuss the past two and a half years of the Mark Can't Rap project. They share Mark's favourite tracks sent in from listeners & make some plans for the future.

Thanks so much for listening to this series, by the way. If you’ve enjoyed this a 5* review on Apple Podcasts would really help us out. Merry Christmas! : https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mark-cant-rap/id1464524312

The UK is out of lockdown again and this time things might stay that way. Mark is gigging but after a school booking he finds himself right back where he started.
Can Shasimone help him handle his nerves now the country is moving on?

Shasdimone’s back to sender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjx3br2wFy4&ab_channel=GRMDaily

and No Chaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLzsoSs_pCQ&ab_channel=GRMDaily

Mark arrives at Juxta’s determined to finish this banger. Using the advice given by Genesis Elijah they set to work & are both surprised by the results.

What do you think of what they made?

Would you be up for emailing Mark feedback?

Do you have some lyrics you’d like to share in the final episode?

If so, you can send messages/audio files at [email protected].
He'd love to hear from you.

It’s April 2021 and the UK is emerging from its second lengthy lockdown. Over the past four months we’ve had plenty of time to reflect & Mark has spent this time thinking about his writing. He’s realised that he often falls into the same routine when he writes - a pattern that runs deep and seems at odds with a lot of the rap he enjoys.

Fortunately, Genesis Elijah has a different way of looking at things - both as a writer and an independent artist.

The UK, having banned Christmas Day gatherings, is still deep in lockdown as 2021 begins. Mark has been stuck in his living room for 11 weeks straight now, live-streaming workshops in the middle of the night to pay the bills.
Struggling with self-doubt & feeling more isolated than ever before, he comes up with a plan. He just needs to find an audience.

Download Blizzard’s beats (FREE):
https://www.markgrist.com/blizzard-beats-to-download

Mark needs to find a beat that bangs if he’s going to write a ‘banger’ during lockdown. Fortunately, his old friend Blizzard is an expert when it comes to music production. They schedule a chat and Mark’s can’t wait. After all, Blizzard and Mark have history - they went head to head in a rap battle once that became the most viewed UK VS UK rap battle of all time.

Link to the Mark Grist V Blizzard rap battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp4wEewrQdU

It’s the autumn of 2020 and across the UK people are arguing - nobody can agree, it seems, on which rules to follow. Some are even denying that Covid exists.
Mark is getting angry. And frustrated. He’s trying to write a ‘banger’ but…where does he even start?
In turning to UK rap legend MysDiggi for help, Mark learns that the rules of rap (like the rules of lockdown) are never easy to agree on.

With each day in lockdown starting to feel the same, Mark is in need of an escape, or at least a way to keep motivated. Fortunately, he’s got an interview lined up with UK battle legend Lunar C. Lunar shares his own creative process & experiences at school & sets Mark two challenges. One challenge in particular seems impossible.

It’s now several weeks into the UK-wide lockdown & Mark has arranged an interview with fellow teacher & author Jeffrey Boakye.

As they chat, it becomes clear that the lack of rap in our curriculums is just the tip of a very complex iceberg. There are some difficult questions that Mark needs to ask himself.

With the lockdown extended, all live shows cancelled & the UK Prime Minister in & out of intensive care, Mark turns to an unconventional source of hope. One that, with each glimmer it brings, also reveals just how trapped he is. Will he ever find a way out?