Otis Mensah

Otis Mensah is a British-born, Berlin-based writer and interdisciplinary artist whose work spans across fields of literature and sound, exploring the aesthetic fabric of language and cadence to evoke ethereal portraits of the body, family and race. Drawing from a rich lineage of Black musicality that informs their poetic-sonic practice, Otis derives multidimensional text from childhood, dreaming and nature. By queering and subverting biblical scripture and parable, Otis’ work exercises magical realism that strives to muddy the waters of memory and archival material. Following Otis’ tenure as the first Poet Laureate of Sheffield, UK, their first collection of poetry Safe Metamorphosis was published by Prototype London, 2020. Safe Metamorphosis aims to challenge dominant modes of masculinity, and disrupt the elitism of poetry through its accessible, honest and intimate language, exploring coming-of-age transformation with rhythm and musicality on the page. ‘As the first Hip-Hop artist to be awarded a poet laureate title in the UK, Otis wants to use the position to break down barriers, smash the stuffy stereotype, and remind people that poetry is meant to be for the people.’ – The Guardian Otis’ writing explores where varying identities meet at intersections of Blackness and queerness, interrogating the presence of Christianity and ‘The Church’ within the context of Black britishness and archival depictions of Black british life pre 19th century. The poems centre ways in which Black people have reclaimed and decolonized Christian practices of prayer, praise and worship within ‘The Black Church’ through notions of ‘being in the spirit’, a concept divergent from Anglican theology, centring joy and musicality. Otis has read their work at Glastonbury Music Festival and performed alongside the likes of Moor Mother, Benjamin Zephaniah and Little Simz. Whilst their written work has appeared in public display across Europe and has been published alongside poets such as Malika Booker, John Agard and Raymond Antrobus. Recent publishings include the TOGETHERNESS Poetry Anthology with Archive Books, 2025.