Birmingham born Benjamin Zephaniah divided his early years between the district of Handsworth, and the tropics of Jamaica. Having left school aged 13 because of his dyslexia, Zephaniah gained a reputation amongst his community as a young poet able to speak about local and international issues. He attracted wider public interest through performances at political gatherings and his many television appearances throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He was the first to perform with The Wailers following Bob Marley's death, and at Nelson Mandela's request, Zephaniah hosted the President's Two Nations concert at the Royal Albert Hall in July 1996.