Otis Mensah is a British alternative hip-hop and spoken word artist. Mensah was the inaugural Poet Laureate of Sheffield."Hip-hop artist Otis Mensah to be Sheffield's first poet laureate", BBC News, 2 October 2018
Career Mensah has described their work as a means of challenging dominant models of masculinity, which they claim suppress the discussion of emotions, with negative consequences for mental health."Sheffield's first hip-hop poet laureate: 'gone are the days of tradition'", The Guardian, 23 November 2018
As a hip-hop artist, Mensah has performed at the BBC Music Introducing Stage at Glastonbury Festival,"Otis Mensah at Glastonbury 2017", BBC Music Introducing, 23 June 2017 XJAZZ, We Out Here, and Fusion Festival. Their lyrics combine playful imagery and unconventional symbolism, often accompanied by boom bap instrumentals."Otis Mensah", The Academy of Contemporary Music"Otis Mensah", No Bounds Festival
In November 2018, Magid Magid, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, appointed Mensah as Poet Laureate of Sheffield."Hip-hop artist to become Sheffield's first poet laureate", The Star, 3 October 2018 Mensah stated that they wish to use the position to "break down barriers" and change "elitism attached to poetry."
In March 2025, Mensah released their debut studio album titled before the noise my cousin"Reflections on Wax | Femdelic, Otis Mensah & The Intern", Refuge Worldwide, 14 March 2025 with frequent producer and collaborator, the intern. The album had guest features from rappers Blu, Speech (of Arrested Development) and Lando Chill.
Discography
Studio Albums Title Release details before the noise my cousin • Released: March 14, 2025 • Format: Digital download, vinyl • Label: Self-released Come Beautify The Night • Release Date: November 13, 2026 • Format: Digital download, vinyl • Label: First Terrace Records, Part & Parcel Records
Extended Plays Title Release details Blancmange Lounge Sessions • Released: 15 December 2017 • Format: Digital download • Label: Self-released Mum's House Philosopher • Released: November 16, 2018 • Format: Digital download, CD • Label: Self-released Rap Poetics • Released: October 25, 2019 • Format: Digital download, CD • Label: Self-released things I should have said a year ago • Released: May 3, 2022 • Format: Digital download • Label: Self-released WINTERSKIN • Released: October 5, 2023 • Format: Digital download • Label: Lekker Collective small town otis • Released: March 26, 2026 • Format: Digital download • Label: Part & Parcel Records
Mixtapes Title Release details Days Over Damson • Released: February 5, 2016 • Format: Digital download, CD • Label: Self-released
Singles "Aurora" (2017) "Shadows X Void" (2017) "Creep & Crawl" (2017) "Free the Slaves" (2017) "Oh Jane" (2018) "Sanctified" (2018) "Solitude" (2018) "Float" (2018) (with Isaac Hopes) "Breath of Life" (2020) (with Hemlock Ernst) "Internet Cafe" (2020) "No Record Store Day" (2020) "The Thinks" (2020) "Troglodyte Jazz" (2021) "Like A Dog" (2021) "Garden of Eden" (2021) "Tumbleweeds" (2021) "SWELL" (2021) "Black Box" (2022) "Aurora Borealis" (2022) "Colour of Sunshine" (2024) "Tenderness and Cruelty" (2024) (with seigfried komidashi) "before the noise my cousin" (2025) (with the intern) "Silverfish" (2025) (with the intern) "twenty one weeks" (2026) (with seigfried komidashi) "slow dance" (2026) (with seigfried komidashi) "the night was wet and enduring" (2026) (featuring LIE NING)
Bibliography In 2020, Mensah published their debut poetry collection Safe Metamorphosis through Prototype Publishing.Prototype Publishing – Safe Metamorphosis, Prototype Publishing UK
A revised second edition was released in 2023.
Title Publication details Safe Metamorphosis (1st edition) • Published: 15 June 2020 • Publisher: Prototype Publishing Ltd. • Format: Paperback • Safe Metamorphosis (2nd revised edition) • Published: 2023 • Publisher: Prototype Publishing Ltd. • Format: Paperback •
References
External links