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Archive 1

Open University

List of Open University people notes that Zephaniah is alumni of the OU. Does anyone know what he studied, and what qualification (if any) he obtained? It would be nice to have it in the article. Oliver Keenan 17:04, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

Birthplace

Was he born in Handsworth or Coleshill? Both are mentioned as his birthplace in the article. Millbanks (talk) 14:26, 2 February 2009 (UTC)

I saw the great man's show last night and he assured us that he was born in Coleshill Warwickshire, and this is on his birth certificate and passport. Check his autobiography, it's all there.

The Raw Edge article cited above quotes him as saying that he was born in Handsworth. Millbanks (talk) 21:16, 10 February 2009 (UTC)

School

"As a dyslexic, he attended an approved school" link added to show why this is an odd sentence. Rich Farmbrough, 04:38, 19 August 2009 (UTC).

Prison

This is a page for discussion of the article and for suggestions on how to improve it, not to sprout forth with opinions on its subject matter.FrFintonStack 17:21, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

Yes but we should add that he went to prison as a youth. I have added it with a source and he is very opening about this I know as I have heard him talk about it on the radio, SqueakBox 17:27, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
That's fine, but these things need to be referenced, and the talk page is not the place for bashing the subject matter, in the manner of the contributors above.FrFintonStack 01:41, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

He had a sister

Why doesn't the front page list his prison time? the article seems to lack any objectivity, it reads like a tribute article for a saint. Here is a ref http://www.benjaminzephaniah.com/content/182.php someone include it. Sams37 (talk) 02:38, 23 June 2008 (UTC)
Wikipedia belongs to us all: why don't you edit it? It's not up to 'someone else' to implement your ideas. --Wally Tharg (talk) 11:46, 31 December 2012 (UTC)

Biko the Greatness

Hi, my name is jo and i am doing an exam for which i need some info on Stephen Biko as in the poem Biko the Greatness by Zephaniah. can anyone help? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.155.208.232 (talk) 13:20, 16 May 2007 (UTC).

Might I suggest your request is better suited to Yahoo!Answers? This is an encyclopedia, not a Q&A or discussion forum. --Wally Tharg (talk) 11:46, 31 December 2012 (UTC)

Huge fan

Unconstructive comment deleted. --Wally Tharg (talk) 11:46, 31 December 2012 (UTC)

Cannabis and Rastafar

We need more than Zephaniah's word that Rastas dont normally smoke cannabis. He clearly mentions it in the ref'd article cos most ppl assume that rastas do smoke cannabis, thus the fact that he doesnt but is a Rasta is relevant. Thanks, ♫ SqueakBox talk contribs 01:01, 28 October 2012 (UTC)

Agreed: you need more than a sample of one to generalize about the behaviour of a population! Has anyone done any peer-reviewed research on this? --Wally Tharg (talk) 11:46, 31 December 2012 (UTC)

This article is eulogy, not objectivity

Again, the article as it stands reads like a case for canonization, not an objective description of the man’s strengths and weaknesses. However, I’m a scientist and not a literature buff – the article needs to include some objective criticism, as pointed out by several others on the discussion page. Zephaniah is a controversial figure, and like other such people there needs to be a 'criticism' section or similar. --Wally Tharg (talk) 11:46, 31 December 2012 (UTC)

Mentioned on Mark Steele’s programme

The comedian Mark Steele mentioned that he had a telephone conversation with Benjamin Zephaniah on his Radio Four programme "In Town Tonight" on December 12 2012 - given that he played a tape of the telephone conversation on the article, should this go in the article? ACEOREVIVED (talk) 19:38, 12 December 2012 (UTC)

Why is it notable? Span (talk) 19:41, 12 December 2012 (UTC)
Perhaps more notably, Zephaniah is often asked to be a guest editor on Radio 4’s Today programme, as he was again today. --Wally Tharg (talk) 11:49, 31 December 2012 (UTC)

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Semi-protected edit request on 5 April 2016

Real name Winston E Stringer Sheenaisaheadbanger (talk) 09:22, 5 April 2016 (UTC)

Not done: as you have not cited reliable sources to back up your request, without which no information should be added to, or changed in, any article. - Arjayay (talk) 10:49, 5 April 2016 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 4 August 2016

An addition to Benjamin Zephaniah's page. In the chapter of Books, subsection of Novels, a book was missed out. It is called Terror Kid and it was published by Bloomsbury in 2014.

Damolaman (talk) 15:34, 4 August 2016 (UTC)

Done — Andy W. (talk · ctb) 23:58, 4 August 2016 (UTC)

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Semi-protected edit request on 4 May 2018

Add that Zephaniah has stated that he is an Anarchist in a Podcast with Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Ravenbourne (talk) 22:17, 4 May 2018 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. L293D (☎ • ✎) 02:44, 5 May 2018 (UTC)

Zephaniah says it in his memoirs. Nuruddin Pier (talk) 23:55, 24 March 2021 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 11 October 2021

80.229.1.224 (talk) 10:39, 11 October 2021 (UTC)
 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. Cannolis (talk) 15:00, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Biography of Mona Baptiste

I've added Zephaniah's recently-published biography of Mona Baptiste. For the moment I've put it in its own "Biographies" category, directly beneath the "Novels" section: however, I'm aware that (at least as far as the publishers are categorising it) it's a children's book, so I'm undecided as to whether it should sit in the "Children's books" section instead, perhaps with an explanatory comment. Other editors' opinions are welcomed... ~dom Kaos~ (talk) 13:04, 23 April 2022 (UTC)

Zephaniah died last night as per his official instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0jGMTNo1Wf/

RIP Mountaincirquetalk 11:03, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

Add 2023 deaths category

Add 2023 deaths category to this page 195.99.227.0 (talk) 11:19, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

brain tumour

The page needs to be updated saying Benjamin Zephaniah had been diagnosed with a brain tumour before he passed. 82.19.40.217 (talk) 12:10, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

Has been added. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:20, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

"he had a major acting role was in BBC's Peaky Blinders."

Grammatically this makes no sense. Needs to say "he had a major acting role in BBC's Peaky Blinders." 195.99.227.0 (talk) 00:41, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

Green tickY Now corrected, thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:03, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

Birth name

According to the Guardian obit cited in the text, "Zephaniah was born Benjamin Springer in the Hockley area of Birmingham to Oswald Springer, a post office worker, and Leneve (nee Wright).... He had a twin sister, Velda...". Looking at the Civil Registration Birth Index, there is a Velda S. Springer, born in the Meriden registration district in the second quarter of 1958, with a mother's maiden name of Honeyghan. Immediately next to her in the records, with the same details, is Winston E. Springer. If the Velda Springer in those records is/was Zephaniah's twin, it clearly raises questions about Zephaniah's registered name at birth. Ghmyrtle (talk) 17:57, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

Civil Registration Birth Index entries aren't permitted as they are WP:PRIMARY? I wonder if there are any WP:RS sources for Benjamin Springer. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:14, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
Not permitted in the article. But worth pointing out on talk pages. Ghmyrtle (talk) 19:03, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
I came here to raise the point that we should not assume that his birth name had the middle names Obadiah Iqbal. They may have been adopted later on just like the surname Zephaniah. If we WP:STICKTOTHESOURCE, the only clear thing we have is that he was born "Benjamin Springer" - another source would be needed for any birth middle name. Unknown Temptation (talk) 18:16, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
Indeed. I've removed those middle names from the main text. Ghmyrtle (talk) 19:05, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
So what about "Winston E."? I think it's unlikely we'll find any WP:RS for that, even if it's "legally" a fact. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:10, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
We don't know if it's a fact - it's simply speculation based on an inference. It shouldn't be in the article unless a WP:RS confirms it. Ghmyrtle (talk) 19:14, 8 December 2023 (UTC)
Well, well, well. Take a look at the credits for track A.3 here. Not a WP:RS of course. Ghmyrtle (talk) 19:25, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

Recognition

Benjamin was also awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Hull in 2012[1]. — Preceding unsigned comment added by BenKuria (talk • contribs) 16:20, 3 March 2015 (UTC)

Added, albeit with an independent source. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:24, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

References

  1. ^ http://benjaminzephaniah.com/biography/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Dub poetry

Apart from a link in the Lead and passing mention in the Death section, there is nothing specific in the Poetry or Music sections about this. To me he has ways been a iconic figure in this genre and it needs some explanation for the general reader, I think. Davidships (talk) 20:47, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

Yes, I wholly agree. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:02, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

English

Change ‘british’ to English. 2601:183:4601:3480:E8C2:FFE:CBA8:61D3 (talk) 19:14, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

Or just spell british with small b? Martinevans123 (talk) 09:46, 10 December 2023 (UTC)
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