Mark Grist is a poet and battle rapper based in Peterborough, UK, who rose to prominence when his Don't Floprap battle against Mancunian MC Blizzard became an internet sensation. The video of the rap battle became the most viewed UK rap battle of all time and Grist is ranked the third most viewed rap battler in UK history. His poem produced by Roundhouse London and published on their YouTube channel has also gained significant fame on the internet, winning two International Luvvie Awards for 'Best individual performance' and 'Best Viral Video'. Grist starred in Channel 4's 'Mr Drew's School for Boys', Redbull TV's 'Mark Grist battle the World' and his poetry and rap battle videos have gained over 30 million views online. Grist has visited several schools to perform his poetry and raps on several occasions. He has published a collection of his poetry with Burning Eye books.
History
Grist performed in various musicals and productions whilst at school, including many performances with the Bristol Youth Theatre. He studied American and English literature at the University of East Anglia before becoming an English teacher. He noticed that his students felt disconnected from the English curriculum and decided to start working with his students, learning about rap. Following a bet with his students, Grist entered rap battle tournament 'The East of EnglandKing of the Mic' held in a Peterborough nightclub, eventually making it through the grand final of the tournament, which he lost to fellow Peterborough MC Mixy. Grist began using rap techniques to teach his students about poetic devices and other elements of the English language, inspiring them to take a stronger interest in the subject. Grist left teaching in 2008 and formed Dead Poets, a double act that fused spoken-word poetry with hip-hop, with MC Mixy, touring the United Kingdom and performing at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010. After deciding to try out rapping in the Don't Flop battle league, Grist's battle against MC Blizzard received coverage in the British media, gathering over 5 million internet views in the process and becoming the UK's most viewed rap battle of all time. Grist performed at the Edinburgh Festival again in 2012, receiving positive reviews from The Guardian, the Scotsman and other publications. His storytelling skills and passion for his subject often being cited as his strengths, alongside a complex grasp of rhyme and writing techniques. Grist has written poetry along with collaborator Larsen for their YouTube channel Grist & Larsen, garnering millions of views amongst the poetry scene. Grist's rhymes are inspired by an eclectic range of themes, and are usually upbeat, covering themes of identity, creativity, freedom of expression and colloquial aspects of modern life.
