Inmates at HMP Nottingham to learn how to rap as part of rehabilitation project

A Nottingham rapper is working with inmates at HMP Nottingham to turn their lives around before they are released from prison.

Benje Howard, also known as Kingdom Rapper, said he spent much of his childhood with the wrong people, becoming involved with gangs at a young age.

In one horrific incident he had a gun pointed at his head in his own home.

But he has left that life behind him and has concentrated on his music.

He also works for the Marcellus Baz run charity Switch Up, which deters kids away from a life of crime by offering them boxing and music classes, as well as mentoring.

Kingdom Rapper said it was a daunting experience performing in front of inmates at HMP Nottingham but they seemed to connect with him.

Benje Howard, aka Kingdom Rapper (Nottingham Post)

He has now been invited back to help inmates express themselves through music.

He is also hoping to create an album - a memento they will be able to take away with them.

He will be working with up to 16 inmates serving time for assault, knife crime, gang and drug offences.

He told Nottinghamshire Live: "It is a music project with the inmates and we are going to record an album.

"They have stories too, even though they have committed a crime.

"They will already have a knowledge of rapping.

"They are in there because they have been found guilty of a crime they should not have done.

"Society is always saying 'criminals are a drain on taxpayers money.' It is not the case.

"You can't treat human beings like that. You have to have rehabilitation - that's what prison should be.

"I went into HMP Nottingham and did rap for 20 minutes and everyone listened. It was not squeaky clean but my life has not been squeaky clean.

"People then wanted to talk about their crimes and they listened because they were able to relate.

"With rap you dig out your heart, your emotions, your ambitions and pain."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, which runs HMP Nottingham, said: "Kingdom Rapper has done work with HMP Nottingham over the last few months and we are looking at another project with him but it is too early to say what it will look like."