Not all black lads love rap

WHEN my son was about seven we were in a shop when a lady asked him: “When you grow up are you going to be a footballer or rapper?”

Neither, I replied. She was friendly but why did she think that was all he would aspire to be?

I was reminded of that when I saw the latest Elle magazine cover featuring Stormzy, above, and model Jourdan Dunn, left. It’s great and, inside there’s a shoot with some of the rapper’s famous friends.

While I’m taking nothing away from the fact that it’s great to see talented young black men and women celebrated in this way, I feel it’s important to stop reinforcing the myth that the only way for young people from BAME backgrounds to be successful is through entertainment or sport.

The shoot also features a poet and an award-winning activist, but there are people doing incredible things in so many other industries. Can we start talking about them?