Neurodivergent Brighton artist stars in new Foundation film
A young Sussex-based rapper has featured in a new short film released by the BHAFC Foundation.
Shamann, 24, was born in Worthing and he’s been living in Brighton for 15 years.
“It’s an amazing city, it’s got everything you could need, it’s just a great spot to live in,” Shamann says, “And it’s easy to get from here to the Amex!”
Shamann is autistic and has dyspraxia. From a young age, he didn’t want to let that stop him from pursuing his dream of working in music.
“I started writing at 13. I was just writing about my life when I was in school,” he said.
“From there I carried on writing, I went along to a free music workshop for a couple of years, learning how to structure my rhythm properly and work on my craft.
“After that I had the opportunity to play a few gigs and events. I got to support Kae Tempest when I was at 17 at the Brighton Fringe, which was one of my biggest achievements.
“Another one of my proudest moments was working with the Foundation on this film, no doubt.”
Shamann was heavily featured in the Foundation’s short film, providing a narrative to the video with some spoken word poetry.
As a big Albion fan, he was delighted to be asked to support the Foundation.
“It was an absolutely brilliant experience, and to be chosen to represent the Foundation was like a dream come true,” he said, “Everyone was really friendly to me and curious about my story.
“Getting to show how important this club is to the city, how much it means to people here, was amazing.
“I think the work that the Foundation does is brilliant. I’m really happy that it caters to all people and works with young women and girls and people with additional needs, making football more accessible.”
Shamann has been a Brighton fan since he was a young boy, and has had a season ticket since 2012.
“The journey we’ve been on has been incredible. The last couple of seasons have proved that we’re not just surviving, we’re holding our own and challenging in Europe.”
As a Brighton local, Shamann has benefitted from growing up in a city that loves music.
“Brighton is a really educational city for hip-hop. Obviously it’s been quite rock/indie heavy over the years, but there’s a growing hip-hop scene here and some really talented artists around.”
Shamann also spoke about some of the challenges that he faces as a neurodivergent artist.
“Standing out, knowing that there’s a lack of music that really speaks about my issues, isn’t that easy.
“Being able to express yourself in a way that people might not expect, and hoping that people sit up and listen, that’s a challenge for neurodiverse rappers.
“I don’t think labels are everything though. I’m just making music.”
At just 24, Shamann still has a long career ahead of him. His focus isn’t on making it big – he just wants to do what he loves.
“I think it’s easy to get caught up in becoming famous through music, but I don’t think that’s healthy,” Shamann said.
“For me, I just want to express myself in my way and to be able to make my living by doing something I love. I’m just trying to create a better life.
“If I wasn’t expressing myself this way, I don’t know what I’d do with myself.”