From Council Estate to Coldplay: Rapper's Journey Lights Up Hull Streets

Chiedu Oraka is a rapper from Hull, a city in East Yorkshire, England. He grew up on the North Hull Estate, a council estate that has shaped who he is today. Even though he has performed in front of huge crowds, including 25,000 people when he supported Coldplay during their Music of the Spheres tour, Chiedu still feels most at home in his old neighborhood. He has also played at Glastonbury and supported Skepta, one of his musical heroes, at the South by Southwest festival in Texas. Despite all these big moments, Chiedu continues to film his music videos on the streets where he grew up, staying connected to his roots.

Chiedu’s new song, Story of a Pauper, is about his childhood and the challenges he faced. In his lyrics, he talks about getting into trouble with the police when he was younger. He is open about his past and wants people to know that he has changed. When he was filming his latest music video, the police came to his door, but this time it was different. They were friendly and just wanted to make sure everyone would be safe because the video shoot was a public event. Chiedu was surprised and happy to see so many kids and their parents come out to watch. He said it felt like a real community event, with everyone behaving well and feeling excited to be part of something positive.

Chiedu believes that growing up on a council estate is special. He says there are many talented people in places like his, but sometimes they lack confidence. His motto is 'council estate confidence,' and he encourages others to be proud of where they come from. Chiedu says he would not be who he is without his city and his estate. Even though he is now recognized on the street and has won awards, he stays humble because of the honest people around him. He wants to inspire the next generation to do something positive with their lives. Supporting Coldplay was the best experience of his life, but he is still proud to call his council estate home. He hopes his story shows others that you can achieve your dreams, no matter where you start.