“It’s important that you guys understand how powerful you are” - that’s what world-famous rapper Stormzy told students this morning as he welcomed them back to school.
The platinum-selling artist addressed students directly as he broadcast the new music video to his track Superheroes for the very first time at schools in London, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester.
In a video message to students at Manchester Academy - a partner school of the Manchester United Foundation - he told pupils that, no matter where you might come from, “you are a superhero in your own right” and “the sky is the limit”.
Stormzy said: “Firstly, let me welcome you guys back to school, ‘cause I know it’s been a crazy year; it’s been a crazy summer - you lot would have been quarantining in lockdown, I know it would have messed up your exams, so I hope that you lot are feeling rejuvenated and refreshed and ready for this new school term.
“So you guys are about to be the first people on Planet Earth to see this video, it’s never been seen before, you lot are going to be the first to see it, so I’m very excited about that.
“I wanted to show it to you guys first - being students in school, I think it’s important that you guys understand how powerful you are.”
He added: “We’re all superheroes. As much as we come from where we come from, we might be disadvantaged, we might have so many obstacles in front of us, [but] you are a superhero in your own right, and don’t ever forget that.
“Those little skills that we have, those big skills that we have, those talents, those things that often go ignored, that makes you a superhero.
“I wanted to make this video to basically inspire you guys - to let you know that the sky is the limit, to let you know that all those things inside of you make you incredible.”
Sharing a clip of the video on social media, Manchester Academy said: “We had an amazing start to our day today with a motivational message from none other than #Stormzy! Our school was chosen for the world premiere of Stormzy’s new video #Superheroes from @AtlanticRecords, thanks to our friends @MU_Foundation, our students were blown away by it!”
Last month the #Merky Foundation, the charitable organisation set up by Stormzy, pledged £500,000 to fund further or higher education for young people from underprivileged backgrounds as part of its £10 million fund to tackle racial inequality and injustice.
In August 2018, Stormzy announced The Stormzy Scholarship, to fund two black British students to go to the University of Cambridge.
He has also set up #Merky Books, an imprint within Penguin Random House UK.
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