Acclaimed Rasta poet and musician Benjamin Zephaniah is performing at Exeter Corn Exchange on Sunday, September 22.

He’ll be sharing poems and stories from his compelling life, documented in his autobiography The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah.

From a poor Birmingham background Benjamin’s grown to become one of Britain’s most successful poets and been good friends with icons including Nelson Mandela and Maya Angelou.

He told the Mid-Devon Advertiser: ‘I’m so pleased to have lived in this time. When I say "yeah, as my friend Nelson Mandela once told me" people go "wow!" As a little boy from Birmingham that’s something else.

‘It’s a real honour to have known these great people from history, not because they’re famous but because of what they stand for.’

Now in his 60s he’s showing no signs of slowing down, including teaching creative writing as a professor at Brunel University. He’s also linked with top grime artist Stormzy – who cited Benjamin as his inspiration.

He said: ‘I’m really proud of Stormzy – he’s taken something that was seen as the music of criminals and used it positively.

‘I remember a time when there were four black writers in Britain and music was controlled by white men in suits.

‘I also remember when I was a vegan it was a minority sport and now it’s in every supermarket. It’s so good that things have changed.

‘Although the downside is we’re so divided at the moment with Brexit. I thought racism was in the past but now it’s come back with a vengeance – now the racists are in Government, they’re not even the fringe group anymore.

‘In Lincolnshire someone in my village came up to me after the referendum and said "the Eastern Europeans are leaving and you’re next nigger".

‘Pro Brexit people won’t admit it, but their vote was based on racism. If we had a vote now ‘black in or out’ I really think people would vote out.

‘Freedom to speak is now being used as a voice of hate. People say "I’m not a racist but…’’'

Benjamin has been a regular contributor to talk shows, including the BBC’s Question Time, but said he’s had enough of them.

He added: ‘You go on a programme and they bring a racist in for balance – they think a non-racist and a racist have equal weighting for a balanced argument. It’s crazy but that’s what’s been happening since the referendum, perpetuating this two-way split in the country. It’s so wrong.

‘All borders are fake. Race is artificial. If the planet Mars started a war we’d soon realise we were one human race.

‘Moreover I do believe in the victory of good over evil. I just know that racists are wrong.

‘Thankfully the kids are a lot more publicly aware now. Race is not an issue to them. I was watching kids interacting at a local theatre group the other day. When it comes to identity they’re all about football teams and music. People of my generation are forcing them to think about colour.

‘Many looked at their grandparents after the referendum and said ‘what have you done?’ The children are Europeans. Very few young people voted for Brexit and no university vice-chancellor in the country supports Brexit.

‘I have a lot of hope in the youth and hope there’s more people out there with more hope.’