‘My name is Darren Paul and I've been performing poetry for around 4-5 years. I am a British-born Jamaican import with mixed ancestry that grew up in London before moving to Milton Keynes at a young age. My poetry is sometimes existential in its nature with authenticity and truth being used to explore the art of being, through the experience of living.
Although I’m by no means an MC or rapper I realise I am a lyricist and I owe this awareness of oral tradition to my first love that is rap and hip hop. I realise as my consciousness rises, I have to use my voice for the voiceless as a form of resistance and rebellion to bring about change and unity.
I have to use my voice for the voiceless, as a form of resistance
My name ‘Abracadazra’ is wordplay based on the ancient Aramaic incantation ‘Abracadabra’ – meaning I create as I speak. This year I've been using it to perform as I believe a poet has a duty to use all performances as a way to educate, raise and highlight issues that everyone might not be aware of in order to start a dialogue so we can all move forward together.
It is said talent borrows while genius steals so I must say my work, X Factor, is both a homage and pastiche inspired by Saul Williams, the American writer, poet, actor and musician. I've blended some of my experiences growing up, my genealogy, recent history, some iconic songs, cultural references and food, plus there is content relating to astrology, mythology, religion, colonialism and slavery.’
See Darren's performance of X Factor at Hip Hop and the Institution in the video below.
You can follow Darren Abracadazra on Instagram.
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Article reviews
The article snippet introduces Darren Abracadazra, a spoken word artist whose performance at The Open University’s "Hip Hop and the Institution" conference highlights the powerful overlap between lyricism, poetry, and social consciousness. Abracadazra’s profile immediately establishes him not just as a performer, but as a deliberate and philosophically-driven cultural agent.
Identity and Existential Authenticity
Darren Abracadazra, whose mixed ancestry and British-Jamaican background shape his perspective, describes his poetry as "existential in its nature," focused on "authenticity and truth." This suggests his work is deeply personal yet universally searching, exploring the fundamental experience of being. His background, navigating identities that span continents and cultures, positions him perfectly to serve as the unifying voice he seeks to become.
The Mission: From Lyricist to Activist
The core of Abracadazra's philosophy lies in his transition from realizing he is a "lyricist" (owing to his "first love that is rap and hip hop") to accepting a higher moral duty. This is where the conference's title, "Hip Hop and the Institution," becomes relevant. He explicitly states: "I have to use my voice for the voiceless as a form of resistance and rebellion to bring about change and unity." This declaration aligns him directly with the foundational ethos of Hip Hop—using oral tradition and lyrical skill to address systemic inequality and socio-political issues.
His chosen stage name, "Abracadazra," which is rooted in the Aramaic "I create as I speak," powerfully reinforces this mission. For Abracadazra, performance is not entertainment; it is an act of creation, a moment where the poet "has a duty to use all performances as a way to educate, raise and highlight issues... in order to start a dialogue."
The Scope of X Factor
His work, X Factor, demonstrates the vast scope of his ambition. By calling it a "homage and pastiche inspired by Saul Williams," Abracadazra situates himself within a tradition of revolutionary, multidisciplinary Black American artistry. The themes he blends—genealogy, colonialism, slavery, mythology, religion, and even food—suggest a complex, layered critique of history and culture. X Factor appears to be an attempt to use Hip Hop's oral and lyrical framework to synthesize global history and personal trauma into a cohesive narrative for change.
Conclusion
Darren Abracadazra’s contribution to the conference is positioned as a vital intervention. He represents the academic and activist potential of Hip Hop culture, showing how the art form can move beyond entertainment to become a medium for historical reckoning, social resistance, and essential dialogue—all through the power of the spoken word.