Known for his passionate and forthright views on class inequalities, Darren McGarvey has earned a reputation as one of Scotland’s most articulate social commentators of recent years.
Appearing in Fife tonight, the Glasgow-born writer first rose to prominence almost two decades ago while still a hip-hop artist first and foremost.
Known back then under his stage name Loki, McGarvey wrote and presented a series of programmes for Radio Scotland examining the causes of anti-social behaviour and social deprivation.
A tartan Chuck D
A long-time mentor of up-and-coming rappers, his career to date has marked him down as a tartan Chuck D, taking his cue from the laser-focused Public Enemy leader’s eloquent anger towards the powers that be and institutional injustice.
Always open about his own struggles with alcoholism and mental health issues, the 39-year-old made it big when his book about British underclass rage, Poverty Safari, won the Orwell Prize political writing honour in 2018.
Audience driven performance
Its follow-up, The Social Distance Between Us: How Remote Politics Wrecked Britain, was published last year and is the main subject of the latest live shows from the creator of BBC Scotland’s Class Wars.
Unpredictability is the watchword, with the audience shaping the performance by firing questions at McGarvey, whose set at the King’s Live Lounge in Kirkcaldy tonight is sold out.
Doors at the Esplanade venue open at 7pm.
