Stormzy opened up about the emotional challenge of portraying a rapper in Big Man, a film that mirrors his own life and marks his first lead role.
Stormzy grappled with identity and artistry as he stepped into his first lead role in the short film Big Man, a project that blurs the line between fiction and his real-life career as a rapper.
The UK Hip-Hop heavyweight plays Tenzman, a disillusioned rap star who reconnects with his passion for music through an unexpected bond with two children.
The 20-minute film, shot entirely on an iPhone, marks the debut release from his production company, #MerkyFilm and is now streaming on Apple’s YouTube channel.
“It was really tough if I’m honest,” Stormzy told BBC Newsbeat. “It felt like I’m playing a rapper but I am a rapper, it’s tough to totally separate.”
The “Vossi Bop” artist admitted the role hit close to home.
“It was really tough, but it was a challenge I was so honored to be a part of. I like to be challenged, I like to be a bit uncomfortable so I love it.”
Though Big Man is his first time leading a film, Stormzy isn’t new to acting. He previously appeared in the 2016 movie Brotherhood and had roles in TV series such as Chewing Gum and Noughts & Crosses.
But this latest project signals a deeper commitment to storytelling through film.
As part of his broader vision for #Merky, the rapper-turned-producer wants to amplify stories from the Black British community—on their own terms.
“What we’ve tried to do at Merky, whether it’s music, sports, whatever we do, we just want to stand in our truth, tell our stories, but also not from the same perspective that it’s always been told from,” he said.
“Even being Black British, it’s such a nuanced experience—you’ve got the Black experience, you’ve got the British experience, and then you’ve got the Black British experience. We want to tell it from our perspective, which is nuanced, it’s brilliant, it’s different, it’s not always the same, it’s not a monolith.”
Big Man premiered on Apple’s YouTube channel on June 18.
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