Photographer: Finn Waring
Styling: Roma Mitchell
Grooming: Marisa Tipkanok
Words: Ramy Abou-Setta
London is a vibrant city—a modern pinnacle of diversity, creativity and dynamism. Its cultural landscape is marked by contrasts: the North and South stand in sharp opposition, as do East and West. Yet, despite these divides, London remains a cornerstone of identity for all who live within its sprawling borders.
James Massiah, born in South London, channels the city’s ever-shifting emotions through his creative work. From the highs and lows of growing up in the capital, the “disintegration” of the social contract, as the poet calls it, his recent project Bounty Law offers a poignant glimpse into London life—an experience that resonates deeply with both natives and visitors alike.
“I’ve really found my stride creatively,” he told Dance Wax. “I’ve developed a lot of confidence creatively, while also figuring out some important things in my personal life—things that might get in the way of being able to produce work like this.” He continued, “The magic that happens with the people that you meet along the way is really special too. So this project is the coming together of a lot of good elements in my own life, both creatively and personally.”
Bounty Law is Massiah’s interpretation of a modern “western film”, as he calls it, though the roles of hero and outlaw remain deliberately ambiguous. Framed as a series of pertinent questions to an unnamed former lover—”Was it my fault that we broke up? When did the communication break down? Was I partying too much? Should we have settled down? Is it too late?” The project doesn’t offer resolution. Instead, it invites listeners to move through the rhythm of heartbreak alongside him. Massiah also explores the breakdown of the traditional social contract in today’s hyper-connected, yet ultra-fractured world, weaving in themes of race and sexuality throughout the project.
On Bounty Law, the South Londoner collaborates with an eclectic lineup of producers, including Cajm (Powerplant, Coby Sey), Cold (Jawnino), 3o (Jawnino, Squintz), Poundshop (feeo), and Oliver Twist, with mastering by Tommy Wallwork (Mount Kimbie). Massiah also draws inspiration from London emcees Shak Corleone, Temp Man, Giggs, and Joe Black—key figures in shaping the UK road rap scene—while acknowledging prominent dancehall figures such as Ninja Man, Super Cat and Nicodemus for influencing elements of his music.
“I guess you don’t hear it so much because I’m rapping at a slower tempo,” Massiah explained, “but the Grime element is there, and that’s really influenced the production moving forward. I plan to release quite a lot of music in the next little while. While I’m feeling confident and comfortable in myself and in my situation, I want to exploit this time to create as much as I can and connect with as many people as possible.”
He continued: “I am not letting commercial success define success for me. The real success in these projects, or the works I’m creating now, is my ability to connect—with others, with the people I want to reach, and simply in the act of creating. For a long time, I was writing poems and performing them, of course, but I think what kind of stopped me from putting my name behind a bigger piece of work or an exhibition or whatever was the sense that it had to do numbers or had to sell and be worth a lot of money.”
“Through that retrospective process I’ve found more integrity as an artist and as a human being. Think of structural integrity—it’s about not letting anything else compromise the foundations of a building, making it weak or frail. In that way I’ve sort of established what the basic mixtures are in my ‘concrete’, so to speak.”
“It’s like when an idea is executed to the point that it feels complete for you and those you’re working with,” Massiah continued. “That’s it, that’s the success. The concrete. The integrity. Anything beyond that is just like graffiti on the wall—something you can wash off, but it’s not part of the foundation of the building you’re making.”
On the surface, Massiah radiates sophistication, embodying the image of London’s elite creative minds—unfazed, self-assured and immersed in the city’s circles of fashion, prestige and social fluidity. But, in reality, the multi-faceted creative powerhouse—who channels his energy through his outlets as an artist, poet and DJ—is deeply embedded within the beating heart of the London’s underground scene. With a monthly slot on NTS, the “home for music discovery,” and collaborations with a diverse range of influential names in the capital’s music scene, including Dean Blunt, Joy Orbison, Massive Attack, Daniel Avery, and more recently Jawnino, Sam Akpro and Kwengface—Massiah remains rooted in the scene that shaped him.
Yet above all else, as the South London native constantly reminds listeners, “I am a poet.” His work has been showcased at some of the UK’s most esteemed institutions such as Tate Modern, the Courtauld, the ICA, and even the Houses of Parliament.
Over a decade of consistent work—running poetry shows, performing live, and curating spaces—led to the birth of Adult Entertainment, Massiah’s defiant response to the polished pretence of traditional poetry slams. The project strips away the performative snobbery of finger-snapping and silent judgment, so often associated with modern Eton-style literary elitism, and roots poetry firmly in the grit and rhythm of contemporary London. It’s relatable and relevant.
“I think there’s a lot of people in the world—and especially in London—who are into attending readings and live events, regardless of what a general mood consensus, or statistics might say,” Massiah explained. “At Adult Entertainment, we’ve had readers in their 50s and 60s, as well as readers at the lower end, obviously they’re all adults, but it really does span all the ages.”
He continued: “I was chatting to a friend who’s in LA and she said something that really stuck with me—that we have a duty to pass the baton on. It isn’t like we’ve done our thing now and we’re just going to bounce. We should be thriving in the environments we have created and, in these spaces, in music and in art—while also creating a roadmap that tells our story and how we got here.”
For Massiah, literature still has a place in youth culture—it just needs to be rediscovered. “As much as people are gravitating towards other forms of entertainment or media, there are still a lot of people interested in literature”, he said. “They just need to be found. It’s all about reaching your audience. Social media can be a great tool for that—it’s a vehicle for connection. We’ve been lucky to be discovered by so many, especially young people.”
Live literary parties have quietly become a revolutionary fixture in youth culture—possessing that certain je-ne-sais-quoi that’s taken hold of a new generation. And Massiah has played no small part in lighting the spark that’s since ignited a wildfire of ‘party poets’.
What began as an intimate reading series reading series in East London—nights where audiences sat on the floor listening to poets or rappers before a DJ takes the night away by starting up a party—has now taken Europe by storm. Massiah’s literary brainchild has filled venues in Paris and, more recently, Berlin.
“People want to communicate, they want to talk, they want to dance, they want to connect—and these events give them the space to do so.” Massiah said. “The energy and passion I have for it is what drives it. I guess I let people know that there’s no wrong answers. It allows people to relax and to feel free, to sit on the floor, to spill a drink, or mess up a line and not feel like it’s the end of the world. They can read something from their notes, or read something that’s unfinished, and as long as the intention is to entertain—it’s the right answer.”
“You want the room to be good, you want it to be a party, you want the party to be a good party, that’s the right attitude and you’re in the right place.”
He smiled: “We’ve been really lucky to have so many people who not only want to have a party—but are happy for the party to start with poems.”
Listen to Bounty Law below and follow James Massiah on Instagram.