Xidus Pain

About Xidus Pain

Artist / Music Practitioner / Mentor / Hip Hop Educator

Artist
As a Rap artist / MC I was mentored by Music Legends and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Legendary BAFTA award wining Poet, Author, Actor, Musician and Professor Dr Benjamin Zephaniah. I have been featured on radio stations all over the world and I have performed at countless venues all over Europe which include The Royal Albert Hall, The Great Escape festival, The Junction, Jazz Cafe, 02 Empire, Alexandra palace, Funk and soul weekender, I was a part of the world-famous Vans Warped tour and I am also the first and only Rap Artist to perform in Peterborough Cathedral in its 900 years of existence the cathedral is known for being the burial place of Catherine of Aragon.

I am a regular on BBC radio and I have delivered Freestyle improvised rap songs for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, The world cup, The Olympics and many other events. I have attended Master Classes at one of the most famous recording studios in the world Abbey Road Studios, Angel One Recording Studios and BBC Maida Vale Studios alongside some of the world's greatest musicians, record producers, artists and sound engineers.

I was commissioned to write a song for internationally recognised multi award winning Ghanaian Sculptor El Anatsui and to perform the piece at an exhibition (TimeSpace) in London at the October Gallery in 2023. I was asked to attend a private viewing of El Anatsui’s Hyundi Commissioned exhibition at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall which was called Behind the Red Moon. For 40 months I released a music project each month with no less than 7 songs and up to 21 songs on each project which has earned me the title of “one of the hardest working people in the music business” - Nick Carter (BBC Radio). Some of the music projects I have created have been archived in the Great British library for future generations to listen to.

The music that I create embodies the elements of Hip Hop / Life and focuses on equality, having fun applying the forgotten element of Hip Hop which is knowledge. I am a fan of good music no matter the genre which reflects on the musical collaborations which I have had and will have in the future. Some of the artist and groups I have worked with and alongside are:


• Morris Pleasure: Composer (Earth,Wind & Fire, Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Janet Jackson)
• J. Rawls: Hip Hop musician, Producer, DJ, Educator, and Speaker (US)
• Chita Zaima: Youngest girl Drummer World Champion (George Clinton, P Funk, Aphex Twin )
• Ray Angry: Grammy Nominated Pianist/ Composer (The Roots, Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo, Q-Tip, Mark Ronson, Mick Jagger)
• Mirrah Reflects: Musician, Hip Hop Educator (Australia)
• Benzel Baltimore: Drummer (Mos Def, Erykah Badu, TPain, P Funk, Robert Glasper)
• Maya Jupiter: Mexican-born Australian rapper, songwriter, MC and radio personality
• Peter Spacey: Beat maker, DJ and producer (Tel Aviv)
• Aref Durvesh: (Tabla player for Sting, Nitin Sawhney and Joss Stone),
• Special Ed: Brooklyn Rap legend / Record Producer
• Brain Humphries: Audio Engineer (Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Stevie Wonder)
• Chuck D: MC, Author, Producer. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer & Grammy Award winner (Public Enemy)
• The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• Abiodun Oyewole: (The Last Poets)
• Kamau: Rap Artist (São Paulo Brazil)
• El da sensei: (Artifacts) US NJ Rap Artist
• Aloe Blacc: singer, songwriter and rapper (US)
• Street Sounds Records
• Michael Mcdonald: Musician singer, song writer, record producer 5 time Grammy Award winner
• Exile: DNB DJ / Producer / Tutor (UK)
• Sheena Easton: Scottish singer and actress two-time Grammy winner
• Lil Dee Rapper: (Coney Island, NY)
• Dumi Right: Performing artist, MC & Cultural Ambassador (Zimbabwe Legit)
• Peabo Bryson: Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter
• Lloyd Bradley: (Music journalist and Author)
• Hip Hop Psych: (Dr Becky Inkster and Dr Akeem Sule)
• Sylvia Massy: Sound Engineer/ Producer (Prince, Rick Rubin, Johnny Cash, Seal, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chilli Peppers)


Music Practitioner:

I am a multi-disciplined Music Practitioner with extensive knowledge which covers different music genres. I have delivered lyric writing workshops that help with artist development and confidence building for over 15 years in many different settings which include primary schools, secondary schools, PRU's (people referral units),universities, prisons, youth clubs and different global community settings with people from different ethnic backgrounds, sexes, ages, with different sexual orientations and I also work with people with additional learning needs. I am qualified to deliver all the arts award levels certificates (bronze, silver and gold).

The workshops which I deliver include inclusive learning and have embedded functional skills within them whilst also helping with well-being and self-expression. The schools, groups and organisations I have worked with and alongside include the BBC, The NHS (National Health Service) , The National Grid, Peterborough City Council, Lincolnshire Music Service, Cambridge City Council, 20 Stories High (Liverpool youth theatre), The Guildhall school of music and drama, Centre 33,Shaw Trust Foundation, Kaplan International Colleges, KeyStone Academy Trust, Metal Culture, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The Prince's Trust, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Wilds Lodge (Therapeutic School), Britten Sinfonia Orchestra, Nacro, Young Lives, The Garage, Nexus fostering, Youth Offenders team, NCS (National Citizen Service), New York Times, United Nations, Universal HipHop Museum (Bronx NY), Howard University (USA), Washington University (USA), Oxford University, Cambridge University, Finding Rhythms, HipHop Loves Foundation, Noise Solution, Nexus Fostering and many more. I am currently a Director at Beat This CIC a social enterprise with a conscious which focuses on working with people in the community using music as a tool to help people develop different skills, I am also manager of Generation Hip-Hop UK a global youth empowerment and development program which has Ndaba Mandela as Chairman (grandson of Nelson Mandela) and Curtis Young as Executive Producer/ Brand Ambassador (Son of Dr Dre). I have a wide range of skills and I conduct Workshops and Master Classes in a positive and professional manner. I deliver Workshops, Master Classes and lectures based on a different range of topics. In 2023 I was privileged enough to attend studio sessions, Live shows and deliver some Rap / Hip Hop workshops in America for Hip Hop Loves foundation in New York Brooklyn, The Bronx and West Philadelphia as part of Hip Hop’s 50th year anniversary.


I have a wide range of skills and I conduct lectures in a positive and professional manner.
I am offering my services as a guest lecturer.

I can lesson plan, project manage and also base different lectures or workshops on any course work that you are currently working on and I am able to adjust it to different curricular levels.

Awards:


• YMA Best Community Music Leader : 2014
• AIM Independent Music Awards 2021: Local Hero Award
• Corporate Livewire Global Awards Musician of the Year: 2024


Qualifications:


• Diploma in Educational Psychology
• Music Therapy
• Diploma in Songwriting
• Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children and young people's Mental Health
• Diploma in Creative Writing

Other Credits:


• Guest Judge New Voices BBC (2019)
• Hip Hop & Education: Global Panel Cultural (2020)
• Guest Judge New Voices BBC (2021)
• BBC The Listening Project (2021)
• Commissioned to write a song and perform (BBC Make A Difference Award 2022)
• Ted X Talk : Speaker & Performer (2022)
• Guest Judge (BBC Make A Difference Award 2022)
• Hip Hop Jedi Hip Hop & Education Global Summit Panel (2023)
• Hip Hop Healers Global Cultural Summit Panel (2023)
• Guest Judge (BBC Make A Difference Award 2023)
• Xidus performance for El Anatsui at The October Gallery ( TimeSpace 2023)
• Peterborough Knife Angel (2024)
• TUC Black Workers Conference as a Delegate for the Musicians Union (2024)