Editing Benjamin Zephaniah (section)

===Death and legacy===
Zephaniah died on 7 December 2023, at the age of 65, after being diagnosed with a [[brain tumour]] eight weeks previously.<ref name="Telegraph-obit" /><ref name="bbc7dec">{{cite web |first=Steven |last=McIntosh |date=7 December 2023 |title=Benjamin Zephaniah: Writer and poet dies aged 65 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67646607 |website=[[BBC News]]|access-date=7 December 2023|archive-date=7 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207120516/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67646607 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=times7dec>{{cite web |first=Alex |last=Farber |date=7 December 2023|title=Benjamin Zephaniah, writer and poet, dies aged 65 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/benjamin-zephaniah-dead-dies-age-brain-tumour-grkvz05z7 |website=[[The Times]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231207123327/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/benjamin-zephaniah-dead-dies-age-brain-tumour-grkvz05z7|archive-date=7 December 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dod">{{Cite news |last=Creamer |first=Ella |date=7 December 2023 |title=British poet Benjamin Zephaniah dies aged 65 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/dec/07/british-poet-benjamin-zephaniah-dies-aged-65 |access-date=7 December 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209235700/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/dec/07/british-poet-benjamin-zephaniah-dies-aged-65 |url-status=live }}</ref> His friend of nearly twenty years, [[Joan Armatrading]], gave a tribute to him on ''[[Newsnight]]'' on [[BBC Two]] after hearing the news of his death. Writing on [[Twitter]], she said: "I am in shock. Benjamin Zephaniah has died age 65. What a thoughtful, kind and caring man he was. The world has lost a poet, an intellectual and a cultural revolutionary. I have lost a great friend."<ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Armatrading |first=Joan |author-link=Joan Armatrading |user=ArmatradingJoan |number=1732799022023217630  |date=7 December 2023 |title=I am in shock. Benjamin Zephaniah has died age 65. What a thoughtful, kind and caring man he was. The world has lost a poet, an intellectual and a cultural revolutionary. I have lost a great friend |access-date=8 December 2023 }}</ref>

The BBC later re-broadcast Zephaniah's documentary ''A Picture of Birmingham'', in which he revisited his birthplace and his former [[approved school]].<ref name="auto"/> [[Fiona Bruce]], the presenter of BBC's ''[[Question Time (TV programme)|Question Time]]'', on which Zephaniah was a regular panellist, paid tribute to him, saying: "He was an all round, just tremendous bloke" for whom she had "huge affection and respect".<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Question Time |author-link=Question Time (TV programme) |user=bbcquestiontime |number=1732907559462322648  |date=7 December 2023 |title='He was an all round, just tremendous bloke' Fiona Bruce pays tribute to poet Benjamin Zephaniah, a regular panellist on Question Time, who she says she had 'huge affection and respect for'  |access-date=8 December 2023 |link=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001t4t5 }}</ref>

According to [[Martin Glynn (criminologist)|Martin Glynn]] of [[Birmingham City University]], Zephaniah was "never an establishment person", but "got into spaces" where he felt he could be heard. Glynn said: "He was the [[James Brown]] of dub poetry, the godfather... [[Linton Kwesi Johnson]] spoke to the political classes, but Benjamin was a humanist, he made poetry popular and loved music. He had his own studio.... He did what [[John Cooper Clarke]] did with poetry and that was bringing it into the mainstream."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-67650140|title=Benjamin Zephaniah: The James Brown of dub poetry|first=Vanessa|last=Pearce|author2=Giles Latcham|date=8 December 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=8 December 2023|archive-date=9 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209235700/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-67650140|url-status=live}}</ref>

The family issued a statement on 7 December regarding Benjamin Zephaniah's death, saying: "Thank you for the love you have shown Professor Benjamin Zephaniah."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Luke |date=2023-12-07 |title=Renowned British poet and Peaky Blinders star, Benjamin Zephaniah, passes away at 65 |url=https://www.herald.wales/mid-wales/ceredigion-mid-wales/Entertainment/renowned-british-poet-and-peaky-blinders-star-benjamin-zephaniah-passes-away-at-65/ |access-date=2023-12-17 |website=Herald.Wales |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

Aston Villa Football Club paid tribute to Zephaniah on Saturday, 9 December 2023, in advance of their home match against [[Arsenal F.C.]], by playing on the big screens his ode to Villa, originally recorded in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YVOHu8qYSo|title=Benjamin Zephaniah: Ode to Aston Villa|date=22 July 2015|access-date=11 December 2023|publisher=BBC Sport|via=YouTube|archive-date=11 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211013921/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YVOHu8qYSo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/sport/aston-villa-benjamin-zephaniah-tribute-arsenal-b2461535.html|title=Aston Villa pay moving tribute to poet Benjamin Zephaniah ahead of Arsenal win|first=Oliver|last=Browning|newspaper=The Independent|date=10 December 2023|access-date=11 December 2023|archive-date=11 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211013921/https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/sport/aston-villa-benjamin-zephaniah-tribute-arsenal-b2461535.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

His private funeral, attended by close friends and family, took place on 28 December, and it was requested that well-wishers plant flowers, trees or plants in Zephaniah’s honour, rather than sending cut flowers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/benjamin-zephaniah-funeral-where-b2470538.html|title=Benjamin Zephaniah fans asked to plant flowers in poet's memory as funeral takes place|newspaper=The Independent|first=Roisin|last=O'Connor|date=28 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/dec/28/benjamin-zephaniah-laid-to-rest-in-private-funeral|title=Benjamin Zephaniah laid to rest in private funeral|first=Nadeem|last=Badshah|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 December 2023}}</ref>

An artwork featuring Zephaniah that appeared on the wall of an underpass in [[Hockley, West Midlands|Hockley]], Birmingham, in March 2024 was accidentally painted over by a council sub-contractor employed to remove graffiti, although Zephaniah's family had been given assurances that the mural would be protected.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/05/apology-benjamin-zephaniah-mural-painted-over-birmingham|title=Apology after Benjamin Zephaniah mural painted over in Birmingham|first=Jessica|last=Murray|newspaper=The Guardian|date=5 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/zephaniah-family-frustration-over-mural-28939753|title=Zephaniah family frustration over mural that 'took hours to create and minutes to destroy' in error|website=Birmingham Live|first=Jane|last=Haynes|date=5 April 2024|access-date=9 April 2024}}</ref> Following a public backlash,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/backlash-hockley-mural-beloved-benjamin-28923958|title=Backlash as Hockley mural of beloved Benjamin Zephaniah painted over|first=Jane|last=Haynes|website=Birmingham Live|date=2 April 2024|access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref> an apology was issued,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4njjvxw5jvo|title=Apology after Benjamin Zephaniah mural removed|first=Andrew|last=Dawkins|publisher=BBC News, West Midlands|date=4 April 2024|access-date=9 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.localgov.co.uk/Council-contractor-apologises-after-painting-over-Zephaniah-mural-/59159|title=Council contractor apologises after painting over Zephaniah mural|first=William|last=Eichler|website=LocalGov|date=8 April 2024|access-date=9 April 2024}}</ref> and new artwork was subsequently commissioned from black artists, to be unveiled on 14 April at [[Handsworth Park]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/07/birmingham-mural-honours-legacy-of-poet-giant-benjamin-zephaniah|title=Birmingham mural honours legacy of poet giant Benjamin Zephaniah|newspaper=The Observer|first=Vanessa|last=Thorpe|date=7 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/68759335|title=Benjamin Zephaniah mural: Tribute to be unveiled for Birmingham writer and poet|website=Newsround|publisher=CBBC|date=8 April 2024|access-date=9 April 2024}}</ref>

As a tribute, in April 2024, BBC Radio 4 broadcast the 2018 ''[[Book of the Week]]'' recording of Zephaniah reading his autobiography, ''The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah''.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 2024 |title=The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b0prnw |access-date=9 April 2024 |website=[[BBC Radio 4]]}}</ref>

In September 2024, an outdoor space at [[Brunel University of London]] was named after Zephaniah.<ref name="bruneloutdoorspace">{{cite news |last1=Sudan |first1=Richard |title='His love was for everybody': emotional tributes as Brunel University unveils plaque to Benjamin Zephaniah |url=https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2024/09/07/his-love-was-for-everybody-emotional-tributes-as-brunel-university-unveils-plaque-to-benjamin-zephaniah/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=Voice Online |date=7 September 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Since April 2025, Brunel University also hosts a "Benjamin Zephaniah Day" near the date of April 15 (Zephaniah's birthday).<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/15/his-delivery-cut-through-class-barriers-moby-mala-and-other-musicians-on-working-with-benjamin-zephaniah</ref>