Michael Dapaah needs little introduction but let’s set the scene. It’s 2017 and the iconic mockumentary series, Somewhere In London has been launched on YouTube, met with huge success; millions of viewers wipe tears from their eyes as they laugh in unison, soaking up the hilarious characters all written and played by Dapaah himself. When the ultimate star of the show, comedic rap alter ego, Big Shaq drops his iconic ‘Man’s Not Hot’ freestyle on Charlie Sloth’s, Fire in the Booth that summer, Michael Dapaah’s success is sent into the stratosphere. Seven years on, the multitalented creative chameleon continues to bless us with his artistry in its different forms, traversing the television, the internet and the recording studio. Now Dapaah has solidified himself as an award-winning writer, actor, comedian and cultural phenomenon. And driven by a true passion for his craft, the creations continue to flow from his mind. His most recent project, Comfortably Speaking, is a YouTube digital series where Dapaah will be joined by fellow stars (including the likes of Darkoo, Mabel and Krept & Konan) to have enlightening discussions that reach far deeper than the surface.
Today Michael Dapaah sits down with GRM to talk Comfortably Speaking, creative foundations and lessons learnt from years in the industry.
You’re such a household name in the UK creative industry, but what are some things about Michael Dapaah that most people don’t know?
“I was actually having a conversation about this recently. When you’re funny or entertaining or whatever, I think sometimes people don’t know that there are also other sides to you. I’m a big family man, I study a lot, I read a lot, I read a lot of self-help books right now. I’m knowledgeable, I do Excel spreadsheets and stuff, I’m very detailed as an individual. My cleaners tell me I have OCD tendencies! I also have eight godchildren – it’s mad innit? I’d probably have more if I didn’t start saying no. But my one-year-old nephew, he’s my sister’s son so I see him more regularly and I’m actually seeing him grow before my eyes, learning how to dance and all these little things – I’m a little bit obsessed with him right now, it’s making me want children!”
And in terms of your career, you’ve explored realms of TV, online media, music and writing. Which creative outlets do you feel most aligned with right now?
“I’m just enjoying having fun creating again. You can get to the stage where you almost lose the fun in what you do. We [creatives] all start off as just artists, but when your art becomes something that can be monetised, that’s where the politics start. Everything becomes a lot more complex and every little thing is scrutinised. For me, I’m at a place where I’m just enjoying being able to create in whatever capacity that is. I love being able to have an idea and bring it to life in whatever form that takes. You get what I’m saying? But yeah, right now, specifically I’ve been enjoying working on the new project, Comfortably Speaking. I’ve been enjoying doing a lot more acting stuff as well, performing, writing… I’m in a space where I’m just enjoying the art of creativity… It’s important to be able to protect the art and the reason why you started in the first place. And that’s the place that I’m in right now. When you lose the essence of why then it can become a chore.”
What do you think has allowed you to maintain so many years of longevity in such a tough industry?
“That’s a really good question. I always try to make sure that I’m authentic in the things that I do and the decisions that I make. I say a lot of no’s – more no’s than I say yes’s. And I’m not overly driven by the coin. Every decision that I make, I really thoroughly think about it. It’s about understanding what you want your end goal to be, I think that’s foundational. And then, just having faith in the journey – if you say no, then something greater is gonna come. Also, maintaining a good relationship with God, always having that constant dialogue has been my anchor. I’m a little bit of a perfectionist but the reality of life is that nothing’s ever gonna be linear – it’s about allowing yourself to be flexible and allowing happy accidents to happen. One of the other key things is that I’m never scared to invest in myself – I know what it is that I want to do and I know the standards I want to operate at. You can’t always wait for people, some people take mad long! Sometimes you have to just flippin’ crack on with it. Even with the new show, I just had to say, ‘Listen, I’m not waiting any longer, let’s just flippin’ do it!’”
And on that topic, tell us more about the birth of your new project, Comfortably Speaking.
“We initially launched it as ‘We Need to Talk’ in 2021. The idea started during Black History Month – I thought it would be great to get some amazing creative people from different fields in one room to have some uplifting conversations. I wanted Rio Ferdinand, Headie One, Mo [Gilligan], Julie Adneuga, Eva [Apio], and literally everyone was mad down. It took off straight away. People hadn’t really seen something like that, with a line-up like that. And production companies like the BBC wondered how I was able to put it together, but it’s just because I keep good relationships, you know what I’m saying? I just keep organic relationships. But yeah, the production company was taking a long time and I was working on other things so we paused on making other episodes. But last year, I said, ‘You know what? We’ve been deliberating. I’ve wanted to bring this back.’ So we got to business.”
What do you think will set Comfortably Speaking apart from other shows?
“From the offset, the intention of this show was very pure – that was first and foremost. I thought about what I want the audience to feel. I want the audience to feel entertained, inspired and like they have taken something away from the show. I took time to analyse the marketplace [and found that] a lot of things are very serious or very comedic, but I wanted to create something which is like a hybrid. That’s initially what we created without even realising it. If something like Chicken Shop Date, for example, was to meet Diary of a CEO, you’re gonna get a hybrid. You don’t often get to see that mixture. And there’s a structure to the show – the first half is entertaining but you’re still gonna be learning. There’s also a part of the show called ‘Be Comfortable’ which provokes a lot of vulnerability and openness. It allows a lot more freedom to speak.”
If you had to pick three dream guests to come on the show – dead or alive – who would you choose?
“Bernie Mac. He’s my favourite comedian, may his soul rest in peace, he was a comedic genius. Michael Jackson. Because Michael Jackson is Michael Jackson! And I would love to have a conversation with Maya Angelou – she taught me one of the most valuable things that I live by: ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ That has always stuck with me. That’s why I pride myself on making sure that I maintain good relationships. So I think those three. But rah, they’re all dead! For people who are alive… I like Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, I think they’re great. I would love to see Jackie Chan! And I would love to sit with somebody like Oprah Winfrey. She’s just a G, man.”
That’s a great lineup! And if we take it back to your foundations – when did you find your talent for writing and creating?
“I just always knew that I was expressive. I don’t come from a household where that stuff was encouraged, I probably would have gone to The BRIT School if that was the case. But I come from a household where education was extremely valued. I feel education serves its purpose up to a certain point, based on what it is that you want to do, but when I was in college, I realised that everything was just long, innit…. Coming outta school, I was gonna try to follow my dad’s footsteps into science and medicine. But nah man, that would’ve never worked out for me.”
What did you end up studying at university?
“I studied theatre, film, and television… The fact that the talents you’re blessed with can make a way for you in life is such a big blessing to me. It’s not something that everyone can do. I’m very grateful.”
What do you think encouraged you to keep going even when your parents initially had other expectations of you?
“I think mindset definitely has a part to play, 100%. And I’m not really scared to try stuff. If I believe in something, I’ll make sure I put everything behind it. Any time that I’ve led with pure intentions and being focused on creativity, that’s when things have worked out.”
If you could go back to any point in your journey, would you do anything differently?
“That’s a really good question. Would I do anything differently? Yes. There are a few decisions that I’ve allowed to be made that… maybe I wouldn’t have done it that way. Sometimes when you have to wait for this person and that person, or this approval and that approval… it slows down the momentum of what you’re building. So those are some things that I would definitely do differently because I’m just like, ‘Bro, you’re just wasting time.’ It’s about consistently remembering that the source is with you and it’s not with all these institutions. Build a table, then let them come in. Simple as that.”
Is there anything else that you want to share with the GRM audience?
“I just appreciate you lot, man. I appreciate the GRM audience and GRM as a platform. They’ve been foundational and staple supporters from the offset for me. So I definitely appreciate GRM and the audience, even though sometimes they can be trolls! [Laughs]. But they show love through trolling! I appreciate you. Big up the audience, big up the readers!”
Michael Dapaah’s new digital series, Comfortably Speaking is now available on YouTube. Catch the first episode where Dapaah is joined by very special guest and BRIT Award winning star, Mabel.