No Problem by Benjamin Zephaniah: context, form and key methods

A Black British speaker explains that he is not the problem, despite the racism he has faced. This poem is in copyright, so it is described mainly in our own words.

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Context and Zephaniah's purpose

Benjamin Zephaniah was born in Birmingham to parents of Caribbean heritage. He was a famous performance poet, and he died in 2023. Pearson dates the poem to 1996.
The poem responds to racism in Britain: name-calling, and stereotypes that limit young Black people, such as assuming they should be good at sport rather than study.

Form and structure

Short lines with frequent rhyme, written in a voice influenced by Jamaican English, spelt as it sounds. It is designed to be performed aloud.
The poem opens and returns to a calm statement, "I am not de problem", which acts like a refrain.
It moves from describing the racism he has faced to a final mood that is generous and hopeful, not bitter.

Language and key methods

Repetition: the opening statement is firm and simple, which makes it hard to argue with.
Stereotypes: he describes being pushed towards sport at school even though he was academic. This shows how racism can shape people's futures.
Tone: controlled and reasonable. He suggests he can forgive and that people can talk, but the message is clear: the problem is racism, not him.
Worked example

Compare how prejudice is presented in No Problem and The Class Game.

  1. Both speakers have been judged unfairly.
  2. Zephaniah's calm refrain; Casey's repeated angry question.
  3. AO3: racism in 1990s Britain; class prejudice in 1970s Britain.

Answer: Both Zephaniah and Casey give a voice to people who have been judged unfairly, and both use repetition to challenge that judgement. Zephaniah's speaker calmly insists "I am not de problem", and the firm, simple statement places the blame on racism rather than on himself. Casey's speaker also repeats a question about "what class I'm from", but her tone is sharper and more confrontational. Both poets write in dialect to show pride in their voices. However, while Casey's speaker ends defiant, Zephaniah's ends generous and hopeful, suggesting that understanding is possible. Both poems show that prejudice, whether about race or class, is the real conflict.

Key idea

1996; Zephaniah, Birmingham-born performance poet. Free verse with rhyme; Jamaican English spelling; refrain "I am not de problem"; stereotypes about sport at school; calm, hopeful tone.

Key words
Context
The circumstances in which a text was written and set, such as historical events, social attitudes and the writer's life (AO3 in the GCSE, AO4 in the International GCSE).
Form
The type and shape of a text: for example sonnet, ballad, free verse, tragedy, comedy, novel or play.
Speaker
The voice of a poem. The speaker is not always the poet.
Free verse
Poetry without a regular rhyme scheme or metre.
Refrain
A line or phrase repeated at intervals through a poem or song.
Tone
The attitude or feeling conveyed by the writer or speaker, such as bitter, playful or sorrowful.

All GCSE and International GCSE English Literature key terms and definitions →

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Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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