Breaking a World Record with MC Grammar!

On Monday 2nd March award-winning teacher, author and viral book-rapping sensation MC Grammar broke the Guinness World Records title for the Largest Rap Lesson with the help of over 850 London school pupils.

The event was hosted by Wimbledon BookFest at the New Wimbledon Theatre to celebrate the National Year of Reading.

As a former Teacher of the Year and official World Book Day Ambassador known for his book raps, MC Grammar was the perfect candidate to break the Guinness World Records title and bring the magic of rap to life.

The 859 children from 18 different schools – including SEN, SEMH and those with high Pupil Premium – learnt how to rap and rhyme and join in with a book rap during the 30 minute lesson. Craig Glenday, official Guinness World Records adjudicator and Editor-in-Chief was on site to verify the attempt and announced the new record at the theatre to a rapturous reception.

MC Grammar said:

‘We did it! We created the biggest rap lesson in the world ever and it was epic! A massive moment for so many children and hopefully a memory they will treasure forever. We read, we rhymed and we rapped! Thank you Guinness World Records — you made our dream come true!’

As well as helping to break a Guinness World Record and taking part in a hugely exciting event, all students received a copy of MC Grammar’s latest book, Adventures of Rap Kid: The G.O.A.T. Described by Jeff Kiney – author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid – as “fresh, fun and thumping with energy”, the books celebrate the power of friendship, words and finding your voice.

For over 1 in 3 schools we work with, this could be the first book their students ever owned – and the start of a lifetime of reading. Thanks to the support of our Friends, these books were all subsidised or free for students. In the National Year of Reading, we are doing everything we can to support access to books, remove barriers to literacy and encourage reading for pleasure.

The event was part of Wimbledon BookFest’s wider Word Up! Schools’ programme, which delivers literacy projects to over 150 schools across London throughout the year. Later this week, on World Book Day, we will launch our annual Young Writers Competition, open to all students. We are inviting writers to submit a poem or story of up to 500 words. Entries must come through schools – find out more here.