A RAPPER and anti-knife crime campaigner has said he wants to “break the mould” for politicians despite his controversial past.

Sonny Green announced he would stand as the Labour candidate for Southend Council’s Prittlewell ward in May and hopes his working-class background can make politics more accessible.

It comes as critics have hit out at offensive tweets the rapper posted on social media.

Right-wing political blogger Guido Fawkes trawled the 24-year-old’s Twitter account and highlighted derogatory posts including explicit tweets directed at former Prime Minister Theresa May.

He also made controversial comments about former Labour leader Ed Milliband as well as about drugs.

Speaking with the Echo Sonny, who has since apologised, said his background is what will make him the ideal candidate.

He said: “I’ve always been politically inclined, even in my music. I am passionate about injustice and when things go wrong, it’s important to find out why.

“I joined Labour because their policies about investing in the NHS and social housing are inline with what’s important to me.”

Sonny hit the headlines last year in the wake of the horrific murder of teenager Fabian Kacica.

Moved by the violence in the heart of the town, Sonny led a peace march through the high street calling on a greater focus on youth programmes and more action against knife crime.

Echo:

Making a change - Sonny with students at a Trouble Tongues workshop (credit: Gaz de Vere)

He has since launched Trouble Tongues - a spoken word workshop for young people.

“If you want things to change, you’ve got to get involved. I feel like we’ve been made to feel like politics is not for working-class people,” he added.

“I want to break the mould of what people believe a politician looks like. I have grown up here and know the problems. I want to celebrate Southend and make people proud to be from here."

Sonny said people have been very receptive to his announcement and has described the support as "overwhelming".

He added: "The support has been tremendous. A lot of people know me in Southend and they know what I'm about."

'I've turned my life around since explicit tweets were posted'

A rapper who is standing as a Labour candidate in the next local elections has said he has turned his life around since posting offensive tweets on social media.

After he announced his candidacy, right-wing political blogger Guido Fawkes highlighted several offensive tweets from the 24-year-old rapper which targeted political leaders.

In a written statement, Sonny said: “When I was younger I said and did things that I cannot change but that’s not who I am today.

“I’ve apologised before and I’m happy for the chance to do that again now. Since then I’ve turned my life around.

“Today I run an organisation that works with young people, building aspirations and communication skills.

“I think it’s because I made my own mistakes that now I can help them avoid the same issues.

“They can achieve their goals and turn their life around like I have.”

In February 2018 he made sexually explicit references about the Prime Minister directing messages publicly and directly to her. In 2015 he made extreme remarks about Ed Miliband.

Lyrics in his raps have also been highlighted while in previous years he referenced criminal allegations.