Grime rapper Stormzy has announced a partnership with Penguin Random House, to set up a new publishing imprint called #Merky Books.

It will be part of a growing #Merky empire, which already encompasses a record label and music festival, and Stormzy said he was “super proud” of the collaboration. “We will be using this as a platform for young writers to become published authors,” he wrote on Instagram. “I know too many talented writers that don’t always have an outlet or a means to get their work seen and hopefully #Merky Books can now be a reference point for them to say ‘I can be an author’ and for that to be a realistic and achievable goal.”

“Reading and writing as a kid was integral to where I am today,” he continues, “and I from the bottom of my heart cannot wait to hear your stories, your poems, your novels, your sci-fis and then getting them out into the big wide world.” He also announced there will be paid internships at the imprint.

The first book #Merky will publish is by Stormzy himself, titled Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far. Penguin Random House describe it as: “Featuring hundreds of never-before-seen photographs, annotated lyrics and contributions from those closest to him. Rise Up is Stormzy’s story, in his words, and the record of a journey unlike any other.”

The rapper shot to fame in 2015 with his Shut Up freestyle, and went to No 1 in the UK charts with his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer in 2017, which also won him two Brit awards. He recently hosted the #Merky festival in Ibiza, featuring himself alongside a host of British MCs. Footage went viral of him pausing his own performance at the festival to watch England’s penalty shootout against Colombia.

In January he signed a partnership deal between his label #Merky and Atlantic Records, describing it on Twitter as: “Beginning of a new chapter. Looking forward to delivering more music, more bodies of work and to start developing and working on new talent on the #Merky roster. Let’s work.”