As hip-hop, materialism and violence continue to go hand in hand, it's refreshing to witness the rise and rise of a wordsmith who doesn't just front issues with verbals, he rolls up his lyrical sleeves and campaigns for fairer representation amongst community minorities and those without a voice. B.Dolan might look like a fearsome Alexei Sayle with a bouncer's bent, but he's more intent on hitting you with words rather than his fists.

In his earlier years, Dolan spent time winning the occasional poetry 'slam', sleeping rough and working near to the Twin Towers just before the fateful day of impact in 2001. Not surprisingly, this turn of events prompted the lyricist to take stock and head to Rhode Island to immerse himself in the local arts and youth communities, before founding a consumer activist website (Knowmore) and touring with Sage Francis in 2005. With two albums under his belt, 'The Failure' and 2010's 'Fallen House, Sunken City', as well as a continuing series of mixtapes called 'House of Bees' (the latest volume has just been released), it's not surprising that his talents and emotive poetry have caught the eyes of the not dissimilar Scroobius Pip and his partner in rhyme, Dan Le Sac. Pip has already utilized the big man's words on his 'Distraction Pieces' - now it's the turn of the Sacster.

Next week will see the release of Dan Le Sac's new album 'Space Between the Words' and B.Dolan will feature on killer (literally) track, 'Caretaker', a domestic-violence track with a message and a twist - check out the video. As hip-hop artists often do, Dolan has subsequently invited Sac to appear as a DJ on his upcoming Church of Love & Ruin tour which hits the UK in September. Comprised of a wide array of theatrical, burlesque, LGBT and drag performers, plus a 20-piece marching band called the What Cheer? Brigade, this is not your usual hip-hop show with swaggery crotch-grabbing no-nos.

His tour will encompass three September shows in London, Liverpool and Birmingham and tickets are on sale from us now, priced at £8 (or £12 for the Jazz Cafe show).