Grime rapper Skepta is set to make his art world debut as he unveils his first ever painting at a West London gallery

Skepta is set to make his art world debut as he unveils his first ever painting at a West London gallery - the rapper has been working on his art piece, Mama Goes to Market, which will soon be up for auction.

The 39-year-old from Tottenham began his career as a virsual artist during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The colourful painting will now go on public exhibition in Sotheby’s London gallery from Thursday 8 September to Tuesday 13 September.

The piece shows three black women and one young child at a fruit market, and in the background you can see a yellow van, palm trees and graffiti on the walls.

Skepta told The Financial Times: “I live and breathe art in everything I do, everything I think.

“When I look at art, I analyse it and lose myself in it. I’ve always been into loads of different styles of creation.

“If I look at an artwork and feel something, I fall in love with it. I am interested in how and what it is making me feel.”

It will be part of the Contemporary Curated exhibition which the Bond Street gallery is “proud to present” following it’s record-breaking success last year.

The exhibition is curated by Skepta himself, and includes works from established and emerging artists, as well as his own piece.

The starting bid for his Mama Goes to Market painting is £40,000 - however it is estimated to earn £60,000.

The Contemporary Curated exhibition includes 88 pieces of artwork, with the highest starting bid being £400,000 - for Banky’s Homeless di Milo.

The exhibition is open to the public from 9am to 4.30pm on weekdays, and 12pm to 5pm on weekends.

The released picture of his art piece has had mixed reviews, with one fan called it “outstanding” whilst another said he needs to “stick to music”.

Skepta is a British-Nigerian rapper, producer and DJ - who is best known for songs such as That’s Not Me and Shutdown.

He has released five studio albums, one collaborative album and six mixtapes.

The Tottenham-born rapper has also been nominated for 19 awards, five of which he won - including a NME Award for Best British Male in 2017, and a MOBO Award for Best Song in 2015.

In April 2018, Skepta was installed as a chief in his Nigerian hometown which makes his full name Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga.

The 39-year-old is also a member of grime group Boy Better Known, alongside his brother Jme, Wiley and Jammer.

Boy Better Know formed in 2005, and are famous for tracks such as Too Many Man and Goin’ In.