Richard Bramwell

Richard Bramwell is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at Loughborough University. Previously, he served as Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science. His research focuses on black British vernacular and popular cultures, particularly hip hop, grime, and rap music's role in urban contexts. Bramwell is co-editor of the Cambridge Companion to Global Rap (2025) and authored UK Hip Hop, Grime and the City (Routledge).

His academic affiliations include Senior Membership at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, and membership in the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Peer Review College. Key research themes include cultural globalization, identity performance through music, and the intersection of race/gender with media representation. Notable projects explore rap's institutional dynamics, prisoner identity negotiation, and translocal cultural expressions.

Publications span journals like Critical Studies in Television and Ethnic and Racial Studies. His work analyzes media's portrayal of trauma recovery, black British femininity, and the sociological dimensions of London's rap scenes. Recent research emphasizes global rap's cultural frameworks and socio-political messaging within marginalized communities.