A former World Poetry Slam Champion today hit Chris Evans with a diss track after the radio host insulted his London Marathon inspiration.
Harry Baker, 29, who became the youngest ever winner of the Poetry Slam World Cup in 2021, will run this weekend’s race dressed as falafel on a spoon after noticed the pleasing sound of the German for “Falafel spoon runner” –Falafellöffellaufer.
Evans, 55, responded to the story on his Breakfast Show, and said: “I’ve been on the radio since half past six trying to wake people up, trying to get them into the right headspace for their day, and they’ve just all gone back to sleep.”
The falafel-ete’s diss track hit back: “Man is getting dropped here, quicker than his shift on Top Gear.”
Baker said: “It comes across to me like he’s just sort of being dismissive of the whole thing I’ve worked really hard for, which is fine because all publicity is good publicity.
“But by this point I’m so into the extra-curricular activity around the marathon, that I think rather than spending the few days before the marathon resting and recovering, what I should do is spend the whole day writing a diss track.”
The London Marathon returns this Sunday, 3 October.
Baker’s pro-falafel standpoint was appreciated by Twickenham’s cafes.
Hala and Faisal, the owners of Twickenham’s Rosie Chai who have been making falafel for six years, said: “It’s a famous food, and falafel is becoming more and more famous.
“It is not only vegetarian, but you have a lot of protein without using meat. It is all very, very healthy ingredients.
“It is successful because we do it the authentic way. It is homemade. We do it from scratch.”
Baker said: “I would love it if it started a movement and Chris Evans ended up sponsoring me himself.
“I think with all of this, it’s just an excuse to talk about the charity and to raise money for it, and to distract myself from the fact that I’m running 26 miles with very little training.”
Baker, originally from Ealing, has raised more than £2,300 for Amos, a charity working to support full equal rights in Palestine.
He first attempted the London Marathon in 2015 where he ran in a costume depicting the separation wall, which he believes failed to get attention as it was too controversial.
Baker hopes that the image of a falafel, celebrating Palestinian culture, will be a softer, more appealing approach.
Baker said: “It’s been amazing how much people have got behind it, because also a lot of it is five pounds or ten pounds donations.
“So it is a lot of people coming together, which for me has sort of been the theme of the last year.”
Kate Morton, who commented on the video, said: “Gotta make art with our pain”, while the rap gained support of BBC Radio 2 presenter Kate Bottley and the organisation National Numeracy, of which Baker is an ambassador.
However, even if his plan to be sponsored by Evans falls through, Baker has other plans up his sleeves, through a friend who serves pizza to the radio star.
Baker claims Evans could find himself served with spoonfuls of falafel alongside his meal.
He said: “I hope this isn’t going to be a weird borderline stalker-y thing that Chris regrets getting involved in – it is meant to have a tongue in cheek, but I do also have limited resources. So I will use any pizza barges that I can.”
You can donate to Baker’s efforts here.
Featured image credit: Harry Baker and Bryan Ledgard via Wikimedia Commons.
