August III interview: Meet the hotly-tipped Leeds rapper who penned his debut EP in St James's Hospital

When the pandemic took hold in March 2020, August III was already in lockdown - spending three months in hospital recovering from a debilitating stomach condition.

Unable to walk after going under the knife, the Leeds rapper, real name Adam Hassan, turned to music to get him through his darkest moments in St James's.

He penned his debut EP, Hospital Talk, on his iPhone in a hospital bed and it was the push he needed to go full-throttle with his music career after his recovery.

Now making waves with his global sound, which combines R&B, afrobeat, trap and bashment, August has been tipped as one to watch as he links up with dancehall superstar Beenie Man.

“I’ve always been writing music," August, who grew up in Roundhay, told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"When my mum used to tell me off and send me to the bottom of the stairs or the corner, I’d have my pen and paper out and I’d be writing songs - this was at about seven years old.

"Even while I was in uni halls, people would come knocking on my door and say ‘why do you keep playing the same beat over and over again?’"

August was heavily influenced by the melting pot of cultures surrounding him in Leeds, from his dad's Nigerian heritage to the Indian weddings he went to growing up.

The 26-year-old added: “Leeds is very diverse with a lot of different cultures, there's lots to learn from.

"I remember sitting in the car and my dad used to play old school R&B and afrobeats. It all helped to build me.

“When you listen to my music, you can hear all those different genres, they’re a part of what I do.”

August studied criminology at university, despite pleas from his friends to start releasing his tracks and pursue a career in music full time.

It wasn't until he graduated and his health began to deteriorate that he decided to follow his passion - and 2020 was the year that made him.

“Writing the EP was one of the main things that got me through hospital," August said.

"Difficult times can either make or break you and it was a big turning point for me. I didn’t know how long I was going to be here.

"When I had morning calls with the doctors, sometimes it was awful news and I was in tears.

“The first thing I did was get my laptop out and start writing. There’s a lot of pain in Hospital Talk and you can hear it in how I sound.

"I think people expect that I’ll be talking a lot about my time in hospital, but it wasn’t that. As an artist, if you’re really telling a story then you can’t control it.