[2] His poem Girls Who Read produced by Roundhouse London and published on their YouTube channel has also gained significant fame on the internet, winning two International Luvvie Awards for 'Best individual performance' and 'Best Viral Video'.

Following a bet with his students, Grist entered rap battle tournament 'The East of England King of the Mic' held in a Peterborough nightclub, eventually making it through the grand final of the tournament, which he lost to fellow Peterborough MC Mixy (Michael Riccardi).

Grist began using rap techniques to teach his students about poetic devices and other elements of the English language, inspiring them to take a stronger interest in the subject.

Grist left teaching in 2008 and with MC Mixy formed Dead Poets, a double act that fused spoken-word poetry with hip-hop, touring the United Kingdom and performing at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010.

[15][16] His storytelling skills and passion for his subject often being cited as his strengths, alongside a complex grasp of rhyme and writing techniques.