Stormzy tour: Grime and hip hop superstar to play Auckland and Wellington in 2020

The Banksy-designed stabproof vest Stormzy wore at Glastonbury was seen as calling out those who commit knife crime in London. Photo / Getty Images

Grime and hip hop superstar Stormzy is returning to New Zealand next year for arena shows in Auckland and Wellington.

The award-guzzling, chart-topping, politically conscious Londoner, who headlined Glastonbury this year to critical and audience acclaim, will be here in May to support imminent second album Heavy is the Head.

The record, whose lead single is the dancehall-tinged Own It, features, ahem, heavyweight contributions from the likes of Ed Sheeran, Yebba and Burna Boy.

The 26-year-old, born Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, has racked up 7 million singles sold and more than 900 million streams.He burst onto the UK underground music scene in 2014 before Shut Up, initially released as a freestyle on YouTube, went viral and reached the UK top 10.

2017 debut album, Gang Signs & Prayer, was the first grime album to reach number one in the UK. This year's Vossi Bop was his first UK number one single.

Maintaining his political edge, at Glastonbury he wore a Union Jack-themed stab vest designed by street artists Banksy which was seen as a message against the rise in knife crime in London.

At Glastonbury, he encouraged the crowd to join a chant of "F*** the Government and f*** Boris", a reference to Boris Johnson who was then vying to become Conservative party leader and, as a result Prime Minister.

During his set he also highlighted the injustice of young black children being criminalised in a biased justice system.

A spokesman for black empowerment and social activism, Time Magazine last month hailed him as one of 10 "Next Generation Leaders".

• Stormzy plays Wellington TSB Arena on May 1 and Auckland Trusts Arena the following night. Tickets go on general sale next Friday, December 6.