Guvna B Confronts Porn Addiction and Recovery in Deeply Personal New Album
Over the past five years, award-winning British rapper Isaac Borquaye, known professionally as Guvna B, has navigated a tumultuous period marked by personal trauma and profound self-discovery. Following a brutal racist attack in 2021 that left him temporarily blinded in one eye, Borquaye channeled his pain into the critically acclaimed 2023 album The Village Is on Fire, which tackled structural racism and youth violence. Now, his latest musical chapter delves into even more intimate territory: his battle with pornography addiction and the path to recovery.
From Racist Attack to Personal Demons
The 36-year-old musician's journey took a dramatic turn after the unprovoked assault at his local east London coffee shop. "I was five minutes from my house getting a coffee when two white guys blocked my car, threw coffee in my face, and punched me," Borquaye recalls. The Metropolitan police closed the investigation after six months due to lack of leads, leaving Borquaye to process the trauma through his art. "Albums are like chapters in the book of my life," he explains. "I can't move on until I document and communicate."
While The Village Is on Fire addressed external violence, Borquaye's personal life was unraveling. In 2023, he separated from the mother of his two children and confronted what he describes as "a battle I've had for most of my life" – pornography addiction. That same year, he entered rehabilitation, describing the period as "frantic" and leaving him with "whiplash from it all."
This Bed I Made: An Album Born from Shame and Secrecy
Borquaye's tenth studio album, This Bed I Made, represents his most confessional work to date. The 11-track collection, featuring jazz-influenced instrumentation, explores the psychological imprisonment of addiction, the fear of relapse, and the humiliation of admitting secrets. The album includes clips from lectures by renowned addiction specialist Dr. Gabor Maté, adding academic depth to Borquaye's personal narrative.
"Every time I think the next album is gonna be a happy one, something happens in my life that makes it take a different course," Borquaye reflects. While his previous album addressed racism – "something that happened to me" – his latest work confronts "all stuff that I've done to myself." He admits to "hiding things and wearing a mask," making this material particularly difficult to discuss publicly.
Breaking the Stigma of Pornography Addiction
Despite his discomfort, Borquaye is determined to speak openly about his addiction to combat societal stigma. "I don't want to be a poster boy for recovery," he clarifies, "but it felt strange not to address it in the music when I've put so much of my life into it over the years." He believes transparency is crucial for helping others who might be struggling, noting that more than half of therapists surveyed by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy report rising pornography addiction among British men.
Borquaye identifies shame as a primary factor in his secrecy. "Culturally, I grew up in a family that didn't talk, and faith was a big part of my life," he explains. "In those environments, everyone seems perfect... if you have anything shameful you're battling, it's hard to be honest." He initially minimized his struggle, thinking "it's not that deep – it isn't the same as a drug or alcohol addiction." Indeed, the World Health Organization classifies it as an impulse control disorder rather than a formal addiction.
Nevertheless, Borquaye experienced classic dependency patterns. "You might be enjoying something but you can't stop, and it starts to be detrimental in other areas of your life," he says. His addiction contributed to his divorce and affected his parenting. "All the relationships in my life were suffering," he admits. "I thought, I could either stick at rock bottom or be forced to rebuild."
The Path to Recovery and Emotional Reawakening
Borquaye's recovery began when those closest to him discovered his secret. "People were shocked at how I could function at a relatively high level while hiding all this stuff," he recalls. In rehab, he undertook what he calls "unglamorous work," developing daily habits to manage urges, limiting social media use, and exploring Maté's theories about addiction as a response to pain rather than moral failure.
Therapy helped him understand childhood roots of his addictive behaviors. "My dad didn't have the tools to process emotions, so they didn't get handed down to me," Borquaye says. "I had all these big feelings but didn't know how to deal with them." He describes addiction as numbing difficult emotions, noting that sobriety brings both positive and challenging consequences: "When you're sober, the good thing is you get your feelings back – but the bad thing is, you get your feelings back."
From Council Estate to Creative Catalyst
Borquaye's background shaped his artistic perspective. Raised by Ghanaian parents working multiple jobs in east London, he became an introspective child drawn to writing. A friend's murder when he was 15 solidified his commitment to conscious rap. "When my friend lost his life, I remember thinking it's weird to promote negative actions in music when I've seen first-hand the consequences," he says.
Since his 2008 debut The Narrow Road, Borquaye has championed vulnerability in UK rap, anticipating trends later popularized by artists like Loyle Carner and Dave. Today, he extends this mission through creative writing workshops in secondary schools and prisons, helping young men develop emotional tools. "Rather than channel anger into violence, I want them to open up," he explains, emphasizing empathy over labels like "the manosphere."
Fatherhood and Future Honesty
At home, Borquaye shares custody of his six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, applying recovery lessons to parenting. "There's something beautiful in being open to figuring things out together," he says. While protecting his children's understanding for now, he hopes his son will eventually listen to This Bed I Made and appreciate his father's honesty.
Guvna B's new single Rest My Head is currently available, with the album This Bed I Made scheduled for release on April 24. The project has support from the Samaritans, the Forward Trust, and Dr. Gabor Maté, marking a significant step in Borquaye's ongoing journey toward healing and authenticity.
