Jamaican reggae music is on the Unesco World Heritage List. Inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, to great jubilation in 2018 after much campaigning and lobbying led by the Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange. Borne and forged in the ghettos of Western Kingston Jamaica, the […]
The Rap Game UK is a BBC Three success story with many viral moments across the last couple of series. The next series will begin later this month. Award wins for previous series include The Edinburgh TV Awards – Best Entertainment Series, Broadcast Digital Awards – Best Entertainment Programme, and RTS Midlands Awards – […]
Award winning Ballet Black is a professional ballet company which was created to inspire young people of Black or Asian descent in classical music. The Ballet Black (BB) Junior Associates is aimed at exceptional young women aged 12-16 years with ballet experience who are considering a career in dance. Ballet Black has a strong focus […]
A new square at the entrance to Britannia Leisure Centre is to be named BRAFA Square after a fascinating, yet forgotten, part of Hackney’s African Caribbean history. The name reveals the story of the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal (BRAFA) which became Hackney’s own answer to Live Aid in 1985. When Band Aid was […]
Described as an original sweetheart of Motown, Mary Wilson (March 6th 1944 – February 8th 2021) has earned her place in the history books. She was a founding member of the Supremes who between 1964 and 1969 had 12 number 1 hits in the US pop charts. The indelible sound of the three Motown sweethearts […]
Thanks to the Nubian Jak Community Trust another two* national heritage plaques have been erected. This time to honour the once celebrated but often forgotten Trinidadian pianist Winnifred Atwell who shot to fame in the 1950s with her fusion of ragtime, boogie-woogie and classical music. An alumna of the Royal Academy of Music, she was […]
Eagerly anticipated the Small Axe mini series set the tone for what seemed a promising depiction of important aspects of West Indian community life in the UK. Mangrove was a good start, informative and with many facts highlighting the tribulations and victimisation faced by the growing Afro-Caribbean population in the UK by the early 70s. […]
A wonderful international tribute to another great Jamaican musician, the late legendary Gregory Isaacs. Renowned for a series of hit songs one of his most famous, Night Nurse has been remixed and performed by various artists from Jamaica, Ghana, Brazil, Germany and Japan plus more. Listen here Night Nurse
By Joy Sigaud North West London is often sidelined when it comes to Black Afro-Caribbean culture in London yet, Harlesden was the year ’round heartbeat of North West London for several decades and still is today attracting all types, rich and poor, great and small from surrounding areas including the far away leafy suburbs who […]
By Joy Sigaud English DJ David Rodigan has been awarded an Order Of Distinction by the Jamaican Government for his global promotion of Jamaican music. Rodigan’s undeniable success comes from his deep-rooted passion for reggae music and culture since he was a schoolboy. The longstanding champion of reggae and dancehall began his career in London […]
WINDRUSH FOUNDATION PRESENTS LORD WOODBINE, THE BEATLES & HAMBURG Born in 1929 in Trinidad, Harold Phillips (who later became known as Lord Woodbine, the Calypsonian) volunteered for the Royal Air Force to fight for Britain in World War II. After being demobbed when the War ended, he returned to England on the Empire Windrush on […]
Entries Invited Songs of Praise launch a brand new competition to find the best amateur gospel singer in the UK. If you lead worship in your church, sing solos in a gospel choir or just have a passion for gospel music then they wish you to get in touch. In this celebration of Gospel […]
Sung by the Jamaican High Commission’s Children’s choir for Prime Minister Andrew Holness – average age 7. These children are the descendants today of Windrush Pioneers who came to England between 1948 and 1972. Lyrics: This is the 1940s The Journey has begun This is the 1940s The ship was so much fun. This is […]
Across the UK, arts organisations, museums and theatres are unveiling innovative digital plans to ensure culture and creativity is accessible for all. Online offerings to the public set to increase over the coming weeks thanks to Arts Council England’s £160m support package and the DCMS funded Digital Culture Network. Over the past week, arts and […]
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