Category Archives: Interviews

On books, music, South London, learning Swahili at SOAS, studying Māori & Indigenous Land Law at the University Of Waikato, racism and the importance of The Black Curriculum. George Orwell once wrote, “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” While events of the lastContinue reading “Lavinya Stennett”

On writing albums, vulnerability as strength, Gobstopper Records, legacy, fatherhood and the power of black music. “I think you were my first ever interview”, says Mr. Mitch leaning back a little, “I just used to hate doing phone calls, that was the thing.” Our first interview was back in 2011, around the time Mr. MitchContinue reading “— Mr. Mitch —”

On free-styling, belt-drive decks, using his lunch money to buy records, working with Chelsea FC and always trying to help people. It’s Saturday evening when Capo Lee takes my FaceTime call, clutching a mug of peppermint tea. He’s speaking to me from home in North London, the hazy evening sunlight filtering in through some blindsContinue reading “— Capo Lee —”

On Kingston, grime, shooting under pressure, building relationships, working with brands and the importance of taking time out. Chances are, if you’ve paid any sort of attention to music photography over the last five years, you’ll have caught one of Vicky Grout’s images. She’s arguably one of the the UK’s most prolific and in-demand youngContinue reading “— Vicky Grout —”

On South London, music as therapy, the power of language, Drillosophy and an eye-opening trip to Chicago. According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a vocation is “a type of work that you feel suited to doing and to which you should give all your time and energy, or the feeling that a type of workContinue reading “Ciaran Thapar”

On Reprezent Radio, DIY film-making, God, #NS10V10 and staying true to the essence of personhood. Henrie Kwushue is busy. Really busy. Over the past few weeks, she’s become a vital cog in the meteoric rise of No Signal’s 10v10 segment, as well as continuing to run her weekly, three-hour show on Reprezent Radio, recorded liveContinue reading “— Henrie —”

On grime, dance music, journalists, jaded periods and teaching the world Scratchanese. “Is it too dark or nah?”, asks Scratcha DVA as our video chat starts. He’s speaking to me from home in Luton, where he’s spent the entirety of the lockdown period so far. “I’m pretty much isolating most of the time here anywayContinue reading “— Scratcha DVA —”

On grime, theatre, radio, practising patience and never giving up. Grime MC, producer, actor, script-writer, label owner, chef? “I’ve just been doing bare cooking bro, so much cooking honestly”, says Jammz as he answers my FaceTime call on Thursday night, sipping a glass of Wray & Nephew’s and mixer. Originally, we were supposed to catchContinue reading “— Jammz —”

On love, isolation, growth, creativity and flipping the switch. My text alert tone goes off on Friday afternoon, three times in quick succession. Before we were due to catch up over FaceTime later that evening, I’d asked Sinead Harnett to send a couple of photos that captured what her everyday, isolation reality has been likeContinue reading “Sinead Harnett”

On music, family, the importance of community and becoming lockdown Twitter’s unlikely quizmaster. “Play ‘Japan’ flashes up another message from the chatroom in a virtual ‘pub’ on Twitch, where over 140 players are 15 questions deep in a general knowledge quiz while a Spotify playlist of 80s synth-pop plays in the background. Plastician, decked outContinue reading “— Plastician —”