UD Music, who bring communities together around Black music and culture, have shared details of the 2026 edition of their flagship #IndustryTakeover event: Friday 12th June, 2026, at London’s Rich Mix in Shoreditch, running midday to 6pm.
Across one day, the London-based music organisation will host more than 15 events spanning panel discussions, workshops, masterclasses and live performances, with topics ranging from growing fanbases and the art of A&R to creative funding, archive work and AI’s impact on the industry. The programme has been curated by UD’s trusted community of artists and partners, including Complex UK, PPL, BBC Radio 1Xtra, TRENCH, V&A East, AIM, PRS for Music, Stemettes and more. It’s set to be the biggest Takeover yet.
Complex UK power one of the day’s most anticipated panels: An Exploration Into British Asian Impact On Black Music, at 1.45pm in The Studio. Producer and DJ A. S. Kullar, DJ Limelight, writer Raj Kapone and grime architect Rude Kid will dig into the cultural intersections where British Asian creativity has shaped Black music scenes in the UK and beyond—a conversation long overdue.
Earlier in the day, TRENCH power Journalism In 2026: Who Actually Decides What Music Matters?, at 12.15pm on Screen 2. Moderated by writer and creative strategist Jude Yawson, the panel brings together TRENCH senior editor James Keith, digital creator Cee Valentina, producer and DJ Lo-Wu and heritage specialist Naz Hamdi to unpack how stories get chosen, scenes get shaped and hype gets built in a world of algorithms, influencers and shrinking newsrooms. TRENCH return as official media partner for the day.
At 2.45pm, creatives should head to The Stage for Elijah Keynote: Deep Feedback Loops, a session built around writer and DJ Elijah’s ‘Yellow Square’ design system and the idea of creating ideas that create more ideas.
Then there’s Music As Activism, Archive & Legacy, powered by Hyperfrank, at 3.15pm in The Studio. Archivist, story producer and TRENCH executive editor Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan is joined by author Dr Joy White, Drumz Of The South archivist Georgina Cook and writers Marcus Barnes and Naz Hamdi to explore how music challenges systems, documents lived experience and shapes cultural history.
Closing things out, Risky Roadz powers Basslines & Bloodlines: Music & Enterprise, at 4.45pm in The Studio. Kiss FM’s Ellie Prohan will be moderating a family-led conversation on legacy, entrepreneurship and what happens when music, business and bloodlines collide, with Roony ‘Risky Roadz’ Keefe, his mum Nancy Keefe, Beau The Beard and Grime Gran. Straight after, Rude Kid takes to The Stage at 5pm for the Cypher, co-hosted by Shelbee Tee–expect riddims, MCs and spitters closing the Takeover out the only way it should be.
For nearly 25 years, UD Music has presented opportunities for growth in the creative industry for people looking to make their mark. Whether you’re a budding artist, DJ, producer, journalist, photographer or archivist, #IndustryTakeover events have consistently connected would-be creatives with some of the most talented people in the UK’s music industry. Along the way, incredible stories have been told by figures whose imprints are felt across every corner of UK creativity–from Ray BLK and Darcus Beese to Swindle and Candice Carty-Williams. Expect serious levels of knowledge, insight and networking in the heart of East London.
Tickets to the one-day event on June 12 are available now via Eventbrite.
