Black British music has shaped the sound of modern Britain for generations, influencing everything from reggae and jungle to grime, drill and UK rap, and to celebrate and explore that legacy, Complex UK’s Cee Valentina hosted a very special panel at ELAM in collaboration with The Music Is Black: A British Story, an exhibition at the V&A East Museum that spotlights the artists, communities and cultural movements that continue to shape Black British music today.
The discussion brought together leading voices from across the music industry—Darcus Beese, Sheniece Charway, Komali Scott-Jones and Alec Boateng—to reflect on their personal connections to Black British music and how the culture continues to evolve today. From pirate radio and soundsystem culture to digital platforms and YouTube freestyles, the conversation explored how creativity has often thrived through limitation, resistance and self-made opportunities.
The panel also examined identity, activism and representation within the industry, highlighting the importance of giving flowers to the executives, organisers and creatives who have historically gone unseen. Tracing over 125 years of Black British music history, The Music Is Black celebrates not only the globally recognised talents, but also the communities, innovators and behind-the-scenes figures who have continuously pushed the culture forward.
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