{"id":1885321,"date":"2026-04-16T11:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T08:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1885321"},"modified":"2026-04-16T11:31:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T08:31:00","slug":"the-secret-history-of-black-british-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1885321","title":{"rendered":"The secret history of Black British music"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1035\/0-0-1035-690\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440627.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article longread\">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/music\/article\/69844\/1\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story\" data-article-id=\"69844\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-portrait-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.77\" data-template=\"Longread Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_08\" class=\"img\" height=\"1350\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1035\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440627.jpg\" width=\"1035\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">She Rockers <span class=\"nowrap\">(Normski, 1988)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-16T11:31:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"16 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">DateInMeta<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"16\">16,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical vertical - music\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>The secret history of Black <span class=\"nowrap\">British music<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>Black British music has been \u2018making arses shake since the Windrush\u2019, as Lewisham\u2019s finest Jim Legxacy put it. Now, a new exhibition at London\u2019s V&amp;A East aims to tell the <span class=\"nowrap\">whole story<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-04-16T11:31:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"16 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"16\">16,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - music\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-04-16T11:31:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"16 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"16\">16,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/nicolastyrellscott\">Nicolas-Tyrell Scott<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-10-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">The Music Is Black: A British Story, <span class=\"nowrap\">V&amp;A East<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/0\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_01\" class=\"img\" height=\"610\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-915-610\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440628.jpg\" width=\"915\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/1\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_02\" class=\"img\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-885-590\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440629.jpg\" width=\"885\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/2\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_03\" class=\"img\" height=\"610\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-915-610\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440630.jpg\" width=\"915\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/3\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_04\" class=\"img\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-885-590\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440631.jpg\" width=\"885\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/4\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_05\" class=\"img\" height=\"690\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-1035-690\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440632.jpg\" width=\"1035\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/5\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_06\" class=\"img\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-962-641\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440633.jpg\" width=\"962\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 10 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span><em>This story is taken from the spring 2026 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally now. Order a copy of the magazine\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.boutiquemags.com\/dpa\/add\/tocart\/id\/14592\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In 2026, documentation is more valuable than ever. Contemporary culture is awash with misinformation, AI-generated responses and distorted versions of historical events. When done well, the act of archiving protects culture and preserves people, places and spaces with care and consideration. In a recent interview, Terri Lee Freeman, president of the Reginald F Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History &amp; Culture, advocated for cultural preservation. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have archives, if you don\u2019t have collections, if you don\u2019t have the griots and the storytellers, who is going to tell the truth?\u201d she asked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The new V&amp;A East in Stratford, London is rising to the occasion, opening its doors this April with <\/span><em><span>The Music Is Black: A British Story<\/span><\/em><span>, an exhibition helmed by music and culture lecturer, journalist and writer Jacqueline Springer. \u201cLook at what history has done to the African diaspora,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd how this beautiful array of music exists.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Spanning 125 years, the exhibition traces the lineage of Black British music and marks the importance of the wider Black diaspora in its evolution over time. The exhibition begins in 1900 with academic and activist WEB Du Bois\u2019 appearance at the Paris Exposition, where he co-presented his gold-winning exhibit of African American culture. This was followed by a trip to London that year for the inaugural Pan-African Conference, for which British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was commissioned to create music. \u201cWe\u2019ve got classical music,\u201d Springer says of the event. \u201cWe\u2019ve got the son of a Sierra Leonean father and an English mother. We\u2019ve got Pan-Africanism, the desire to explore global unity and to wrestle national autonomy from colonial powers.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>With archiving and cultural preservation comes the act of demystifying \u201ctruths\u201d and correcting historical inaccuracies. In the exhibit\u2019s second act, \u201cGreat\u201d Britain (1900\u20131969), Springer counters the widespread misconception that youth culture emerged after the second world war. In fact, the youth culture of the mid-20th century has its roots in the pre-war era. \u201cIt started with jazz,\u201d Springer asserts. The likes of Duke Ellington\u2019s visits to the UK in the 1930s helped to immerse the country in the genre, catalysing the rise of dedicated jazz clubs and events. In the postwar period, enclaves of Black artists not only earned individual recognition, but also helped bolster the reputation of Black British artistry.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"c6061b1c-9f9d-4b4d-81a9-b405010ea092\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440608.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.63\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Music is Black: A British Story\" class=\"img\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440608.jpg\" width=\"962\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Admiral Ken Sound System, Club Row, Shoreditch (Dennis <span class=\"nowrap\">Morris, 1974)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>The impact of West Indian migration to the country in the 40s and 50s paved the way for figures like the Trinbagonian ragtime star Winifred Atwell, who became the first Black artist to score a British number one with her 1954 single \u201cLet\u2019s Have Another Party\u201d. \u201cWinifred was classically trained, but performs ragtime music too,\u201d Springer says. \u201cShe was inadvertently tackling class, because [people] associated ragtime or jazz with the lower classes, and classical with higher.\u201d Springer looks to celebrate women like Winifred Atwell across the exhibition, correcting their frequent erasure from history. \u201cWinifred is the benchmark, and everybody should know about her and what she achieved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Youth culture continued to boom in the postwar years, culminating in the growth of rock\u2019n\u2019roll, with musical pioneers like Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Little Richard helping to shape the genre in the US. Across the Atlantic, in the years following Atwell\u2019s landmark number one, another ragtime hit arrived with \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Me Your Troubles\u201d by Emile Ford and the Checkmates. Reaching the top of the UK singles charts at the end of 1959, the song held its position for over a month. \u201cThe band\u2019s name\u2013referring to chess and its black and white pieces\u2013might seem inelegant from today\u2019s per- spective,\u201d Springer acknowledges. \u201cBut for the time, calling themselves \u2018the checkmates\u2019 was a really rebellious way of making the point that they were a multiracial band.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Successive decades would continue to shape and evolve Black British culture. But alongside migration came racial tension, which reached a flashpoint in 1976 when rock guitarist Eric Clapton advocated onstage for a white Britain and endorsed the notoriously racist MP Enoch Powell. Rock Against Racism \u2013 a campaign founded partly in opposition to Clapton\u2019s comments &#8211; was launched soon after and ran until 1981. \u201cYou\u2019ve got Poly Styrene, you\u2019ve got the Clash, Misty in Roots, Steel Pulse, the Specials, the Body Snatchers and bands like the Selecter,\u201d Springer says. \u201c[These groups were] inspired by different musical forms, from ska to rocksteady, reggae, soul and rock. But there\u2019s a political agenda that\u2019s being addressed: anti-racism.\u201d The exhibition situates music within its wider social and political context, illuminating the lived realities surrounding its creation and offering attendees a more nuanced understanding of the conditions that shaped these sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Across the last 25 years, we\u2019ve witnessed the ascension of countless Black British musicians and artists, from Raye to Shirley J Thompson, Stormzy and Little Simz. Genres like garage, grime and UK drill pushed pop culture forward. And, at the time of writing, Olivia Dean\u2019s <em>The Art of Loving<\/em> has just spent a fifth week at number one on the UK album charts, while sitting in the top five of US Billboard Top 200.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"3a966734-ad67-4c37-80fd-b405010f3f85\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440609.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.63\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Music is Black: A British Story\" class=\"img\" height=\"591\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440609.jpg\" width=\"962\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Nolay, London, (Sam <span class=\"nowrap\">White, 2005)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>The growth of Black British genres across the 2000s and 2010s drew interest from international stars like Drake and Kanye West, with West performing his song \u201cAll Day\u201d at the 2015 Brit Awards alongside grime luminaries like Skepta, Stormzy, Novelist and Jammer. Drake\u2019s ongoing fascination with UK rap, R&amp;B and drill has led to collaborations with Headie One, Central Cee, Jorja Smith and Giggs, among others. Today, a new generation \u2013 including Ceebo, Jim Legxacy and Natanya \u2013 has won fans in SZA and Tyler, the Creator, showing that the global influence of Black British artists is as strong as ever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span>The Music Is Black: A British Story<\/span><\/em><span> illuminates what mainstream visibility means for contemporary Black British talent, using photography, costumes and instruments that highlight their breakthroughs. Sometimes, though, success can come at a cost. \u201cThere\u2019s something that happens when [Black] artists become commercially successful,\u201d says Springer. \u201cThey\u2019re less \u2018one of us\u2019 because they\u2019re perceived to have sold out.\u201d Spotlighting the work of artists who have enjoyed huge cross-over success \u2013 Stormzy, Little Simz, Seal \u2013 Springer invites us to consider the creative decisions they would have had to grapple with as they hit the big time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The 2020s so far have provided a wealth of books, documentaries and exhibitions seeking to define and showcase Black British history. For Springer, two aims mattered most: to display the privilege of being able to create music at a professional level, and to celebrate the joy in artistic contributions from Black British creators. \u201cI would like there to be a real sense of humility as to the fact that people have this craft held within them,\u201d she says. \u201cI just think that\u2019s incredible. That\u2019s what art does. It\u2019s these confetti drops of beauty which last forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Below, we chronicle some landmark moments in the history of Black British music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1900<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Samuel Coleridge-Taylor is commissioned to provide music for the first Pan-African Conference. His classical music goes on to achieve commercial success in the US and Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1914<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Ragtime and blues accelerate, and jazz begins to enter the public consciousness, with composers like James Reese Europe introducing the genre to the military during WW1.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>INTERWAR YEARS (1918-1939)<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>The popularity of jazz catalyses the first modern youth movement, with the likes of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington visiting London.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1950s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Rock\u2019n\u2019roll emerges in the US, led by architects of the sound like Little Richard, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner and Chuck Berry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1954<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Winifred Atwell becomes the first Black artist to score a British number one with \u201cLet\u2019s Have Another Party\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"umJxL4Gmx3Y\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"900\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/umJxL4Gmx3Y\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"1600\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>1957<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Avril Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel\u2019s daughter, composes Ceremonial March to celebrate Ghana\u2019s independence from British rule.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1959<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Emile Ford and the Checkmates\u2019 \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Me Your Troubles\u201d lands at number one in the UK charts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1960s\u201370s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Having achieved mainstream success in the late 1950s, Shirley Bassey becomes a national icon by affiliating herself with the James Bond franchise, recording her first theme song, \u201cGoldfinger\u201d, in 1964.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1976<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Eric Clapton\u2019s racist comments at a gig in Birmingham lead to the launch of Rock Against R<\/span><span>acism, a coalition of musicians across genres like punk, ska and rocksteady.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1979<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Janet Kay\u2019s lovers rock anthem \u201cSilly Games\u201d becomes the first single by a Black British artist to hit number two on the singles chart.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1980s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>The decade sees the emergence of British-crafted offshoots including Brit-funk, two-tone and acid jazz. Sade becomes the first Black British winner of a best album award at the Brits, for her band\u2019s multi-million seller <\/span><em><span>Diamond Life.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"4TYv2PhG89A\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"900\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4TYv2PhG89A\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"1600\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>EARLY 1990s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>UK hip hop rapidly evolves with London Posse, Cookie Crew, Roots Manuva and other MCs expanding the genre and sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1994<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>DJ EZ lays the groundwork for UK garage (UKG) through his high-BPM remix of Todd Edwards\u2019 house track \u201cThe Praise (God in His Hand)\u201d. Shy FX and UK Apache\u2019s UK top 40 hit \u201cOriginal Nuttah\u201d helps popularise jungle, the forerunner to drum &amp; bass.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2000s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Artists begin to experiment with UKG, fusing it with grime, rap, house, pop and R&amp;B. Craig David, Mis-Teeq and So Solid Crew play a crucial role in widening the genre\u2019s appeal. UK funky also emerges, led by artists like Funky Dee, Donae\u2019o and KIG.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2000\u20132002<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>The creation of grime, an evolution of UKG fusing elements from dancehall, garage and rap, with Dizzee Rascal, Skepta and the BBK collective leading the scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2011<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>London DJ Abrantee coins the term \u201cAfrobeats\u201d and launches a dedicated show to the genre on Choice FM. Sneakbo releases \u201cTouch ah Button\u201d, paving the way for the creation of Afroswing, a hybrid genre blending Afrobeats, UK rap and dancehall.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"IgO9tem1ObY\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"900\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IgO9tem1ObY\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"1600\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>2012\u20132017<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>A wave of acts, including 67, 150 and Headie One, popularise UK drill and articulate its sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>LATE 2010s\u2013PRESENT<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Artists like Ezra Collective, cktrl, Venna and Raye spearhead a jazz revival, helping to popularise the sound for contemporary listeners.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2017\u2013PRESENT<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>UK R&amp;B experiences a revival through the likes of Tiana Major9, Shae Universe, Bellah, Jvck James, FLO and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span>The Music Is Black: A British Story is at the V&amp;A East in London from April 18<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span>This story is taken from the spring 2026 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally now. Order a copy of the magazine\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.boutiquemags.com\/dpa\/add\/tocart\/id\/14592\">here<\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series header article-series tags\"><span class=\"heading\">More on these topics:<\/span><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/the-spring-2026-issue\">The Spring 2026 Issue<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/jim-legxacy\">Jim Legxacy<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/grime\">grime<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/rap\">rap<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/britain\">Britain<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/afrobeats\">Afrobeats<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"image-navigation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/news\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img one\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">News<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/fashion\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img two\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Fashion<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img three\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Music<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/film-tv\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img four\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Film &amp; TV<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69844\/1\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story#features\" class=\"image-navigation__img five\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Features<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img six\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Beauty<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img seven\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Life &amp; Culture<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/art-photography\/\" class=\"image-navigation__img eight\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-navigation__wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"image-navigation__title\">Art &amp; Photography<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-10-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">The Music Is Black: A British Story, <span class=\"nowrap\">V&amp;A East<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/0\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_01\" class=\"img\" height=\"610\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-915-610\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440628.jpg\" width=\"915\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/1\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_02\" class=\"img\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-885-590\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440629.jpg\" width=\"885\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/2\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_03\" class=\"img\" height=\"610\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-915-610\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440630.jpg\" width=\"915\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/3\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_04\" class=\"img\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-885-590\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440631.jpg\" width=\"885\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/4\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_05\" class=\"img\" height=\"690\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-1035-690\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440632.jpg\" width=\"1035\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/gallery\/36809\/5\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story-va-east\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_U11_TheMusicIsBlack_ABritishHistory_06\" class=\"img\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-962-641\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440633.jpg\" width=\"962\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 10 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span><em>This story is taken from the spring 2026 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally now. Order a copy of the magazine\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.boutiquemags.com\/dpa\/add\/tocart\/id\/14592\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In 2026, documentation is more valuable than ever. Contemporary culture is awash with misinformation, AI-generated responses and distorted versions of historical events. When done well, the act of archiving protects culture and preserves people, places and spaces with care and consideration. In a recent interview, Terri Lee Freeman, president of the Reginald F Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History &amp; Culture, advocated for cultural preservation. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have archives, if you don\u2019t have collections, if you don\u2019t have the griots and the storytellers, who is going to tell the truth?\u201d she asked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The new V&amp;A East in Stratford, London is rising to the occasion, opening its doors this April with <\/span><em><span>The Music Is Black: A British Story<\/span><\/em><span>, an exhibition helmed by music and culture lecturer, journalist and writer Jacqueline Springer. \u201cLook at what history has done to the African diaspora,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd how this beautiful array of music exists.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Spanning 125 years, the exhibition traces the lineage of Black British music and marks the importance of the wider Black diaspora in its evolution over time. The exhibition begins in 1900 with academic and activist WEB Du Bois\u2019 appearance at the Paris Exposition, where he co-presented his gold-winning exhibit of African American culture. This was followed by a trip to London that year for the inaugural Pan-African Conference, for which British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was commissioned to create music. \u201cWe\u2019ve got classical music,\u201d Springer says of the event. \u201cWe\u2019ve got the son of a Sierra Leonean father and an English mother. We\u2019ve got Pan-Africanism, the desire to explore global unity and to wrestle national autonomy from colonial powers.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>With archiving and cultural preservation comes the act of demystifying \u201ctruths\u201d and correcting historical inaccuracies. In the exhibit\u2019s second act, \u201cGreat\u201d Britain (1900\u20131969), Springer counters the widespread misconception that youth culture emerged after the second world war. In fact, the youth culture of the mid-20th century has its roots in the pre-war era. \u201cIt started with jazz,\u201d Springer asserts. The likes of Duke Ellington\u2019s visits to the UK in the 1930s helped to immerse the country in the genre, catalysing the rise of dedicated jazz clubs and events. In the postwar period, enclaves of Black artists not only earned individual recognition, but also helped bolster the reputation of Black British artistry.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"c6061b1c-9f9d-4b4d-81a9-b405010ea092\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440608.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.63\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Music is Black: A British Story\" class=\"img\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440608.jpg\" width=\"962\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Admiral Ken Sound System, Club Row, Shoreditch (Dennis <span class=\"nowrap\">Morris, 1974)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>The impact of West Indian migration to the country in the 40s and 50s paved the way for figures like the Trinbagonian ragtime star Winifred Atwell, who became the first Black artist to score a British number one with her 1954 single \u201cLet\u2019s Have Another Party\u201d. \u201cWinifred was classically trained, but performs ragtime music too,\u201d Springer says. \u201cShe was inadvertently tackling class, because [people] associated ragtime or jazz with the lower classes, and classical with higher.\u201d Springer looks to celebrate women like Winifred Atwell across the exhibition, correcting their frequent erasure from history. \u201cWinifred is the benchmark, and everybody should know about her and what she achieved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Youth culture continued to boom in the postwar years, culminating in the growth of rock\u2019n\u2019roll, with musical pioneers like Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Little Richard helping to shape the genre in the US. Across the Atlantic, in the years following Atwell\u2019s landmark number one, another ragtime hit arrived with \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Me Your Troubles\u201d by Emile Ford and the Checkmates. Reaching the top of the UK singles charts at the end of 1959, the song held its position for over a month. \u201cThe band\u2019s name\u2013referring to chess and its black and white pieces\u2013might seem inelegant from today\u2019s per- spective,\u201d Springer acknowledges. \u201cBut for the time, calling themselves \u2018the checkmates\u2019 was a really rebellious way of making the point that they were a multiracial band.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Successive decades would continue to shape and evolve Black British culture. But alongside migration came racial tension, which reached a flashpoint in 1976 when rock guitarist Eric Clapton advocated onstage for a white Britain and endorsed the notoriously racist MP Enoch Powell. Rock Against Racism \u2013 a campaign founded partly in opposition to Clapton\u2019s comments &#8211; was launched soon after and ran until 1981. \u201cYou\u2019ve got Poly Styrene, you\u2019ve got the Clash, Misty in Roots, Steel Pulse, the Specials, the Body Snatchers and bands like the Selecter,\u201d Springer says. \u201c[These groups were] inspired by different musical forms, from ska to rocksteady, reggae, soul and rock. But there\u2019s a political agenda that\u2019s being addressed: anti-racism.\u201d The exhibition situates music within its wider social and political context, illuminating the lived realities surrounding its creation and offering attendees a more nuanced understanding of the conditions that shaped these sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Across the last 25 years, we\u2019ve witnessed the ascension of countless Black British musicians and artists, from Raye to Shirley J Thompson, Stormzy and Little Simz. Genres like garage, grime and UK drill pushed pop culture forward. And, at the time of writing, Olivia Dean\u2019s <em>The Art of Loving<\/em> has just spent a fifth week at number one on the UK album charts, while sitting in the top five of US Billboard Top 200.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"3a966734-ad67-4c37-80fd-b405010f3f85\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440609.jpg\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.63\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Music is Black: A British Story\" class=\"img\" height=\"591\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/962\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440609.jpg\" width=\"962\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Nolay, London, (Sam <span class=\"nowrap\">White, 2005)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>The growth of Black British genres across the 2000s and 2010s drew interest from international stars like Drake and Kanye West, with West performing his song \u201cAll Day\u201d at the 2015 Brit Awards alongside grime luminaries like Skepta, Stormzy, Novelist and Jammer. Drake\u2019s ongoing fascination with UK rap, R&amp;B and drill has led to collaborations with Headie One, Central Cee, Jorja Smith and Giggs, among others. Today, a new generation \u2013 including Ceebo, Jim Legxacy and Natanya \u2013 has won fans in SZA and Tyler, the Creator, showing that the global influence of Black British artists is as strong as ever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span>The Music Is Black: A British Story<\/span><\/em><span> illuminates what mainstream visibility means for contemporary Black British talent, using photography, costumes and instruments that highlight their breakthroughs. Sometimes, though, success can come at a cost. \u201cThere\u2019s something that happens when [Black] artists become commercially successful,\u201d says Springer. \u201cThey\u2019re less \u2018one of us\u2019 because they\u2019re perceived to have sold out.\u201d Spotlighting the work of artists who have enjoyed huge cross-over success \u2013 Stormzy, Little Simz, Seal \u2013 Springer invites us to consider the creative decisions they would have had to grapple with as they hit the big time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The 2020s so far have provided a wealth of books, documentaries and exhibitions seeking to define and showcase Black British history. For Springer, two aims mattered most: to display the privilege of being able to create music at a professional level, and to celebrate the joy in artistic contributions from Black British creators. \u201cI would like there to be a real sense of humility as to the fact that people have this craft held within them,\u201d she says. \u201cI just think that\u2019s incredible. That\u2019s what art does. It\u2019s these confetti drops of beauty which last forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Below, we chronicle some landmark moments in the history of Black British music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1900<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Samuel Coleridge-Taylor is commissioned to provide music for the first Pan-African Conference. His classical music goes on to achieve commercial success in the US and Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1914<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Ragtime and blues accelerate, and jazz begins to enter the public consciousness, with composers like James Reese Europe introducing the genre to the military during WW1.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>INTERWAR YEARS (1918-1939)<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>The popularity of jazz catalyses the first modern youth movement, with the likes of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington visiting London.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1950s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Rock\u2019n\u2019roll emerges in the US, led by architects of the sound like Little Richard, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner and Chuck Berry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1954<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Winifred Atwell becomes the first Black artist to score a British number one with \u201cLet\u2019s Have Another Party\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"umJxL4Gmx3Y\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"900\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/umJxL4Gmx3Y\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"1600\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>1957<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Avril Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel\u2019s daughter, composes Ceremonial March to celebrate Ghana\u2019s independence from British rule.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1959<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Emile Ford and the Checkmates\u2019 \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Me Your Troubles\u201d lands at number one in the UK charts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1960s\u201370s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Having achieved mainstream success in the late 1950s, Shirley Bassey becomes a national icon by affiliating herself with the James Bond franchise, recording her first theme song, \u201cGoldfinger\u201d, in 1964.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1976<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Eric Clapton\u2019s racist comments at a gig in Birmingham lead to the launch of Rock Against R<\/span><span>acism, a coalition of musicians across genres like punk, ska and rocksteady.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1979<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Janet Kay\u2019s lovers rock anthem \u201cSilly Games\u201d becomes the first single by a Black British artist to hit number two on the singles chart.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1980s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>The decade sees the emergence of British-crafted offshoots including Brit-funk, two-tone and acid jazz. Sade becomes the first Black British winner of a best album award at the Brits, for her band\u2019s multi-million seller <\/span><em><span>Diamond Life.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"4TYv2PhG89A\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"900\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4TYv2PhG89A\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"1600\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>EARLY 1990s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>UK hip hop rapidly evolves with London Posse, Cookie Crew, Roots Manuva and other MCs expanding the genre and sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>1994<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>DJ EZ lays the groundwork for UK garage (UKG) through his high-BPM remix of Todd Edwards\u2019 house track \u201cThe Praise (God in His Hand)\u201d. Shy FX and UK Apache\u2019s UK top 40 hit \u201cOriginal Nuttah\u201d helps popularise jungle, the forerunner to drum &amp; bass.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2000s<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Artists begin to experiment with UKG, fusing it with grime, rap, house, pop and R&amp;B. Craig David, Mis-Teeq and So Solid Crew play a crucial role in widening the genre\u2019s appeal. UK funky also emerges, led by artists like Funky Dee, Donae\u2019o and KIG.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2000\u20132002<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>The creation of grime, an evolution of UKG fusing elements from dancehall, garage and rap, with Dizzee Rascal, Skepta and the BBK collective leading the scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2011<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>London DJ Abrantee coins the term \u201cAfrobeats\u201d and launches a dedicated show to the genre on Choice FM. Sneakbo releases \u201cTouch ah Button\u201d, paving the way for the creation of Afroswing, a hybrid genre blending Afrobeats, UK rap and dancehall.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"IgO9tem1ObY\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"900\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IgO9tem1ObY\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"1600\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>2012\u20132017<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>A wave of acts, including 67, 150 and Headie One, popularise UK drill and articulate its sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>LATE 2010s\u2013PRESENT<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>Artists like Ezra Collective, cktrl, Venna and Raye spearhead a jazz revival, helping to popularise the sound for contemporary listeners.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>2017\u2013PRESENT<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span>UK R&amp;B experiences a revival through the likes of Tiana Major9, Shae Universe, Bellah, Jvck James, FLO and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span>The Music Is Black: A British Story is at the V&amp;A East in London from April 18<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span>This story is taken from the spring 2026 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally now. Order a copy of the magazine\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.boutiquemags.com\/dpa\/add\/tocart\/id\/14592\">here<\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series header article-series tags\"><span class=\"heading\">More on these topics:<\/span><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/the-spring-2026-issue\">The Spring 2026 Issue<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/jim-legxacy\">Jim Legxacy<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/grime\">grime<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/rap\">rap<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/britain\">Britain<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/afrobeats\">Afrobeats<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69844\/1\/the-music-is-black-a-british-story&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1035\/0-0-1035-690\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440627.jpg&#8221;] She Rockers (Normski, 1988) DateInMeta\u00a0 16,\u00a0 2026 Music \/ Feature The secret history of Black British music Black British music has been \u2018making arses shake since the Windrush\u2019, as Lewisham\u2019s finest Jim Legxacy put it. Now, a new exhibition at London\u2019s V&amp;A East aims to tell the whole story April\u00a0 16,\u00a0 2026 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1885321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1885321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885321\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1885321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1885321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1885321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}