From vocals to visuals, dvsn had the whole night on lock. Both Daniel Daley and Nineteen85 individually stressed their importance as part of one of the biggest R&B duos around. Although Daniel is seen as the face of the group, both artists played specific roles in making the concert special. Nineteen85, the man behind all the beats and samples, opened the performance with a diligent DJ set. He engaged the fans with some R&B oldies as well as throwing in music from his OVO labelmates. Only when the crowd was brimming with excitement did Daniel Daley come out and perform With Me. What I respected (as well as others, I'm sure) is that after finishing his opening set, Nineteen85 went to control the concert from the booth with the other sound technicians. It gave everyone present an insight into how they work so harmoniously as a group. The participation from the audience was garagantuan, and this was well within expectations. Dvsn's music as a whole is incredibly relatable and empathetic and so for many, hearing it live only intensified the connection with the tracks. This meant that there were no standout songs, or better yet, every track had a standout quality to it. The records from their debut album, Sept 5th, echoed around Kentish Town Forum that bit more than the ones on Morning After but the songs were very well received all the same. The difference came when some tracks were broken down at the end to their sample, where he would sing the original song the melody was taken from. The end of Too Deep smoothly transitioned into So Anxious by Ginuwine; and despite the fact it was not sampled, Think About Me seamlessly passed into a passionate rendition of U Got it Bad. All three back-up singers had voices that rivalled Daley's in range, power and depth. They were spurred on by the spectators to carry out runs that showed just how talented they were. One of the supporting singers, Shantel May, stepped forward to execute a flawless cover of 1+1 by Beyoncé, before performing her debut single- Back n Forth. The reception for both songs was electric and she definitely left a lasting impression on the viewers. The screen at the back of the stage added a story-like element to the show. Each number had its own video on loop that would represent the feelings expressed in the lyrics (sometimes subbed at the bottom of the screen). A prime example of this is Mood, where a romantic atmosphere was set in the background with candles and a woman undressing. Scenes from the promotional video for their second album were used, that featured children watching the sunset from an empty pool. This was a personal favourite for me. The video captured the essence of the song it was paired with. There were also end credits after the concert, accompanied by the record- Angela, that gave a cinematic finish to the visuals that were displayed all night. If I had to summarise the gig: it was emotive, in every sense of the word. Dvsn evoked a response from everyone, regardless of the song and the feelings that went with it. Seeing them live was an encounter I cannot wait to experience again.

Parental advisory is always strongly encouraged with shows like The Simpsons, and growing up, I could never work out why. It wasn't until I revisited Simpsons later in life (just kidding, I never stopped watching it), that I realised the content carefully woven into the storylines to keep adults intrigued whilst the children laugh at the comedy on the surface. On second thought, maybe it wasn't for children at all. So, here is a message to those who think they are too old for cartoons: stop trying to grow up too fast. Sit back and enjoy the animated things in life. 1. Rick & Morty Intergalactic adventures? Alien weapons? Family bonding? Pickles? What more could you ask for. By the creator of Community, Dan Harmon (alongside Justin Roiland) depicts the absurd events experienced by a super genius inventor, Rick Sanchez- and his Grandson, Morty. The show is the epitome of fun and games, using fictional tales of the cosmos to comment on a range of real social issues. 2. Archer Archer is adult humour personified. All the jokes that daytime tv was too scared to air took refuge in every single 30-minute episode. The protagonist, Archer Sterling, is an alcoholic spy who carries out missions with his friends and colleagues (including his on-and-off girlfriend, Lana). The only way to describe their undertakings is ridiculously outrageous. The plot and storylines are testament to that, with writer- Adam Reed, including multiple subgenres such as: crime fiction and neo-noir . It is both versatile and entertaining. 3. Big Mouth Moral of the story: don't bring pubescent consciousness to life. Nick Kroll purposely gives the viewers a new dimension into how early adolescence is viewed, and I think I speak for most people when they say, they are simultaneously intrigued and disgusted. Teenage years are personified through the introduction of 'hormone monsters': imaginary personalities that voice and explain the changes the characters go through. If you want to cringe and cry with laughter all in the same scene, then by my guest. 4. Bojack Horseman The majority of cartoon watchers use these shows as a form of escapism. With that being said, Bojack Horseman is one of the only animated series that painstakingly brings you closer to reality (in the funniest way possible, really, I promise). Through the use of excessive drinking, meaningless sex and the darkest of humour, Bojack battles crippling depression whilst trying to stay afloat in the entertainment industry. One of the reasons Raphael Bob-Waksberg made the characters animals was to detract from the realness of the situations and make them a little less relatable, thank God for that. 5. Boondocks If Boondocks was aired in 2018, it would be cancelled half way through the first episode due to political incorrectness. The satirical cartoon outlines the lives of Riley and Huey Freeman (voiced by the mastermind behind it all, Regina King) living in suburbia with their Granddad. The Boondocks mostly addresses race relations, but also comments on topics such as rap culture, sexuality and religion. Many characters resemble actual celebrities from the time it was televised, which makes the show far more controversial (and way more interesting if you ask me). For example, the second episode of the first season is titled, "The Trial of R. Kelly". I'll leave you to figure out what that's about... 6. Adventure Time Adventure Time is the most obscure and strange show anyone has ever witnessed, ever. You have to wonder what Pendleton Ward was thinking when he developed such a spectacle. All things weird and wonderful take place in the "Land of Ooo": from talking game consoles to princesses made out of lumpy space- and at the centre of it all is Finn and his talking dog, Jake. They are both self-declared adventurers who traverse the vast kingdom in search of danger and mystery. This show is the perfect blend between innocence and adulthood that you probably didn't think possible. 7. Regular Show Much like Adventure Time, Regular Show deals with adult concepts in a simplistic manner, then dampens it with sheer absurdity. An example of this, would be summarising the program without any prior context. Mordecai and Rigby (a talking blue jay and raccoon) are groundskeepers in a local park, working for Benson (a talking gumball machine) alongside an immortal Yeti called Skips, a ghost and a green guy who identifies himself as "Muscle-Man" (spoiler- he's not all that muscly). Stuck in dead end jobs, Mordecai and Rigby try to create their own fun, which usually results in troublesome predicaments, like when they search for a Laserdisc player and accidentally start a technological war. 8. The Jellies Places no one should visit: war-torn countries, space without a helmet and Tyler's The Creator's mind through the form of an animated series. Luckily, Tyler didn't listen to us and created the Jellies anyways. The plot revolves around Cornell, a human teenager living with his jellyfish family. After finding out he is adopted (don't ask me how he didn't work it out, I'm just as confused as you are), he begins to question who he really is and makes it his mission to find out. The humour in the show is quite specific, usually playing on stereotypes and archetypes e.g. the guys from New York with the 'timbs' and the aggressive dog on a chain. 9. Bob's Burgers It's fascinating how entertaining a family running a burger joint really is. A standout factor of this ongoing series is the character development. There is an in-depth analysis of every main character and most supporting characters too. Bob's children (Tina, Gene and Louise) are extremely different in terms of their personalities but they all bounce off and complement each other. If you've watched Archer, then you may recognise Bob's voice. A crossover episode was done in Season 4 of Archer, where he enters a fugue state ends up working in the restaurant as Bob himself. 10. Neo Yokio Last but definitely not least, is Neo Yokio. Similar to the Boondocks, both shows resemble anime in their illustration styles. The show could be categorised as a futuristic interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. In Neo Yokio, there is a distinct social split between old money and the "neo-riche"-those who have earned their money through professionally fighting demons. Jaden Smith's character, Kaz Kaan, tries to overcome the divide by becoming Neo Yokio's most eligible bachelor whilst also working in the family business vanquishing evil spirits. This animation touches on issues such as class and discrimination whilst maintaining a light and playful tone with frequent references to current fashion.

A2’s performance was nothing short of energetic and dynamic. Hundreds poured into Koko with high hopes for an entertaining set and he did not let a single fan down. The likes of Octavian engaged the crowd with some unreleased tracks alongside some well-known bangers. Most importantly, he invigorated everyone for A2’s arrival. The set mimicked that of what is most likely the rapper’s bedroom, with an ominous "BLUE" lighting coating the stage. A2 stepped out to play Marble Flaws, which is also the first song on his debut album. The lyrics were echoed throughout the venue, and this became the trend for the duration of the night. Song after song, the crowd took in the zest he expressed on stage and rivalled his efforts by bellowing the words back at him. The loyal fans were definitely rewarded with renditions of FLOWERSXPATRON and Love Songs About Nobody: two tracks from his older, yet equally captivating mixtapes. Another element of the show that shocked the audience was that The order of songs was split into two sections, and this was no secret... “I’m sorry ladies, but the next couple of songs are for the mandem". The concert started with slower and, more melodious numbers and was contrasted with the faster, upbeat ones. Moshpits formed in the standing area whilst Tell Me and X2 (Dble) were performed. His friends and fellow artists swarmed the stage and rapped these songs with him. This was no longer a show, but a party to which everyone present was invited to. When the set was coming to an end, the London rapper crouched at the edge of the platform, holding his mic and asked everyone, "anyone know what songs coming next?" After a plethora of answers, the DJ (positioned behind him all night) dropped the instrumental for Trade Places as an uproar took over the venue. This tour was monumental for the rapper and it was evident that emotions were high throughout. He also previewed an unreleased song with opening act, Octavian, featuring on the hook- making his mark on 2018. A2 came out with a point to prove: as one of the best British talents around, and left as one of the best performers.

Kendrick’s last night in London was always going to be a monumental occasion. The sold out SEC Arena was teeming with expectation prior, with spirits high and Kung Fu Kenny didn’t disappoint. For James Blake fans, like myself, the concert killed two talented birds with one stone. Opening his set with Life Round Here to get the crowd going, the London born singer played a mixture of well known songs like Retrograde and threw in some new tracks he has been working on. Although James Blake was the opening act, his performance was nothing short of a spectacle. His sultry voice was the main focus, but the big screen highlighted all the parts not normally seen. Observing the effort and work going into creating the beats on the pads and the melodies on the piano meant the fans could properly appreciate his music. Now for the main act. Kendrick Lamar added a cinematic dimension to his show, imitating a Kung fu movie (subbed in English) which also starred the Compton rapper. He used it to open his set and during the intervals. He wasted no time pleasing everyone with favourites, rapping DNA. as the first song. His stage presence was a significant part of the entire performance, his energy remained on a high throughout and was reciprocated with crowd participation. Kendrick also didn’t stay put on the stage. A memorable point was Kenny climbing onto a much smaller platform in the middle of the standing section. He was then elevated and surrounded by a cage of lights, where he sang LUST., and surprised most people by playing a classic- Money Trees. He made sure that no matter where you were sitting, everyone got their money’s worth. Further surprises came in the form of Kendrick dropping his featured verses from Collard Greens with TDE label mate ScHoolboy Q, and Goosebumps by Travis Scott. However, the impressive element was saved till the end of the show when Humble was replayed thrice, with the whole arena shouting the entire second verse in his place. The atmosphere was evidently electric. The encore emitted a different vibe altogether. Kendrick expressed his favouritism towards the track God, before giving a chilled presentation of it. The Grammy award-winning artist said he would be back touring in London soon, and when he does- I’ll be at the front watching him again.

The gig was held in a small and intimate venue, which only added to the experience. At first, I thought seeing Daniel Caesar anywhere other than London was going to lessen the performance, but to my surprise I preferred the setting and location. The Canadian singer opened his set with a crowd pleaser: Japanese Denim. The song set the tone for the night, one that proved to be simultaneously entertaining and mellow. His voice throughout the concert was authentic and true to his music. It was as if I was listening to his album, Freudian, through headphones. The only difference was the live band, who arguably brought his set list to life. Nonetheless, Daniel did not let them outshine him whatsoever. On certain songs, such as Best Part (Ft. H.E.R.), he would play the instrumentals on guitar himself, whilst the crowd sang along with him. The way in which Daniel Caesar interacted with his fans was also heart-warming and genuine. During Neu Roses (a personal favourite), he came off stage, down to the front of the screaming masses where he stayed for the duration of the song. He also spoke briefly during short intervals but the focus was on the music and there seemed to be a consensus of appreciation about that. Even the lighting was minimal with no gimmicks necessary during the set or on stage; his artistry spoke for itself.

On the 7th of February, my friend and I took the train to see Jorja Smith perform live for the very first time at The Leadmill in Sheffield. Earphones plugged in, volume on the highest it could be; I sat on the train and listened to her discography next to my friend who did the same, trying to prepare ourselves for the experience. We arrived just in time for the opening act, Mahalia, as she started her set with No Pressure, one of her most popular songs. She then performed pieces from her older projects and took the crowd on her creative journey as she gave us a little insight into what inspires her songwriting before she performed each of her pieces. Mahalia also performed her hit single Sober and she wowed us with an acoustic mash-up of Solange’s Cranes in the Sky and SZA’s The Weekend. Her act was the perfect opening for Jorja, as her soulful and engaging sound set an intimate vibe in the venue for the rest of the show. After a short transitional pause, Jorja Smith graced the stage wearing a white tank top with grey wide leg pants and white trainers. Despite her simple attire, it felt as if all the colour and brightness in the room had drastically dimmed because of her presence. When I broke my gaze for a second to look around me, I found comfort in seeing that everyone looked just as stunned as I was. She opened her set with the hauntingly beautiful Something In The Way from her EP, Project 11. She then performed a number of new pieces in which her sound ranged from aching ballads that left the crowd near tears, to more upbeat but still soulful tunes that had us dancing along with her; confirming that we have all the more reason to look forward to her upcoming album that will be released later on in the year. Jorja performed her other well-known songs including Blue Lights, On My Mind, Teenage Fantasy and the recently released Let me Down, singing an extra verse where Stormzy’s would have been. She also blessed us with her heartfelt cover of Frank Ocean’s Lost and the crowd sang along in approval. Seeing Jorja Smith perform was a life-changing experience. Her ability to comfortably belt out runs, her confidence on stage presented with utmost humility, her chill aesthetic all work to give her show an impressionable but timeless feel. Not to mention the members of her amazing band that all looked like they were having just as much fun as she was. I’m now convinced that a Jorja Smith concert is an experience all music lovers needs in their life, so please do yourself a favour and go see her live!

“Not just some dumb mechanics wife, I’m gonna be Roxie! Who says that murder’s not an art?” You’ve heard of the musical Chicago, right? It’s the musical that’s made Broadway history with over 7000 performances to date. It’s the musical that brings dazzle and entertainment to murder trials. And most importantly (to me), the musical that gave us the iconic female protagonist with no male love interest: Roxie Hart. The 1975 vaudeville musical, Chicago features a protagonist who is forging a path into stardom against the backdrop of her high profile murder case. I think it is safe to say that when female characters are constructed without a love interest they are usually more complex. When there is no man that their story revolves around, this void has to be filled with an exploration of their actual personality, which often proves to be multidimensional. Therein lies remarkable characters that are neither easy to love nor hate. The kind that we find ourselves rooting for one day, and condemning the next.Roxie Hart is particularly refreshing because although there are a number of men in her life, including a husband and a brief lover, she purposely chooses not to actively pursue a love interest. The men in her life almost act as props. She understands that although safe husband Amos loves her, he will never provide the lifestyle she’s always dreamed of. And once her abusive lover Fred Casley also proves to be incapable, she doesn’t hesitate to get rid of him. The absence of a love interest means that she can relentlessly chase her dreams, and more importantly the storyline can pay undivided attention to vividly showing this. What I love most about Roxie is ironically what I find most problematic about her. While I find her ambitions inspiring, it’s clearly cynical how she uses the people in her life, especially her naïve husband Amos, as a means to an end. I’m especially conflicted when she fakes her pregnancy in order to revive her status as a “celebrity criminal.” With that said, I will admit that the cynicism is probably more apparent because she is a female character and this is not a trait usually assigned to women in theatre. We seem to have a stronger reaction to Roxie’s actions as opposed to Billy Flynn’s (her lawyer) scamming ways because more than enough male characters have normalised it. As the musical progresses, what first seemed like a badass woman using her high profile case to gain fame turns into a desperate and childish cry for attention. She starts to seem incredibly shallow and it becomes harder to defend her melodrama. Nonetheless, Roxie’s character finds ways to remind us that she has not had a particularly easy life and as the musical unfolds we see how it is almost inevitable for women to face injustices at the hands of men. Not only is the justice system male-dominated but the showbiz business is too. And although I wish she didn’t have to, I cannot help but be impressed by how she masterfully manipulates her vulnerability and sexuality to maintain the attention of men (while not holding any of them to a pedestal). "And who in case she doesn't hang, can say she started with a bang!" In a city that finds murder trials entertaining and seems to have a trend of acquitting attractive murderesses, Roxie has clearly figured out that this is the only way towards her claim to fame. Roxie Hart takes us through an emotional roller coaster, and at the end of the musical, we seem to have as many reasons to relate to her, as we do to distance ourselves from her. It is probably dramatic to say that Chicago revolutionised the way female characters were constructed in musicals but at the very least it has been an inspiration for similarly empowering works of theatre. And we owe this largely to the fact that Roxie Hart did not fall prey to the cliché, and quite frankly boring “prince charming” syndrome.

Let's address the musical elephant in the room. Mumble rap is (subconsciously) drawing attention to mental health issues. The subject is gaining more and more recognition through artists like: Lil Uzi Vert, NAV and various others. These rappers have had a positive effect on people taking mental health seriously, especially the younger generations, but this factor seems to be a by-product of their music and not the main objective- as many think. The correlation between this up-and-coming rap genre and mental health may be further explained through drugs. The relationship between the two could be described as symbiotic. There is a possibility that music works as a form of escapism for many artists. The same could be said for substance abuse. In NAV's single, Myself, released earlier this year- the Canadian rapper clearly states that he feels normal and a better person under the influence. This is not the only song where he expresses personal mental health issues. NAV shows symptoms of depression on his mixtape (produced by Metro Boomin), in particular- the song Call Me. "Do you know how I feel, I feel alone. Bought myself a house to feel like I ain't home" The song revolves around a girl who won't answer his calls. Similarly, Lil Uzi Vert also highlights the concern for his mental health in regards to a relationship. A well-supported theory behind the hit, XO Tour Llif3, is that the lyrics depict the end of his relationship with his long-term girlfriend. After arguing with her, Lil Uzi contemplates suicide by shooting himself in the head. These lyrics are followed by the XXL Freshman, calming his suicidal thoughts with "Xanny" or Xanex. You starting to see a pattern? This doesn't mean that all rappers follows the same pattern. There are ways to consciously put mental health on a social pedestal without using yourself as an example. Logic made the Suicide Hotline number, 1-800-273-8255, a song title to prove this. The song talks about suicide not being an option or solution to a problem no matter how tasking or troublesome it may be. An example of this is the music video. A black teenager fears coming out as gay and considers suicide, rather than telling his family. These comments are not being made to decuct any positive awareness that has arisen from these artists. Instead, it is important to highlight the trend that is forming in certain areas of the music industry and for what reasons. If anything, these cases are ones to learn from rather than condemn. Mental health is an elephant we can longer ignore.

I’m just going to start off by saying this play was excellent and I was only disappointed in myself for expecting otherwise. To my surprise, “The F Word” wasn’t a singular play but rather a compilation of three individual productions essentially centred around some types of pain the world seems to have particularly reserved for black women. The stories told in ‘Gum Under the Seat’ by Odo Mbakwe, ‘Arranged’ by Grace Enock and ‘Untitled’ by Edward Adeshina (who also starred in and directed all three) weren’t news to me as a woman myself, but rather served as an awakening to the level of trauma women are often left to endure at the hands of men. The first thing that stood out to me was the exceptional use of minimalism; each play utilised the same table and seats with only a few physical props like books or cups being swapped out for more specific moments. However, the use of sound as a scene-setting device throughout the plays is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen done this effectively in theatre at this level. ‘Gum Under the Seat’ tells the story of Louise and Helena (played by Temi Okundalaiye and Deborah Kelani-Afolabi), one being the mother of the boy who murdered the other’s son during senseless gang violence. The monologues between them are delivered beautifully with enough silence for it to be both realistic and funny because honestly; what do the fuck do these two women really have to say to each other? During this play, you can hear a television in the background with a cocktail of British TV classics playing such as the news and the ‘Countdown’ theme tune filling the painfully awkward silences between them. Immediately no other prop is required to set the scene, we all know exactly where we are, what time it is and exactly how close to home this moment is. Particularly this year the UK has seen a plethora of knife crime leading to the excessive loss of young (black) male life and the public often grieves the loss of potential, rightfully so. But we are rarely confronted with the unimaginable pain that these children’s parents are left to navigate, especially when there is absolutely no reason why their son is dead in the first place. ‘Arranged’ follows the story of Rachel (played by Ore Abiona), a young woman married off to abusive man over 20 years her senior by her family. At this juncture, I would like to mention that Ore’s performance completely stole the entire show for me. She skilfully navigates her way between this woman’s lack of social cues and the level of emotional and mental trauma that comes as a result of abuse. The play opens with Rachel calling the police to report the fact that she’s just murdered her husband; a call she makes so calmly it gave me goose bumps. Rachel appears unphased and almost completely unaware of the gravity of what just took place, to the point where she offers the police officers a cup of tea when they arrive to her house. At first her unbothered demeanour appears comical, but as she robotically recalls the tales of her late husband’s abuse, it becomes clear that Rachel’s behaviour is a result of sheer relief. Because finally. Finally, it is over. As the officers inform her that she’s under arrest and is being taken in for questioning, Rachel doesn’t seem to mind at all citing that “it’ll just be nice to get out of the house.” If hearts broke audibly, the theatre at that exact moment would have been excruciatingly loud. Her parents come to visit her in prison and their only concern is the apparent shame Rachel has brought to the family with all the drama. And even as she tries to emphasise the extent of the abuse she endured for years at the hands of the man they left her with, her own mother dismisses her stating that “a man can’t rape his wife.” The entire audience distinctly winced at this point because, ouch. We watch the jury debate her fate with one of the jurors (played by Seye Olokode who provided the excellent and very needed comedic relief throughout this play) being adamant that regardless of the circumstances a crime is a crime. However, for probably the first time in her life, someone comes to Rachel’s defence. Another black woman (because who the fuck else would?), who was one of the jurors (played by Deborah Kelani-Afolabi) fights wholeheartedly for her mainly due to being a victim of sexual assault herself. Deborah delivers a profound monologue about how she wishes she had the opportunity to kill the person who assaulted her, something she would do without a second thought. We never find out Rachel’s verdict. We didn’t need to. Realistically, a black woman who willingly confessed to murder and isn’t showing much remorse (because why the fuck should she?) is probably going to serve time. However, the open ending allows room for hope, because for once someone was actually looking out for Rachel. Not her family or friends. But a stranger who understood her pain at a level nobody else could even begin to fathom. And maybe this time it would be enough. The last play which the author has chosen not to title is simply a conversation very much like the first. Olufemi and Dorcas (played by Bosun Akis & Titi Elegbede) meet at a restaurant and judging by Olufemi’s hesitation and the fact that Dorcas clearly doesn’t even want to be anywhere near him, we know something is really off. The script however chooses not to reveal the actual reason for Dorcas’ evident hatred for Olu, who we learn is her cousin, until the play itself is almost over. This could have easily been overtly frustrating for the audience had it not been obvious that whatever Olu did was bad. Really bad. We eventually discover that he in fact sold his cousin into sex work under the guise of starting a new life in another country some years back and as soon as we find out, it makes perfect sense to me why we didn’t find out earlier. Because like Dorcas, I don’t think I would have been willing to sit through Olu’s bullshit apologies and stuttering knowing the gravity of the violation he put her through. And yet men still somehow find the temerity to ask you for your time and forgiveness even after quite literally ruining your life. Dorcas makes it clear that the only reason she showed up this time to hear him out is because she knows God doesn’t want her to hate him. Olu foolishly assumes this means there’s a chance he’s already forgiven which she shuts down immediately stating that she does in fact still hate him. But forgiveness is a journey; showing up was step one. Women are often painted out to be these confusing creatures with a unique ability for holding grudges and making a man’s life difficult, but this is far from the truth. The truth is black women are often trampled on by almost every man placed in our lives only to have sons who the world takes from us as well. Even after unspeakable levels of maltreatment, our ability to endure and survive is unmatched. What I loved most about this play is the amount of room it left you to come to your own conclusions and have your own take on what it really means to be female. In and amongst all the tragedy and discomfort is an inexplicable amount of fight, fortitude and forgiveness; not exactly the F words the world deserves from us. But the ones we repeatedly choose to give anyway.

As someone born in 1998, I just about made it out of the group of generation Z kids that completely grew up with social media. I didn’t get a phone until I was almost 12 years old and even then it was a little brick without any Internet, with its most redeeming quality being the radio. I mean MSN was a thing back in primary school and I watched Facebook begin to dig its claws into my peers throughout secondary/high school (my Nigerian mother said no way Iseduwa), but that’s about as exciting as it got for me until I started using Twitter when I was around 16. I learnt how to communicate, create relationships and more importantly function without the use of social media. It wasn’t until four episodes into ‘Euphoria’ that I realised just how much of a blessing this was. This show is literally about a group of teenagers in high school, which on the surface doesn’t seem like anything new hence my initial apprehension. With Zendaya starring, who prior to this project hadn’t given me a reason to believe she had the acting ability to carry an entire television show, I approached this with very low expectations. It took precisely 5 minutes to shut me all the way up, as we’re instantly slapped in the face with unexpectedly heavy and quite frankly dark tone. Zendaya’s character, Rue, dives straight into an extremely depressing story about her journey from an anxiety ridden child to drug addicted teenager who literally heads straight to her dealers house as soon she is out of rehab, after almost overdosing. The flashbacks, told with the smoothest transitions, have enough humour to illicit a chuckle without removing from the gravity of the topic, and some of the best casting I’ve seen on television in a long time, are my favourite things about this show. Flashbacks are usually plonked in the middle of random episodes when the character at hand is relaying their own tragic tales to whomever and quite frankly I’ve always found them cringey with that white vignette all over the screen. But this show does it so well, mainly because of my second favourite thing about it: the fucking cinematography (shoutout to Marcell Rév and the rest of this team). I am not joking when I say that as a film nerd and photographer, I have had to pause this show multiple times per episode just to scream out of pure ecstasy at a transition, camera angle/motion or the fuckingggggg colourssssss. Each time the sound fades out and you can feel just how anxious Rue is getting, or when the scenes start fast cutting and you can feel her slipping into a manic episode or even one when the scenes start gently falling into each other and you suddenly feel as heavy has the depression on her shoulders. This show uses every medium available from sound, costume, hair, makeup all the way to colour grading to effectively set the tone so brilliantly, I could cry. The third and arguably the most obviously notable thing about this show is the acting. As far as I’m concerned, every single member of this cast is showing out. From Angus Cloud’s slow but endearing take on the resident drug dealer Fez, Sydney Sweeny’s seemingly ditzy but extremely deliberate performance as Cassie to Jacob Elordi’s minimalistic but incredibly angered embodiment of Nate (I could talk for ages about his character but wasn’t that scene with his dad in the finale incredible?). The biggest surprise to me was Zendaya if I’m being honest. Like most people, although I have absolutely adored this girl ever since she was popping and locking on Shake it Up with Bella Thorne, I had never seen any acting from her that suggested she had the range for this role. But in she comes with the terrible posture, dry sense of humour, laid back but oddly cohesive wardrobe, all mumbles, anxiety-ridden and overall struggling with eye-contact level awkwardness, that again proves me so wrong. For the first half of the season, you watch Rue’s battle with addiction, which is heartbreaking because you’re already rooting for her. It then transitions into her battle with what appears to be severe bipolar disorder. The door to overacting is always right there when it comes to mental health issues, especially one as erratic as bipolar, but she doesn’t even glance at it. She lets the depression in and just sits with it, exactly the way one has to just sit with their depression, and then she skillfully embodies the mania in a humorous but extremely straight to the point way that kind of has you nodding along, trying your best to follow her thought process. Euphoria tells the story of how the high school experience, albeit not a pleasant one in any decade, has morphed into something that none of us senior citizens can even begin to comprehend. We all remember how tales of last night’s party can spin out of control in true Chinese whispers fashion but back in our day this would at least take a day, maybe two, giving the victim enough time to do damage control. But during the first episode, we watch Kat (played exceptionally by Barbie Ferreira) have her first sexual experience at a party only to get to school the next day and have everybody laughing at her because everyone has seen the video. And then somehow Kat manages to flip the narrative entirely & turn this experience into an online sex work persona. We see Maddy be completely aware of the fact that she’s being abused by Nate & we see him be completely aware that he’s abusing her and not know why. We see Nate get away with it, because he is on the right side of privilege in all of his identities. We watch Cassie’s mother snap out of her drunken state to hold her daughter’s hand through the abortion. We see the main character be openly queer and nobody bats an eye when she starts a very confusing romantic relationship with the enigma that is Jules, a trans girl. Everything we’re seeing is the same, but it feels so new. Sam Levingston chooses to open each episode barring the finale with a fast paced, monotonously narrated flashback of each of the main character’s childhoods, that somehow seem to make every stupid thing that has ever come out of their mouth make so much sense, because of course you’re fucked up after that. These characters are so well layered and I know the journey to discovering them has only just begun. I’ve seen a lot of people criticize his writing for being slightly heavy handed and I would agree if he weren’t telling the fucking truth. Each of these characters feels like an exaggeration of some sort because surely this can’t actually be happening. But it is. All the talk around the show’s apparent controversy shouldn’t distract you from the fact that they’ve genuinely managed to create the first accurate depiction on the modern high school experience because unlike us, escapism is the only way they’ve been taught to cope.

It’s easy to forget London is a multicultural bubble. Big cities across the UK can be described as melting pots of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. As the host for the night, Kieran Yates, boldly stated- the coming together of cultures is partly due to the social housing schemes from the late 50s onwards. As a result, densely populated areas became, what I like to call “seasoned”. So, what has multiculturalism got to do with music? The answer is everything. In recent years people have run towards cultural identity rather than shying away from it, musicians included. Artists have embraced their heritage to the point where it is no longer seen as a hindrance and in turn, expressed through their work. We hear Yoruba, Twi, Arabic and other prominent languages in songs that top the charts and it needs to be properly acknowledged. That is why Coded Language as an event was crucially important. Coded Language was held as part of Red Bull Music Festival in hopes to discuss how certain forms of speech (slang) has seeped into everyday life and consequently into the music we listen to. It was fitting and extremely apt that it was curated in the British Library, as talents like Wretch 32, AM (AM X Skengdo) and Bridget Minamore explored why Rap, Trap and Drill aren’t being archived in the same way other genres are. After little deliberation and jokes that held a lot of truth, it was clear that the artistry is being overlooked. AM was quick to speak about how violence isn’t the focus of Drill music but is the main takeaway from the mainstream audience. It was better explained when we spoke to Bridget about it, in more detail. The night wasn't completely filled with scrutiny. There were copious amounts of positivity concerning how slang promotes the merging and amalgamation of worlds. Many words rooted in our coded speech derive from different languages, even if they may not be directly related to us. So, when you hear a Gambian artist like J Hus using Twi nouns like bonda and bonsam in Did You See, it doesn't come as a shock. If anything, it encourages his fans and avid listeners to take their curiosity a step further and research into the countries the languages origniate from. Another example that was brought up by Kieran and Steel Banglez (a track he also produced) was Mist's Karlas Back. Karla is a play on words from 'kaala' in Sanskrit, but borrowed by both Hindi and Tamil as everyday slang - referring to black people. It's reflective of Mist's upbringing in a predominantly Asian Community in Birmingham. These are facts I would have no idea about if I hadn't heard the song, and I'm sure it's the same for others that listen to Mist. Recognising colloquialisms and idioms in pop-ular music is also important as part of the diaspora. Something that stood out was Wretch's story about when he referred to himself as British when someone asked where he was from at the age of 13. When he got home his mum scolded him and he went on to say to the audience, "It's not about where you are, it's about where you come from." The contrast between growing up African, Caribbean and Asian in the 90s, as opposed to now, is that there is more representation within the British music industry. Those in my generation came to the conclusion of dual identity at later stages in life, whereas young children are already aware that their individuality is not one-dimensional. And music has a significant role to play in that. With that being said, this so-called representation is a recent happening and is still not at proportionate levels: both in quantity and recognition. Whether Drill, Trap and Rap will reach the heights other genres have is another question, and frankly besides the point. Instead of fixating on clickbait headlines and the stigma surrounding these musical styles, we should continue to focus on the positive impact it already has in its infancy of success. Coded Language was part of Red Bull Music Festival which runs until 14 September 2019. For tickets and event details, head to redbull.com/london.

If you’re a Black Brit and haven’t read Noughts and Crosses you most definitely have heard of the book. The infamous trilogy falls under the fictional dystopian genre which has an alternative history of race and racism. In this book series, White people (Noughts) are second class citizens whereas Black people (Crosses) have the privilege. This book had a profound effect on not only my love for literature but the way I perceived race. I started reading the trilogy when I was around 11 and was automatically taken back by how incredible the story was. I’ll admit I didn’t know Sephy was Black until I read it for the second time (Don’t judge me). But that was a true testament to how conditioned I was to believe that those with privilege were White and why this story is so compelling. I ended up finishing the trilogy when I was 17 so to have another book in this series at the age of 23 is exciting, to say the least. Seeing how in love I was (and still am) with the trilogy I made sure to attend this event, especially as Malorie was in discussion with Tobi Kyeremateng. If you’re familiar with the Black Ticket Project you should be aware of Tobi. She is an award-winning theatre producer who is continuously breaking the glass ceiling for Black people in the theatre. Having Tobi interview Malorie spoke to the way literature and the theatre world are changing. When I walked into Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre I saw a diverse crowd of people. From young to old, white and black everyone was buzzing to see Malorie. Seeing how diverse the audience was dispelled the myth that Black authors can’t tell stories about race or racism for large audiences. The event started off with a reading by Paterson Joesph who plays Kamal Hadley in the BBC series of Noughts and Crosses. He goes on to read chapter 14 of Noughts and Crosses which featured Callum talking about his experiences of being a cross. This was a perfect way to start off the evening. For previous readers of the book, it reminded us why we fell in love with the story. For those who haven’t read the book, it gave a small yet significant snippet of what the trilogy is about. After the reading was finished, Tobi and Malorie made their way to the stage and the discussion began. Tobi started off by saying she was “gassed” to be speaking to Blackman which I thought was brilliant. Throughout the discussion, there were various themes and topics that were explored. From the get-go, Malorie didn’t hold back as she shares her experiences of being a black writer and how Noughts and Crosses came about. “From the time I started writing I was being criticised for not writing about racism. It was as if as a black writer that was the thing I was only allowed to write about.” Though Blackman is predominantly known for Noughts and Crosses, this was her 50th book. Before the release of the trilogy, Malorie was known for books such as Pig-Heart Boy, Cloud Busting and Noble Conflict. ‘It was around the time of the Stephen Lawerence case and seeing the way the Lawerence family were treated made me so angry. I thought I want to write about racism and I want to write about slavery and the legacy of slavery”. She also touched on her resilience and how hard it was to break into the publishing world. “When I knew I wanted to write I had friends and some family telling me I was wasting my time as they don’t publish Black people in this country and I’d never get published.” “It took 8 or 9 books sent out to publishers, over two years and over 82 rejection letters later before a publisher finally said yes.” One of my favourite anecdotes from the discussion was Malorie meeting author Alice Walker. “Alice Walker came to London to promote her latest book and she was doing a signing. So I stood in the queue for two and a half hours and got to the front and asked, “Can you please write don’t give up” and she said, “I can’t write that, what does that mean?” And I said said “I want to be a writer but I keep getting so many rejection letters” and she looked at me and said “Don’t you dare give up” and she wrote it in my book. Before the talk came to a close we were joined by two of the actors in the BBC series who briefly spoke about their experiences shooting the series. Josh Dylan (who plays Jude) said whilst filming he felt that “It was such an emotional story and we all felt that on set. It felt much bigger and important so it was joyous.” After this, we saw a small snippet of the BBC series which looks so different from the book but from what I saw, it looks like it’s going to be excellent. Finally, the evening ended with a book signing with Blackman. Though the first book was released in 2001, it’s still immensely popular today. There was a large crowd of children who attended the talk. Watching so many children there and asking questions reminds me of the power of books and the power of story-telling. Whilst I was in the queue waiting to get my book signed I overheard a young black girl wanting to ask Malorie about character development and how she can improve her writing skills. Things like this are the reason why black storytellers are so important. Malorie has and is continuing to influence a generation of new black storytellers. I haven’t read Crossfire yet but I am beyond excited to read it.