In Conversation with: Mannywellz Communicating through shaky a Zoom connection, we begin by exchanging names and pleasantries that fall far from genuine. Given the gravity of recent socio-political events, there is an air of helplessness from either side of the screen. After Manny answers “yeah, I’m good”, in the most halfhearted of tones, I feel the urge to ask a question as a fellow Nigerian rather than an interviewer: I'm asking like for real, how are you? How am I? I'm tired. I am heartbroken, I am confused. We've always known the world was very interesting- I don't want to say bad- and that there are wicked people. But like, yo, people are wicked. You watch it in movies, and you hear about it but it's in our faces right now. But I always try and hold on to the fact that darkness can never be light. so that's what I'm holding on to. I understand that approach a lot. You're in DC right? Well right now I'm in LA, but I stay in DC. From BLM movement to SARS protests, how engaged do you feel? How close to home does this feel for you? It’s so close to home. With BLM I'm always engaged and involved with activism stuff, I don't know if I claim that title and I don't care if I’m that title to people. But I'm always involved like I've been to numerous protests because I’m a DACA recipient. Then also just being black, I was at a lot of the BLM protests in Maryland, DC. And even with #ENDSARS I was at two protests in LA. I missed the candle lighting ceremony that just happened the other day but I've got friends in DC and NY who have organized and led protests, so I’m super involved and try to support all of it from here however I can. And I'm bringing awareness in my circle too but I'm probably like- [chuckles] I don't know how to say this- I'm probably the bushest, I'm the most connected to home in my circle. It's crazy because the SARS epidemic and police brutality in general isn't a new thing. It's not. So I didn't even know SARS was the name, I didn’t know it existed. I just thought policemen were bad in Nigeria. But I started doing more research and found out more about it and Nigeria is just terrible man, and this stuff runs really deep. Like from SARS to colonization, all the way to slavery, and the mentality they kinda like encouraged within the black community that eventually spread all over, to even black Americans here. But if we don't deal with this in Nigeria, which will have a domino effect all over Africa, black people might not have peace ever, which is sad but black people don't understand how important it is to deal with things from the root, which starts in Africa. I feel like black Americans are so disconnected and there's this division like "oh you guys need to deal with that yourself," and it's like no, "we need to deal with that together" You mentioned how you researched and had to educate yourself. With the platform you've got as an artist, do you feel an added layer of responsibility to educate those around you? From your friends all the way down to your fans. Oh yeah, for sure. But it's something that I embrace. I don’t think it’s heavy. It's part of my purpose and mission to speak up for people that can't speak up, or are scared to speak up, and to educate on the little that I know, because I don't know everything. I just share any small factual information that I have, I want to make sure that people around me are tapped in. I don't even care how annoying it gets, at this point they already expect me to speak up about things like police brutality. I took it all the way to my church because I'm a youth leader on a small scale because of music. But I really noticed that we weren’t even praying and I'm like that's rubbish. If we are children of God and we're not even praying to help this, and we're Nigerian in a Nigerian church, what are we doing? We're worried about Donald Trump when our own country is on fire. And I think most people just don't know what to do. Our first call to action as Christians I believe is to pray first, the next is action. Like after we pray what are we actually doing? But if we are not praying to the maker of heaven and earth to guide us and keep the people in Nigeria safe, we've failed. Everyone has a job to do is what I'm saying. If you're a Christian pray, if you're a Muslim, pray, and then strategise. I feel like there is a lot of strategy being put in place now in Nigeria and we are kind of just waiting to see and maybe we also need a strategy from the diaspora to support and amplify everything happening. I agree, it’s nice to see how many people around the world really care about where they come from. Because I've seen protests here, I've seen protests in the US. I've seen them around the world. But being so involved takes a toll on the individual. So, what have you done for yourself to make sure you’re good in all of this? I really have a lot of conversations with friends and like-minded people. And I've been pushing myself to go to the studio and honestly those two things have really been helpful. I either let my feelings out or just create and get my mind off of everything. By the time I hit the house I'm just tired and I can just rest. That's how I'm able not to consume too much, because my schedule is pretty booked so I won't even have the time to do that. I'd have a session, a phone call, an interview like this. I also had therapy the other day so that was great. Hey, I'm a big advocate for therapy so I understand. Yeah me too, everybody needs it. You can’t be a fan of your music and not be aware of the political messages. Even with Alright Rendition released in 2016. Did you feel when you were making it then that it would still be relevant now? I knew it would live this long because we are still bumping Fela's music and now we realise even more how much of a legend he is. Even now when we see tweets about Burna Boy and people are doing all these dances to his music but he has always been spitting facts and those songs are gonna live forever. Even with me doing that Alright Rendition , shoutout to Kendrick, putting that positive energy out, saying the political system is just trash but we are gonna be alright. That's the message I try to preach but records like that are gonna live forever. The hot stuff is cool, it's good for the moment, we dance and it's dope but the songs that we are gonna talk about when we are 50 are songs like alright, Burna's Anybody , Fela's songs, Nina Simone's records you know. In addition to the political message, you definitely make it known that you are Nigerian through your music. All the features in Mirage have Nigerian ties to them, was that deliberate? I didn't notice until Wale finished his verse and I was like, "oh snap, this project has all Nigerians on it" and it's heavily influenced by RnB, Soul but Afrobeats as well. Like Afro Fusion is heavy on Mirage and when that clicked for me I was like, "yeah we definitely have a solid body of work in our hands,'' and I'm just excited that it's out now honestly. Yeah definitely. We also can’t ignore your involvement with DACA and your grammy winning project. Was that a pivotal moment for your career? Honestly I didn't even associate that project with the grammy's because it was DACA. I was just gonna do it because those are people that share the same story and somewhat of the same struggle with me, so I'm just gonna have fun with them and get it done. So when I got the text that it was being nominated and it won, it was crazy. And I guess a testament to just doing the work and all those other things will come. I find myself trying to chase those other things sometimes and I figure that the music is too good and whatever I touch will speak for itself. It will always stand out. Mirage is gonna live forever. Mirage is gonna hit and touch people that it's supposed to touch. And as long as it does that, God is good, Imma keep it pushing. So when I listen to Soulfro and Mirage, I'd definitely say that it's clear that I'm listening to different parts of your story. What was the major change? Whether it's just a sound change, or life experiences, what made you move from Soulfro to Mirage. I think Soulfro was just very all over the place in a good way, really just touching on genres- any genre that I wanted to touch. Soulfro was more about broad, good music. The topic wasn't specific. For Mirage I really just focused on the RnB, soul, afro fusion. Soulfro covered hip hop, trap, RnB, a little bit of Folk and some Jazz but this one was more specific. And with the topic I wanted to just talk about what it’s like to be dealing with emotions and feelings, especially romantic feelings as we live in a very digital age. Honestly, people have listened and they have called it a healing project and it's really for people that are not necessarily fully healed but are still in the process of healing from something. And you can also relate this to healing from a platonic relationship that didn't go well, you know. So it's from that healing journey that you start your peace and acknowledge that this relationship isn't the best. and then you go through the rollercoaster of emotions of like, well it's not the best but I like the feeling sometimes. It’'s bad, I'm floating, I don't care, I'm wasting time, I'm doing all these things and then you get to the point where it's like ok yeah this is really bad, and I know the most important thing is to love myself and that's when we get to a million. So that's really what Mirage was, to help people go through that healing in whatever relationship they are in. And a lot of us are in that space right now, and especially with everything happening in Nigeria, we are going to need to heal a little bit from all the killings that we saw because I started seeing people get shot and I didn't flinch. Like I was hurt, but I think i've gotten so numb. before I'd be furious but now im just calm, just with tears, just numb. It's scary. It's so scary man. Like even if I'm talking about it, I'm like what the hell is happening. But yeah God is good, man. We need to heal, and I pray people can identify Mirage as that project. It sounds like you are just reflecting what a lot of people need. It's nice to see. Yeah, man. We all go through different things and I needed to put this out. We started it two years ago, December 2018. Oh wow, so this was not a spur of a moment kind of project. it's something that you were working towards putting out. I had it in the back of my mind to create a project that talks about feelings in this digital age. So yeah I just asked my aunt if I could set up equipment in her basement, she said yeah, I put in my stuff and started living there basically [chuckles] and I'd go upstairs to eat rice and come back downstairs. So that's the real fuel for the music? [laughs] For sure [laughs]. As a creative, I have to eat or I can't create. I'm not one of those artists that's like no food, no sleep. I can push myself to a certain place but once I get into a space where there is hunger and sleepiness I'm just useless. Don't even try to get me in your studio past 11, because I might not be productive. But yeah I started about two years ago where I would complete a song and let it breathe and not even touch it. Because I started it and then did META . A bunch of the songs were already songs and then we put that out and then I went back to Mirage a little bit and then I stopped, and then quarantine came I was like ok I'm gonna finish it. I think I finished everything in May andI'm so glad that happened because right after that, that's when George Floyd got killed and I was so mad so I didn’t even create for ages. Maybe until August. I can't even blame you because when things like that happen it can definitely be difficult to be productive. Yeah for sure. Thank you bruh, it was great to just talk. I didn't know how much I needed to just talk about this as well. Same bro, I promise, like I feel better. Previous Item Next Item Communicating through shaky a Zoom connection, we begin by exchanging names and pleasantries that fall far from genuine. Given the...

Film Review: Lovers Rock In the second release from the Small Axe compilation, Lovers Rock , McQueen abandons a heavily plot-driven production and instead leans into the slice-of-life sensibilities to create a stunning evocation of a Saturday Blues Night. Set almost entirely at a party for the duration of a night, Lovers Rock weaves together the multiple themes and stories of West Indians in London, as told by a vibrant house party. The thread that holds them together, a budding romance between a young Martha and Franklyn. With the DJ selection of reggae love songs providing concert to their night together, the couple recreate the quiet excitement of a romance at its infancy. The sheepish enquiry of one’s details, the mundane where are you from-what do you do routine that is made excitable by the night’s possibilities, the feeling that even in a room full of other people, the two of you are the only thing that matters. The camera lingering on their perfectly lit bodies in sync as they wine their waists, her arm strewn across his shoulder while his caresses the small of her back, the space between them fragilely holding on to the tension; McQueen renders us transfixed. Everyone around them is equally spellbound by this expertly curated soundtrack, punctuated by the DJ’s patois in between the changing vinyl records. The music is a character in this living painting; not only does it mark the temporal trajectory of the night, it serves as the undercurrent to this otherwise plotless piece. So when the party flows from one reggae sub-genre to another, before landing at the heavy bass line of Kunta Kinte by The Revolutionaries, the crowd’s response of manic dancing and stomping at the floorboards naturally signifies the anger and resentment with their treatment by the state. There are a few other much less figurative instances of this ill treatment of British West Indians. The gang of white men who taunt Martha when she storms after her friend Patty; the police siren that ominously circles the party venue; and the loaded language we hear from Franklyn’s boss at the shop, after he is told off for bringing Martha over. McQueen makes it a point to dispel the myth that racism in Britain is less visceral, instead of intimately ingrained into the nation’s fabric. There is also the painfully familiar violence inflicted on Cynthia, the birthday girl who is sexually assaulted. The horror of this act is further realized by the assaulter's return to the party unscathed, while a distressed Cynthia is comforted by her friend as her birthday night is cut short. These incidences are not dwelt on however, their candid depiction precedes the quick follow up of another corner of the party in which life keeps going on. In a didactic Mangrove , we witness a historical retelling of the Mangrove Nine, a group of Black Londoner protestors who were put on trial for inciting a riot. Lovers Rock however, invites viewers to indulge in a pleasure party. In what resembles a rendition of the Ernie Barnes' Sugar Shack in motion, McQueen asks us to revel in a black, carefree release. The climax of this joy, and the most enthralling scene of the film: the room enjoying the sweet sound of Janet Kay’s Silly Games , everyone swaying rhythmically. The sequence is drawn out when the crowd collectively decides to keep singing the song even after the music dwindles. Heads thrown back, eyes closed, everyone in the room belting out the lyrics in unison. But it’s the moment when the camera focuses on an elderly couple that really moved me. The older man’s deep, heavy vocals in contrast to his partner’s higher-pitch. The trance-like look on their faces as they heartily sing “I’ve been wanting you / For so long, it’s a shame / Oh, baby / Every time I hear your name / Oh, the pain / Boy, how it hurts me inside.” Both in their own private performance- almost as if they have an appreciation of the song that the rest of us, the much younger crowd as well as the viewers, could never comprehend. The moment is incredibly vulnerable, and it is the poignancy in details such as this one that underscores what McQueen attempts to achieve. In his interview with The Guardian earlier this year, the British filmmaker of Grenadian and Trinidadian roots talks a lot about telling the truth in his storytelling. With Lovers Rock, a lot of this truth telling resides in the details. A carefully placed hot comb on a stove, the Christian paraphernalia that adorns Martha’s house, the simmering curry goat in one of the opening sequences, all essential to maintaining authenticity of the community the film spotlights. It is this attention to detail that transposes the film from a matter of art attempting to imitate black life, to creating a rendering that makes the two inseparable. Previous Item Next Item In the second release from the Small Axe compilation, Lovers Rock, McQueen abandons a heavily plot-driven production and instead leans...

10 Black British Women To Add To Your Playlist In 2021 From jazz to indie to R&B, here is a list of 10 Black British women you should add to your playlist Arlo Parks Arlo Parks is a 20-year-old singer and poet from London who has written and produced some cool alternative indie-pop tracks over the last few years including Eugene and Black Dog Arlo’s music is tranquil, authentic, and comforting. It's her meaningful and empathetic lyrics that have made me become a fan. Black Dog is powerful and delicately expressed, as it surrounds the topic of mental health. The song came out during the peak of the pandemic and received a lot of praise. Arlo described it as a track "to make people who are struggling feel less isolated." As an up and coming artist, Arlo has received a series of accolades; she had a socially distant performance outside the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage , made BBC1 Radio's Brit List and even appeared on the cover of the popular music magazine, NME. With her album release coming up later this month, I predict big things for the singer! Celeste I first heard of Celeste when she was announced as the BBC’s Sound of 2020 winner. But it was her performance of the melancholy ballad, Strange at the Brit Awards that caught my attention. Celeste brought grace and passion on the stage; her powerful, raspy vocals reminding me of the late Amy Winehouse. The song Strange tells a tale about the loss of friendship and broken relationships – it is beautiful, compelling and showcases Celeste’s meaningful lyricism. It is refreshing to discover artists who can evoke such emotion in their writing. The British-Jamaican singer was the voice behind the John Lewis Christmas advert and announced her debut album will be out next month. Celeste recently revealed that she will be playing three live shows this summer – her soulful sound is certainly one to listen out for! Bree Runway Bree Runway, the singer, rapper, and songwriter from East London isn’t bound to a genre and I love this about her. Hearing a fusion of pop, rock and R&B in her tracks makes her stand out, alongside her fun, creative music videos. It was no surprise to discover her inspirations included Prince and Missy Elliot- musical legends and pioneers of eccentricity! Bree has collaborated with the legend herself, Missy Elliot, who featured on the singer's latest mixtape, 200ANDEVA. Everything about the mixtape was unique and it provided a versatile repertoire of catchy tracks. Little Nokia became an instant favourite on my playlist; the distorted guitar riffs and noughties nostalgia I heard throughout the song won me over. It’s certainly one of those albums you have got to blast out loud. I am hoping we get more bad b*tch anthems from Bree Runway. Nubya Garcia Raised in Camden, Nubya Garcia is a talented saxophonist and the reason I took a personal interest in learning more about jazz. Browsing through Bandcamp, I was drawn to Nubya Garcia's album artwork; bold, bright colours of red, orange, and yellow, with a silhouette of a girl wearing a head wrap. The album titled Nubya's 5Ive was the jazz artists debut project and gave me an intriguing insight into the London jazz scene. I was captured as the smooth, melodic saxophone solo introduced the album and continued throughout. Last summer, Nubya released a full-length album named Source, which received rave reviews from highly acclaimed music platforms like Pitchfork. The musician described the album as telling a story about her heritage and an exploration into the stories of her parents. Nubya’s style merges conventional jazz with hints of soul and hip-hop – providing a contemporary feel. It is fascinating to hear and makes a great addition to those who want relaxing, soulful tunes on their playlists. Mercy’s Cartel When I first listened to Mercy Cartel, I enjoyed the diversity, hearing her delve between different genres such as electronic, neo-soul and pop. The last couple of years has seen Mercy release singles and her first EP, D.Y.E, which is heavily R&B inspired. In 2020, Mercy released two singles – Sleep and Falling . Falling is my kind of tune; the catchy beat is a fun blend of pop, R&B and Afrobeats, paired with her warm vocals as she sings about a socially distant romance. The Bristol-based singer-songwriter has said she takes inspiration from Nigerian music, which has impacted the creations. I found her refreshing to listen to and look forward to hearing more from her this year. Lex Amor Based in North London, Lex Amor is a hip-hop rapper, DJ and producer who has made an impression for her poetic lyricism. Lex Amor released her first mixtape, Government Tropicana , which her fans have described as mesmerising and soul-soothing. Throughout the project, she consolidates her lessons in life, recognising her identity and purpose. Lex has described the project as being ‘very homegrown’, with most of the songs being recorded in her bedroom. With melodic beats, a unique flow and heartfelt lyrics, the songs draw upon her life growing in London. Last year saw her performing for COLOURS studio; I enjoyed her jazz-inspired freestyle, Clocks as well as the smooth rendition of Odogwu . Lex Amor has goals to continue finding innovative ways to articulate her experiences – I hope we get to hear more this year! Yazmin Lacey Yazmin Lacey is an R&B and soul singer, based in Nottingham. Yazmin’s voice is incredibly beautiful; her tone is comforting and reminiscent of old-time jazz vocalists. The Morning Matters EP was released last spring and is a work of art. All tracks radiate positivity and Yazmin explained the EP was dedicated to ‘everyone doing work on themselves and trying to live better.’ With the current circumstances, listening to her music has been uplifting; there is a peaceful presence about her. I cannot help but smile whenever I play Morning Sunrise . In addition to releasing her album, Yazmin performed on the music platform, COLOURS, singing a live version of Own Your Own . She also worked on Blue Note’s Reimagined album, covering a classic jazz song by Dodo Green. Her soothing, crisp vocals suited this cover perfectly and I am so excited to hear more from her. Enny Enny is an emerging rapper who has gained praise following her hit song Peng Black Girls featuring Amia Brave. This uplifting song celebrates the black community and our culture, whilst acknowledging our differences. The upbeat, soulful production accompanied by Amia Brave’s smooth vocals goes perfectly with the rapper’s flow. I admired Enny’s witty wordplay and the sentiment of the song, especially the West African representation in the music video! Following the release of her singles ( For South , He’s Not That Into You ), it’s apparent that Enny is an artist to keep our eyes on – I’m keen to see what she does next. Dolapo Dolapo is a British-Nigerian singer-songwriter from North London. She has been a songwriter and vocalist for numerous UK rappers such as Young T & Bugsey and MoStack, before making her solo debut in 2018. Dolapo attributes her musical style to Gospel and has taken inspiration from 90s R&B stars like Aaliyah and Lauryn Hill. Her EP, A Short Love Story caught my attention and was an introduction to Dolapo's style. As I listened to her stunning vocals and the smooth instrumentals, I felt nostalgic - it reminded me of old school R&B. The singer recently collaborated with Ms Banks and Oxlade on her newest song, Interest , which she described as 'one for the ladies’. As Dolapo continues to make her mark on the UK music scene, I believe we will be hearing more from her in 2021. Shaé Universe I have followed Shaé Universe’s journey from when she would upload covers on Twitter. I remember being drawn to her effortless vocals and seeing her gain praise from artists like Ella Mai and Nao. Following this, Shaé continued to deliver multiple singles and collaborations. The Nigerian-British singer-songwriter has a unique style; the single You Lose was a glance into ‘R&Drill’ as she merged her R&B sound with a drill beat. Her latest single, Royalty featuring rapper, Kojey Radical, is also a drill-infused track, with R&B harmonies and Spanish guitar in the background. Shaé described the song as "an anthem for all kings and queens to empower themselves with." For the BET Soul Train Awards, Shaé was a part of an amazing UK Soul Cypher . Alongside other UK artists, Shaé presented her beautiful and impressive riffs on a cover of D'Angelo's Lady , adding her distinctive flair. Shaé Universe’s musical versatility has got me hooked on what she has in store for us. Previous Item Next Item From jazz to indie to R&B, here is a list of 10 Black British women you should add to your playlist Arlo Parks Arlo Parks is a...

Best of April 2020 Playlist With everyone settling into a steady routine during lockdown, artists have taken the opportunity to release music in abundance. Coined as the one of the best times to digest new projects , quarantine has birthed gems from up and coming talents, all the way to the more established acts we've followed for years. The common theme running throughout April is quality. Artists seem to be focussing on their craft a lot more, honing and sharpening their skills during this period of isolation. The proof is in the pudding, and this playlist is the sample table at Costco's that puts the best bits on display. Megan Thee Stallion - Savage Remix (Ft. Beyoncé) When a remix is dropped on Beyoncé's internet, and Beyoncé is the feature, then there is only one way to open the playlist. The music juggernaut partnered up with her fellow Houston hottie on the song that's taking TikTok by storm. Jords - Rose Tinted Glasses (Ft. Jaz Karis) The South London rapper gave his fans a perfectly planned surprise with the short film, Almost An Adult , as promo for his upcoming album. The singles gave a strong sense of what's to come but one track stood out with a sultry vibe and lyrics that make you want to call your qurantine bae. Kiana Ledé - Forfeit (Ft. Lucky Daye) KIKI might be an album that flew under the radar but we know a solid body of work when we see one. Forfeit is the perfect example of what you can expect from Kiana, with a blend of Neosoul and New School RnB- topped off with a fitting verse from Lucky Daye. Previous Item Next Item With everyone settling into a steady routine during lockdown, artists have taken the opportunity to release music in abundance. Coined as...

In Conversation With: Cracker Mallo Not long before the release of his new EP, A Friendly Introduction to Saund , I sat down with Lagos producer and artist Cracker Mallo to talk about his “Saund”, journey into music, and collaborations. Over the past couple of years Mallo’s flavoursome beats have been graced by the likes of Mayorkun, Fireboy DML & Tiwa Savage. Now he’s ready to introduce the world to his sound and position himself as an independent artist. As the project title, I felt it was important to understand what Saund actually is – Saund with an A, not an O. “Saund is futuristic, I can’t explain it…it’s something that doesn’t really exist right now…I was in the studio with a friend playing about and the name just came up, it’s just a vibe” Cracker’s sound may be from the future, but I was interested in what he’s listening to now. “My favourite song right now is Watermelon Sugar, and then Wizkid’s latest release – I’m a Wizkid fan … ” – Wizkid is on Cracker’s list of artists he’d love to work with & that’s something I can definitely hear. “…I’ve also been listening to Khalid, Oxlade, Fireboy and different things.” Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Cracker Mallo’s primary musical inspirations are close to home. His father was a jazz enthusiast who played records all around the house. Initially, Cracker got into music as a DJ, playing at friends’ parties, then he fell into production. “I had a friend Mojazzy, he’s a producer that I looked to…and then I used to listen to Sarz a lot, you know Sarz is like one of the hardest Nigerian producers…I’d also listen to Juls…”. Slightly further afield, Cracker also looked to producers such as Timbaland and Kanye West, “I watched them to understand how beats were put together”. This range explains Cracker’s ability to produce beats across a number of genres with Afrobeats at the core. The bulk of his releases have been afro-fusion; however most recently his Tiwa Savage track, Dangerous Love, is clearly heavily influenced by RnB. “I have a lot of songs that don’t even sound African, they’re like rap or trap or hip hop, and r&b...most things that I’ve heard before I can just replicate…”. Although he has production credits on a number of projects, A Friendly Introduction to Saund is Cracker Mallo’s first EP. The 5-track project features collaborations from DJ Enimoney, DJ Neptune, Olamide, and long-time collaborator Fireboy DML. I asked how it all came into play and Cracker revealed that the songs weren’t even made with an EP in mind; “The only ones I created specifically for a project were Do Better and The Hardest .”. Cracker continued, “I was creating music at different times, so one day I felt like making house music or another day I’ll feel like I wanna make something slow, so it just depended on what’s going on around me or what I was feeling or who I was creating with.”. This definitely took me by surprise, as the opening track felt constructed to be the introduction to a solo afro-house-fusion project with no vocal collaborations, just vibes. This vibe was almost confirmed in the second track (my favourite) The Hardest, Cracker spoke a bit about the track and expressed: “This EP was supposed to be me collaborating with DJs and like, house producers so I tried to make a beat that could blow into a song on its own that people would gravitate to” – it all began to make sense. Some artists have a track on their project that’s super close to them; others treat them like their kids – no favourites. When I asked about his favourite track, Cracker was proud to say Do Better was his favourite on the EP – “Hard to pick but I have to say Do Better ; that’s the only one that’s just me and I did the vocals.”. I didn’t have him down as a vocalist, but Cracker made mention that neither did he at first – “…later on I started singing because I was hanging with singers, they made me want to sing too. I tried and recorded it one day and was like: dope, wow, I actually can?”. As a producer, Cracker Mallo has worked on numerous collaborative tracks, I was curious to know if or how his creative process changes when other artists are involved. Cracker confessed, “At times I have the vibe and I like, get it in my head like, yeah I know what I want already and how to make it happen. Most times I have to think first, it depends, sometimes miracles can just happen”. When other artists are added to the equation it’s a real collaborative effort, “I’m open to what artists want to make, I just have to try and understand the direction they’re going in and what they want to portray with the song.” This synergic process is what has aided Cracker Mallo in producing seamless tracks, such as Fireboy DML’s 2019 breakout tune Jealous . The song came about after both of their individual sessions with other artists fell through “we almost didn’t have the session…when we got there, I started making the beat and he just wrote to the beat there”. By my understanding, and looking at Cracker Mallo’s numerous influences, Saund is a mixture of so many things you can’t quite name it yet; it’s got to be from the future. A Friendly Introduction To Saund is a fitting title for the project that guides you through Mallo’s mind in musical form. A Friendly Introduction to Saund is available on all streaming platforms now! Previous Item Next Item Not long before the release of his new EP, A Friendly Introduction to Saund, I sat down with Lagos producer and artist Cracker Mallo to...

Black Girls Can Be Pop Stars Since being put together by Simon Cowell in the second season of X factor USA, I’ve been a massive fan of Fifth Harmony; not because I believed they were the best thing to ever happen but because I believed they were the best thing to ever happen. During the season former member Camila Cabello was quickly made the star of the group mainly because her voice was apparently the most unique (laughs in Dinah Jane & Lauren), which left the rest of the group very little wiggle room to showcase their talents as their careers took off. So much so that Dinah herself has admitted to being vocally left off of two of their hit singles entirely because her voice wasn’t considered ‘pop’ enough? Anyways needless to say that although I was and always will be a ride or die fan for those girls, I couldn’t help but be a little relieved when they disbanded because finally, they could each get their chance to shine. Especially Normani. Being the only black girl left her subject to a ridiculous amount of racist cyberbullying her time in the group. But even in all of this, it was clear to most people who knew of them how much of a star she was. She always (and I mean always) out danced and quite frankly out performed her band mates during their live shows and there was just something about her that screamed ‘it girl’ to me that I could never quite put my finger on. Her solo career began with a duet with Khalid that did amazingly on the charts which brought a lot of attention her way. She then followed this with a series of collaborations with huge industry names like Calvin Harris, Wizkid (you guys slept on checklist, this song is a banger), Sam Smith & 6LACK that although were all very good songs in my opinion, never really quite grabbed the attention of the masses the way Love Lies did & this had me worried. Then the music video for ‘Motivation’ dropped and I quickly realised that I had no reason to be concerned about her future in the industry. The song is a nostalgic pop & rnb blend that co-writer Ariana Grande is very well known for and the music video to put it simply is sensational. Drawing inspiration from the early 2000s pop & rnb queens Beyoncé, Ciara, Britney & many more while Normani dances the shitttttt out the choreography, all I could do is watch in awe. For the first time in so long, I was watching an actual music video. The ones that had the masses sitting in front of MTV and 106 & Park for hours just so we could learn the choreography to show our friends at school. I’m talking Missy Elliot level of music video entertainment, from start to finish and it’s such a relief to see a rising star genuinely put in effort into making her video interesting to look at. The only thing that could have made it any better is if Hype Williams himself directed it but Dave Meyers is a very close second for directorial expertise so I’m not mad at all. We get a twerk on the fence, a basketball bounced off her booty, three outfit changes, a dance in the rain AND shirtless men? I almost fainted. It’s catchy, sexy, fun and apparently this is an issue. You see the thing is people seem to have a problem with new school dark skin black women doing music outside of the typical ‘I’m burning sage to align my chakra’ neo-soul or the heart wrenching vocal gymnastics r&b. And if they’re doing neither of these things, then they obviously have to be a rapper. Don’t get me wrong I love Ari Lennox, Summer Walker and Megan Thee Stallion as much as all of you trust me. But Normani doesn’t have to be any of that. If we’re being honest, apart from Kelly Rowland’s small pop era, Kandi’s cute but short moment and Alexandra Burke’s 10 seconds, dark skin black women don’t get to be singing dancing pop singers without being looked down on by their own community. It has been an entire minute since I’ve seen a music video and song like this one with someone like Normani as the star. Black women don’t always have to sing deep vocal renditions about the newest way a man has done them wrong. They can just sing. The few that have been afforded the room to do so recently have been of a specific complexion & of course we should support them all the same but Normani isn’t ambiguous in the way the media seems to find just about palatable. She is black, she is extremely talented and she’s the world’s next big pop star. Get used to it. Previous Item Next Item Since being put together by Simon Cowell in the second season of X factor USA, I’ve been a massive fan of Fifth Harmony; not because I...

In Conversation With: BINA The Floor had the pleasure of virtually catching up with the multifaceted BINA. We talk about her recent releases: Boundaries and Dark Cloud (with accompanying self-directed visuals. She also generously opens up about her musical upbringing and inspirations, her spiritual connect to her art, as well as future aspirations for her musical journey. "I'm just trying to balance the new amount of time I have now that work is back on," BINA remarks on the phone, before she resumes getting ready to leave her house for work. Like most of us, the singer/songwriter found her self with quite a bit of time on her hands when lockdown was mandated and she chose to spend hers "being creative," in quite a number of ways. "I wrote a lot of music, a lot of songs. I practiced guitar because I recently started playing. I was also painting and drawing and stuff because I like visual arts as much as music. And then I directed a music video for my song that came out during the beginning of lockdown called Boundaries." Is Dark Cloud going to have the same RnB, Soul and Jazz influences too? "Yeah it's influenced by those things but I would say that it is a bit more alternative in its sound. I would not say it is solidly within the boundaries of RnB. I’m really excited for people to hear it and see how they would resonate with the song and maybe where they would place it." That’s interesting. I feel like a lot of artists are keen on making it clear what genre their music fits in or denying genres altogether; it's interesting to hear you give listeners that sort of freedom to categorize your music. "Yeah I really think music is a universal language so obviously people are going to interpret it in different ways. But overall, I’m aware that my influences are Jazz and r&b and a bit of hip hop as well in terms of like production anyway. But I would be interested to see what people have to say- I feel like genres can be a bit restrictive but I don't necessarily think they are a bad thing. Although it is present in her music, BINA tells me that she did not listen to a lot of Jazz when she was younger- unless you generously slip Kenny G into that category. Growing up, it was Neo-Soul that graced her household owing to her mum’s taste in music. She mentions that the sounds of Amy Winehouse as well as her biggest inspiration: Erykah Badu were a household staple. It's only when she got older when she added the likes of Ella Fitzegarld and Billie Holiday into her musical rotation. What about Jazz musicians in the UK? I find the scene particularly interesting because it feels old and up and coming at the same time. I listen to a lot of UK artists but I wouldn't say that any of them are solidly within the Jazz category because the thing I find really interesting about artists from the UK, especially black artists, is they really cross different boundaries with music. In terms of what would count as UK Jazz I suppose I listen to Amy Winehouse. I wouldn't call the rest Jazz although they are very Jazz influenced. I listen to Ego Ella May a lot, IMDDB as well who is like jazz meets trap meets RnB meets so many different things. It's interesting to see how the genres intersect. And I guess not being purely in the Jazz category lets artists carve out their own lane and incorporate more of themselves in their music. Exactly, I really feel like I have been able to create my own sound for myself and I continue to do so, partly down to the fact that I listen to very genre bending music anyway. Also, listening to purely Neo-Soul or Jazz growing up, made me understand the foundations of what it is to make music and I can take it from there. What got you into making music? My dad is quite musical, he never did music as a career but he was always making music at home and so I feel like I got my creative side from him. And when I got into my teens I started taking it seriously because I found it to be an outlet for a lot of the things that were going on in my life and how I was feeling about them. I grew up in foster care as well, so a lot about music has been therapeutic to me. So that’s how I started off writing but I’d always been interested in making music from very young. I didn't really get into production until maybe the past year and a half. When I made my EP ( Humble Abode ) I was messing about with soundscapes but then when I started playing the guitar, I also started playing with production. That’s as recent as like six months ago. But in terms of how long I’ve been doing music properly, it's been about two years. What do you mean by properly? So I first released something two years ago, but I had been recording from home like a year before that. And the first time I was like ‘cool, I’m doing this,’ was when I put out Summer Breeze, in like the summer of 2018. Is that distinction significant for you? Is that when you wore the title musician, once you put something out? I think I started calling myself a musician once I started performing which was a little bit before that, but I only started going by BINA about two years ago. When I decided I was going to put out music, that's when I was like, cool I'm BINA now. So that started around that time of Summer Breeze . I suppose you could say that's when I felt I could call myself a musician, when I actually had music out. What to do you envision for the future of your music career? I'm trying to make my music reach so many different parts of the world, but first and foremost I'm trying to use music as a healing process for myself and other people. It's so heartwarming to hear when people message me randomly telling me that they listened to my music when they were going through something and that "it really helped me through some shit," you know. I'm trying to make people feel stuff when they listen to my music. And also just like being able to tour with artists that I really love and admire and do headline shows and stuff like that. Just be able to share my art with people all over the world. That's really cool, and really important. You sound very grounded. Yeah, I definitely believe what I'm doing is cool but I also believe that it doesn't just come from me. I really feel like there is something greater at work. Can you tell me more about that? Yeah, so I feel like my gift was given to me by God, the Universe or whatever you want to call it but like something has been given to me to use as a tool for myself and for other people. I feel like my gift is to use my music to make people feel fulfilled or uplifted or help them escape some shit. Is there anything you dread about growing as an artist? Mh, I haven't really thought about that. Yeah, maybe let me rephrase the question so it's less pessimistic. It's not even that it's pessimistic but it just hasn't come to mind. Like I can't even conceive of anything that I'm scared of because I haven't gotten to that point yet. But I'm just trying to build momentum at this moment in time so I'm not really scared of anything so much as I'm just trying to focus on just moving forward. I find that a lot of artists that think of their craft as a form of catharsis tend to collaborate with people close to them? No, I feel like my scope of collaboration is quite wide. For instance the producer for Dark Cloud is in America and I actually really like collaborating with people from all over the world. And I think sometimes when I say my music is cathartic people think that it's just a small small thing I'm only trying to do for me, but like I still enjoy making it to show to other people. I just think the roots of where it started was for me to use as an outlet, and I still use it that way, but I collaborate with different people. In London, outside of London, in the UK, outside of the UK. Do you have dream collaborations? Yes I would love to collaborate with Erykah Badu. There's a couple of UK artists like Ego Ella May, Lianne La Havas. A tune with Kendrick would bang. And a few more. Previous Item Next Item The Floor had the pleasure of virtually catching up with the multifaceted BINA. We talk about her recent releases: Boundaries and Dark...

It's The Little Things That May Destroy You So I lied and said I wasn’t going to write this article last week because episode 10 quite frankly left me speechless. After the words “I need a hug” left Kwame’s (Paapa Essiedu) mouth, I knew I was witnessing something truly remarkable happen in the craft I love so dearly. The heart-wrenching look in Arabella’s mother’s eyes during the last few seconds of the episode filled with pain, discomfort and exhaustion as a response to finding out about her daughter’s assault juxtaposed against the obliviousness of her father and brother was a gentle reminder of the burden women carry while men eat; I was moved to the point of feeling completely hopeless in the face of the brilliance I was witnessing. There have been very few instances in film and television that I can recall feeling a true shift in the depth and precision used to approach black storytelling. ‘ Moonlight’ by Barry Jenkins is a film that spurred my decision to pick up my camera for the first time. Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer , Regina King’s performance in Watchmen and When They See Us by Ava DuVernay, amongst others- all paint the weight of the black existence in such immersive colour that your eyes have to open a little bit wider just to see. The same thing goes for what Michaela Coel (star, writer and creator) has done in I May Destroy You, which is far too vast in its impact to be narrowly described as a show about consent. Around the core of a heavily unaddressed subject lies much smaller stories that deeply reflect the black British experience with an unfounded meticulousness and it does so without excluding all black people. We watch Terry (played beautifully by Weruche Opia), in all her loud confidence and self-assurance, cower in the face of almost all her auditions and tremble from the shock that overcomes her after learning she actually landed a job. The disbelief in that moment perfectly encapsulates the silent battles we’ve watched Terry struggle against with little to no support. As she tries to quietly fight the guilt she feels for telling a friend it was okay to leave Arabella on the night of her assault, you can’t help but wonder who was looking after her. Terry is the first to realise that Arabella was assaulted as she listens to her dismiss the flashbacks she’d been having as her mind was playing tricks on her. As soon as she’d connected the dots Terry doesn’t miss a beat with beginning to look after Arabella; declining Biagio’s (Marouane Zotti) calls, tying her headscarf and tucking her into bed without forcing her into the realisation before she was ready. Neither Kwame or Arabella notice her crippling anxiety regarding her career and as the story progresses, it becomes very apparent that Terry is the glue in this beautiful trio. Weruche delivers the character with a fearlessness and charisma that is so lovable and even though she was wrong for what she did, her efforts to make it right are heart-rending to say the least. As Arabella expresses her forgiveness in episode 10, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief because this was never Terry’s fault. The blame for what happened to Arabella lies on the assailant alone. During a date with Kai, a gorgeous trans man who Terry flirted with as she waited for her table, she retells the story of her threesome, to which Kai points out that it seems like the two men knew each other and tricked her into thinking they were strangers. Truth is, Terry already knew this and was simply not ready to process the discomfort that comes with realising you’ve been manipulated. Looking at this two-dimensionally she had consented to sex with both men, however the circumstances under which her consent took place were a false; an invisible boundary. Michaela Coel throughout this show explores all the different boundaries that can be crossed both explicitly and implicitly, brazenly confronting that ‘grey area’ both assaulters and law enforcement usually employ to have survivors questioning whether or not they have a right to feel violated. The same went for Kwame who was assaulted after having consensual sex with a man he willingly met up with. Although he was immediately and visibly shaken by the incident, this ‘grey area’ shows up again when he attempts to report it and is introduced to the egregious incapability of an inept justice system (abolish it). Not only this, Kwame casually tells the story of how he lost his virginity as a child in a random car on his way home from school by two men who didn’t bother to identify themselves. This revealed another supposed ‘grey area’ where age is concerned, that for some deeply woven patriarchal reason doesn’t seem so well understood when the child in question is male and black. During the finale Arabella accidentally meets up with Zain, a colleague who 'stealthed' her: removing the condom during sex without her knowledge. She finds out that the publishing company they both work for still went on to publish his book under an alias despite her coming forward and all she could really spare was a dry chuckle. Because of course. The particular irony in the matter is that Suzy Henny, the head of her publishing house, is in fact a black woman, one Arabella assumed she could level with on a personal level because of their shared blackness. However, every time she asked Suzy for help, her elevator rides down from her office always found her in a worse situation than she was previously in. Zain stands a few meters away from her on the pavement, far enough for them to slightly raise their voices to speak. He doesn’t come any closer until she gestures him in and then he doesn’t sit until she says so because like she tells him, she isn’t afraid. The deliberate nature that goes into making such a small blocking decision is the reason I’m writing this article. It becomes apparent to me that after 190+ drafts, Michaela Coel might have written one of the most perfect screenplays I’ve had the pleasure of watching. Small but incredibly powerful statements are littered within the seams of this script, like the fight going on behind Arabella & Terry’s conversation in secondary school during episode 6. Her housemate Ben’s consistent but silent displays of support which Arabella takes for granted; like covering rent without question, breaking into Biagio’s house and not realising that her presence, no matter how justified her actions felt, had crossed the line. Leaving it up to the audience to decide whether or not Theo (Harriet Webb) is being truthful about her experiences in the support group or does lying about raped in her past discredit her completely? Did she even really lie? Or the painful irony in the woman on the bus saying to her that “boys will be boys” as she holds the bloodied body of her rapist during the first imagined version of reality that played out in the finale. All these minute decisions Michaela makes throughout the show colours the lines of each episode with an incredible amount of familiarity creating a viewing experience that resembles self-discovery. As the aftermath of her assault unfolds, we are constantly reminded through Arabella’s blind stumbling towards recovery that trauma doesn’t have a face. It looks like sitting awkwardly in a therapy session because you genuinely don’t have the words. It looks like crossing boundaries yourself by lying to strangers for sex just to try and take back control. It looks like asking your broke friend to buy you a plane ticket to see a man who has made it clear he wants nothing to do with you. Trauma looks like leaving the police station in the middle of giving your statement or not going to the police at all. It looks like laughing it off because your brain simply can’t process another assault so quickly after the first. It looks like being able to recall specific details or not remembering in the first place. The way our brain chooses to rewire and cope with trauma is just as complex as the way we choose to move on. As so chillingly depicted in the finale, be it exerting your revenge or choosing to forgive, every response is valid because it’s your own. In one of the beautifully shot final scenes, Arabella tells her rapist to ‘go’ in the third and final version of her encounter with him and he gets up and leaves along with the bloodied version of him she had hidden under her bed in the first sequence. Michaela doesn’t spoon feed us once in this entire show as we are left once again to come to our own conclusions as to what really happened. Whether or not Arabella even remembers the assault properly is not even clear and for all we know what looked like a memory could have just been her figuring out how to end her book. Either way it’s irrelevant now because she’s written her ending, both literally in her independently published book titled January 22nd (the original name of the show & date of the assault) and figuratively. And as Arabella exhales, smiles and runs across the beach in the final frames you know that whatever happened, she’s decided it’s over. Previous Item Next Item So I lied and said I wasn’t going to write this article last week because episode 10 quite frankly left me speechless. After the words “I...

Celebrating Juls @ The Lower Third On a Monday night I headed down to The Lower Third, a shiny new venue off Oxford Street, to celebrate Juls - DJ, producer and musician extraordinaire. With it being a year since the release of his last album, Sounds of My World, Juls called on his fans, family and industry peers to celebrate both his extensive catalogue and birthday. The ‘Boiler Room’ style set up created an intimacy to the show, breaking the fourth wall so to speak. MC Tinyman encouraged the crowd to get involved because in as much as it was Juls’ show, it was a show for us too. The atmosphere could only be described as the girl dancing in Kaytranda’s Boiler Room video - a strong contrast to the gloom and doom that usually comes with Mondays. We’re both friends and fans of Juls at The Floor Mag, having featured him on #NSSuperAlbum, our show on No Signal Radio. Hosted by our creative director Paula, together she and Juls created a Super Album for Wizkid , by choosing the best two songs from each one of their projects. In turn, we also held the focus on Juls’ work, with Paula and another guest picking apart Juls’ projects to create a Super Album. From the moment Juls’ set kicked off with bass-heavy ‘Normal’ ft. Kojey Radical, the whole room was almost hypnotised for nearly two hours. The audience was led through a melodic journey of sounds, time travelling through Juls’ most notable early releases like ‘Feel Alright’, to him exclusively debuting new music. It was a beautiful evening celebrating Juls as a person and as an incredible artist. Check out Sounds of Our World Deluxe now and catch Juls at his next show in Brighton on 25 November . Previous Item Next Item Juls curated a special evening at new Oxford St location, The Lower Third for fans and family to celebrate work so far and all the things to

Coded Language: How Dialect Intersects Music 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 . Previous Item Next Item 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...

This Week In Theatre: Shifters and The Big Life Between Windrush dreamers and two ill-timed lovers, this week’s theatre trips were touching, funny and romantic. Shifters - Bush Theatre ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Starring Heather Agyepong (School Girls, The Power) and Tosin Cole (Doctor Who, One Love) Shifters tackles the old-age trope of ‘right person, wrong time’ through the lens of Des and Dre. With dream lighting which carefully reflects the moods of both characters, Benedict Lombe’s debut play examines the epics of young love in a concise one-hour 40-minute run. Heather and Tosin have stunning chemistry, seamlessly carrying this weighty two-hander through humour and passionate monologues. They soften one another, challenge each other and in their youth, perform a dance akin to peacocking; their early love blossoming on stage. Lombe’s writing is intimate in the romantic moments, playful in the humorous scenes and left audience members gasping with each revelation Des and Dre peel back about one another. It looks into their backgrounds and cultural differences with care, highlighting their differences and similarities. Des is British Congolese, the daughter of a middle-class neurologist whereas Dre is British Nigerian, living with his Grandma. She has dreams of becoming an artist, his dream, to be a restaurateur. Both experience trauma; Heather and Tosin hold each other up seamlessly in these moments, delivering emotive, rousing dialogue the way only lovers can. Des and Dre are laid bare through Alex Berry’s staging which was stripped back and lends itself easily to any one of the scenes our couple find themselves in. There’s no ‘real’ set, instead, the sum of their relationship can be confined to a few boxes, which serves as storage for props alongside seating for the more intimate conversations. It could have been easy to get lost in the back and forth of Shifters ageing and de-ageing process, but it’s surprisingly easy to keep up with. With every age shift you can see Tosin and Heather leaning into the emotions that come with the new storylines. Shifters is ultimately for fans of long-lost loves, what-could-have-been and spinning the block. Shifters runs at Bush Theatre till 30 March . The Big Life - Stratford East ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Originating out of Jamaica and inspired by Louisiana Rhythm and Blues, Ska music has always had significance in the UK music scene. Giving a voice to this sound as well as Caribbeans of the Commonwealth, The Big Life is a revival 20 years in the making, inspired by Shakespeare’s Love's Labour's Lost. Starring Nathanael Campbell, Khalid Daley, Karl Queensborough and Ashley Samuels as Bennie, Dennis, Lennie and Ferdy these men are taking London in their stride. Their counterparts show up the form of Sybil, Mary, Zulikela and Kathy (Gabrielle Brooks, Leanne Henlon, Rachel John and Juliet Agnes), four no nonsense women who won’t be so easily charmed. The Big Life gives life to even larger on stage personalities with each cast member tackling their individual songs with amazing vocals. The group numbers are humorous and every cast member has an innate sense of when to hold back and pull no punches during their performances. Infusing further humour into the play is Eastenders’ actress Tameka Empson, who plays fourth-wall breaker, Mrs Aphrodite. Empson also serves as the play’s writer alongside lyricist Paul Sirett. Empson’s character is full of appreciation for the Windrush Generation, a passionate line is expelled about the ongoing fight for compensation but she never keeps the mood somber for long, with joyful audience participation theatres like Stratford East are synonymous for. Despite the racism and intolerance faced by our eight leads, they still overcome with grace and dignity at each turn. Through job refusals and familial deaths, they highlight just how strong members of the Commonwealth had to be when coming to the ‘motherland’. Well-paced and loads of fun, The Big Life is worth catching before the end of its run on 30 March. It’s proof that twenty years on, the conversations surrounding those who contributed so much to this country are just as relevant. The Big Life runs at Stratford East till 30 March. Previous Item Next Item This Week In Theatre we're reviewing the revival of 20-year-old, The Big Life as well as the debut play Shifters.

8 Mangas That Outdid Their Animes If you look closely, you can find an anime epiphany on Frank Ocean’s Sweet Life opening lyrics, “ the best song wasn’t the single.” Meaning: popularity isn’t always the best thing on offer, despite how it’s presented. The single might be the focal point of the album or project as a standalone release but not necessarily the true ‘star’ of the show. Now, the normal thing to do would be to dive deeper into what that means for music, or maybe even apply this analysis to romantic relationships, but what happens when you look at anime through the lens of Sweet Life 's opening lyrics? Although manga is a worldwide phenomenon, it's the large scale anime rollouts that bring in money and shape fanbases- they're the singles of the production. Without taking away from distinct animation styles and the art of voice acting, there are countless anime interpretations that may be perceived as the ‘single’ but are definitely not the best as far as their manga counterparts are concerned. Was this what Frank had in mind when he gave us Channel Orange ? Absolutely not, but here is a cocktail of anime productions that pale in comparison to their mangas. 1. The Promised Neverland If this anime was judged on Season 1 alone, it wouldn’t be anywhere near this list. The Promised Neverland (or Yakusoku no Neverland ) is a standout amongst Shonen anime and manga. Praised for its originality, plot twists and suspense, it was deemed a best selling manga in 2020 and an even bigger success on TV screens in the 2010 decade. The problem comes in the form of Season 2. Instead of sticking to the well laid out script created by authors Kaiu Shirai and Toyisha Ono, CloverWorks Studios and its affiliates chose to take another path- ultimately shortening the timeline and removing key parts to the story. Their biggest downfall was leaving out the most important arc as well as the most interesting: The Goldy Pond Battle Arc. In order to get the full picture of the intricate story, it’s best to indulge in the manga. 2. Death Note Before I’m tracked down and put in a Twitter thread, there’s a very good reason for this classic making an appearance. Almost everything in the manga is properly and accurately portrayed in the anime. However, the manga fills the void that many people complain about when it comes to Death Note - the ending. Without giving away the original manga ending, it is a more cohesive and appropriate finale to the intellectual saga in comparison to the anime. Endings of shows usually help mould the overall opinion towards them and the anime version fell flat and gave off an anticlimactic aura. It was still entertaining, with viewers enjoying symbolism in the art style and the grey area between right and wrong but it didn’t feel like an ending, it’s almost as if something was missing. The manga offers a darker and more sinister alternative ending that better fits the view of morality that gets more complicated as the show continues. 3. Soul Eater The short answer for Atsushi Okubo’s Soul Eater , is that the anime simply deserved better. The 51-episode adaptation from the manga garnered a lot of support, and rightly so. It was well received for its iconic characters like main character Maka Albarn, alongside Black Star and its distinctive style (that would later be seen in productions such as Fire Force ). In a bid to fit an elaborate and complex plot into a set number of episodes, character development for integral people such as Death the Kid and Crona were overlooked. Other corners were cut including entire arcs, watering down what could have been an ever bigger fan favourite. That isn’t to say the anime got everything wrong. In fact, to uphold the integrity of the original story, certain characters, themes and events had to be identical to the manga and these are the parts that allow it to be revered still to this day. 4. Tokyo Ghoul It’s sad to anticipate certain manga adaptations only for the anime to fail miserably. A slight exaggeration? Perhaps, but everyone and their manga-reading mother had high hopes for what Pierrot Studios would with such a dark and twisted tale. I’m not opposed to narrative deviations and changes but it is a thin line to walk, and the line only gets thinner when more changes are made. Tokyo Ghoul is a prime example. The biggest change comes as a complete juxtaposition from the original chapters. The anime sees the ‘protagonist’, Kaneki Ken, joining Ghoul terrorist organisation, Aogiri Tree rather than shunning and opposing them. The choice to have him join the group fundamentally changes his character development and the story that follows. 5. Deadman Wonderland A moment of silence for Deadman Wonderland. If the anime was given the chance to finish, it would be a notable name amongst others of its time like Beezlebub and Hunter x Hunter (2011) . From the first episode, viewers are left with more questions than answers but not in an intriguing way. The plot holes that aren’t filled adequately work more as a deterrent from an otherwise intriguing premise. The glaring difference between the manga and anime is laughable. This manga comes with a heavy recommendation from those that read it, myself included. 6. Akame Ga Kill Labelling Akame Ga Kill as a fan favourite is an understatement. The contrast of an innocent and childlike artform to the gory and action-filled plotline is welcomed in most anime circles. Likened to Game of Thrones due to its ‘anyone can get it’ storytelling, it is no surprise that it has become a modern-day classic but the variations from the anime and manga have fans split over which one is the superior version. Again, missing arcs like Wild Hunt are partly to blame with settings and world building feeling shallow despite how vital it is to the characters’ overall mission. The constant time skips make it hard to gauge power progression and levels. As a result, it’s easy for the anime not to hold the attention of the manga fans and even first-time watchers. 7. One Piece The fact that one of the greatest animes of all time is on the list is testament to the detail enclosed in manga chapters. In this case, the best song is the single as well as everything else on the project. The anime follows the manga very closely to the degree where still shots from the anime look identical to incidents in the manga. The divergence lies in how much control the author has over the anime development. Although Eiichiro Oda is very much involved in the anime’s progression, the sheer dominance and command he has over the manga is mind-blowing. Nothing in the manga is by chance or left to likelihoods or possibilities. Everything is calculated to perfection and seeing it unfold in the manga is incomparable to watching the events on the screen. Oda is a master at world building and transporting the reader into the domain that he created. By combining his love for foreshadowing and thoroughly setting the scene, the manga becomes too good not to read. 8. Yu-Gi-Oh! It’s always fun to throw in a curveball. Yu-Gi-Oh! Is often grouped with the anime that shaped many childhoods like Pokemon , Digimon and Cardcaptors . The interesting twist is that those anime are arguably adapted for children to watch. When their premise and scenarios are further analysed, surprise surprise, a lot of these shows aren’t for children at all. And that definitely includes Yu-Gi-Oh! When you look past the card game marketing ploys, the typical Shonen adventure that viewers have become used to and the filler arcs, it is an eerie and messed up tale. The dialogue and artwork is far more disturbing than Nickelodeon leads on because torture and inflicting pain is a big part of what makes the duels captivating. This is one to read at your own peril if you are a little worried about ruining your childhood. Previous Item Next Item If you look closely, you can find an anime epiphany on Frank Ocean’s Sweet Life opening lyrics, “the best song wasn’t the single.”...