Music
Up close and personal with Cardiff’s new music heroes
A scene within a scene — For the past year, Welsh photographer Elijah Thomas has been documenting the lives of Cardiff’s up-and-coming bands, capturing a DIY scene united in its tight-knit camaraderie.
Written by: Niall Flynn
Fantastic Negrito scares the shit out of the establishment
From near-death to stardom — After eating out of garbage cans and hustling through music school, a car crash nearly killed Xavier Dphrepaulezz. Then he reinvented himself as Fantastic Negrito, winning a Grammy in the process. Now, having bypassed the gatekeepers, he feels ready to save the world.
Written by: Adam White
‘London is a war zone – I’ve been on the field myself’
Novelist talks — Novelist has established himself as a force by proudly swimming against the tide. But, for the 21-year-old rapper, true independence goes much further than music.
Written by: Niall Flynn
A visual homage to London‘s most iconic punk venue
100 Club Stories — As the 100 Club celebrates its 75th birthday this year, Ditto Press founder Ben Freeman reflects on the venue’s incredible countercultural legacy.
Written by: HUCK HQ
Was disco more political than the Black Panthers?
Nile Rodgers looks back — Musical legend Nile Rodgers on his time in the Black Panthers, a professional death pact, and why he's offering his skills as a mentor to the British public.
Written by: Michael Segalov
‘Governments don’t want us to think that protest has power’
Saul Williams — Ahead of his show at The Last Word Festival in London, we speak to the seminal poet, rapper, writer and activist about the power of language, protest in the digital age and why Kanye West represents the dangerous pinnacle of celebrity culture.
Written by: Niall Flynn
A visual guide to the hidden history of hip hop
Power, pride & principles — Represent: Hip-Hop Photography is a new show exploring the immense cultural legacy of the genre, bringing together years of rarely seen, iconic imagery.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Music needs more ‘undefinable talent' like Nabihah Iqbal
Pioneering polymath — From human rights lawyer to well-respected DJ, every step in Nabihah Iqbal’s unconventional life has equipped her to become an artist unafraid to challenge stereotypes.
Written by: Niall Flynn
Why vogueing is returning to London’s dancefloors
Ballroom revolution — Free from judgement, labels and gimmicks, Jay Jay Revlon’s community-centred club night, Let’s Have A Kiki, brings the pioneering dance movement of the ’80s and ’90s into the present day.
Written by: Geralda Cela
The unlikely rise of Trap music in Japan
An insider’s perspective — After moving to Kobe to become a teacher, US native Jack Goldman discovered Kitchen House – a Japanese Trap record label spearheading a new cultural movement.
Written by: Daniel Spielberger