Earlier this year, author, filmmaker and DJ, Jesse Bernard, presented an intimate history of Black British music in his latest book, Escaping Babylon. Ahead of his appearance speaking to Nate Agbetu at this weekend’s We Out Here festival, he sits down with Rob Kazandjian to talk about some of the lesser known voices he spotlighted in his book to trace their impact on British culture.
Jesse has profiled Black British music royalty like J Hus, Little Simz and Central Cee for the covers of a glittering clutch of publications, and explored grime’s global impact through COMO VOCÊ — a 2022 film documenting Brazil’s own emerging grime scene.
All the while, he was working on his book: Escaping Babylon: An Intimate History of Black British Music.
Unfolding like the mixtapes Jesse loved listening to while playing basketball or courting sweet ones in his youth, complete with interludes and skits, the book encompasses 30 years of Black British music history viewed through Jesse’s eyes.
Escaping Babylon is illuminated by personal experiences like Jesse listening meticulously to R&B records with his mum on long car journeys, or skanking with joyful abandon to UK funky anthems as a university student far from home.
At the book’s core is a championing of the lesser heralded artists and scenes he’s encountered, told in a way that comes straight from the heart.
Ahead of his appearance at We Out Here festival this weekend, DJ Mag caught up with Bernard to discuss the contributions of some of the lesser known voices from Black British music history that he spotlights in Escaping Babylon.
Summer 2006 is one of the jump off points in Escaping Babylon. It’s likely that there will be readers who have no memories of that time. What did the landscape of Black British music look like for you, then.
Is there an artist from that mid-2010s era that you listened to who perhaps didn’t go on to enjoy the longevity and success you might’ve hoped for them.
In grime it was often the pioneers who fell into that space because they were taking the risks to pay for things like studio time and cutting dubs.
Does the age of virality give unsung artists from the past another chance of success? Or is that too optimistic a view.
In the book you say that many of the Black British music scenes we know and love today can be traced back to 1989 and 1990. How might somebody trace the line back from contemporary British R&B, for example, to that period.
Lynden David Hall’s name appears several times across the book. Could you unpack his significance and why it was important to shed a light on him.
Something that really struck me in the book is the idea that all Black music is soul music, in one way or another. What happens to a genre like house, then, when the soulful element is disregarded or removed entirely.
Sticking with house music, in the book you write about the brief, golden window of UK funky. How do you reflect on that period of time.
UK funky pulled in grime heads. If I heard an MC I rated spitting over a UK funky beat, the battle was won.
The book really positions the contributions of lesser known voices from Black British music history as important, like the late UK funky artist Charmz, or True who was making UK rap when it wasn’t popping at all.
What do you think is the best way of honouring those artists.
You can catch Jesse Bernard in conversation with Nate Agbetu at We Out Here festival on Saturday 22nd August.
Want more? Read our recent feature exploring how Leviticus’ ‘Burial’ brought jungle’s melting pot of influences together.
Rob Kazandjian is a freelance writer. Follow him on Insta @rkazandjian.
Fontes
Informação baseada em material público de DJ Mag, reescrito pela redação ULTRA NOTÍCIAS.
