Christian Adofo

An article celebrating the work of iconic Ghanaian-British photographer James Barnor via CIRCA and The Serpentine's "Past,Present,Future" series at Piccadilly Circus and online for the whole of April.

At universities across Britain, Afro-Caribbean Society raves played a vital role in incubating the sound of UK funky and merging it with the rise of Afrobeats. Christian Adofo looks into a pivotal time for African club music in the diaspora.
In Paul Gilroy’s classic exploration of UK race relations There Ain’t No Black In The Union Jack he writes: “The town halls and municipal buildings of the inner-city in which dances are sometimes held are transformed by the power of these musics to disper...

Formed in 2016, Scene + Heard is a London-based creative collective that focuses on exploring the mainstream and sub-cultures across the black diaspora via carefully curated nights that bring together film and music.
Founders Darryl Daley and Daniel Spinola are childhood friends born and raised in South London whose mutual love for both mediums served as a motivation to express themselves as creative individuals. Soon they would come together organically to create a project which would evolve...

The London-based artist blends future R&B, vogue house and the avant-garde with commentary on the dystopia of modern life.
Born and bred in the North West England, with roots in both Nigeria and Jamaica, GLORIA is a figure who personifies the diaspora experience.
The newcomer artist, who is part of GAIKA's The Spectacular Empire collective, is championing forward-thinking black art and music out of her base in London. GLORIA's output presents an arresting visual aesthetic that provides earnes...

The British-Ghanaian artist talks about growing up in East London, getting in touch with his Ghanaian heritage and his new project, Cashmere Tears.
In this age of technology, "creative" is a blanket term facilitating the spread of multiple talents, which is readily seen in copious social media bios. The phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none," springs to mind in that respect, yet now and again an artist follows the path of the polymath and blooms.
Kojey Radical is one who belies his young...

In an exclusive interview, the Beats 1 radio presenter opens up about her Nigerian heritage, documenting Homecoming in Lagos, and London being an important hub for afro-fusion sounds.
Julie Adenuga sits at the intersection of two continents.
As an affable tastemaker who transforms banal interviews into engaging conversations with some of the famous artists in the world, Julie is leading the global dialogue on new music from her daily radio show, which broadcasts to over 100 countries.
The Nor...

Last February saw Brownswood Recordings release the fresh and exciting compilation We Out Here, assembled by Shabaka Hutchings, which celebrated the new generation of London jazz musicians who've been organically fine-tuning their craft for the last decade.
In an epoch where streaming numbers and views can often precede the foresight of quality and legacy, this grassroots family is welding their formal education at Trinity Laban and Guildhall alongside the energetic tutelage of Tomorrow's War...

With the help of a bus-turned-recording studio, Justin Finlayson and his United Borders project are fighting violence on the Harlesden estates where he grew up…
‘I was born and raised on Church Road Estate in Harlesden. I had a great time growing up in a predominantly Caribbean community where everyone knew everyone. I spent a lot of time on Stonebridge Estate just around the corner. This was before gang violence kicked off between the two estates, making the area notorious.
Some of my friend...

In our conversation with Tobi Kyeremateng, we learn about her upcoming BABYLON Season at the Bush Theatre and what it means to truly champion black and brown voices in creative spaces.
As a second generation person of African descent, the arts and its various creative mediums provide a safe space for the diaspora to come together to explore the nuances of dual heritage and the far removed, presumed career choice pressures of being a doctor or a lawyer. For cultural producer Tobi Kyeremateng, ...

Nigerian superstar D'Banj, who's had a UK top 10 hit with Oliver Twist (and who played the Hackney Weekend on Saturday), is part of a rising Afrobeats scene. If you're a fan of his music, here are some other acts worth checking out.
Sarkodie
Championed as the fastest rapper in Africa, Michael Owusu Addo – AKA Sarkodie – is from Tema in Ghana. Famously, he beat more than 50 MCs in rap battles on the scene's underground circuit. Now affiliated with Akon's Konvict Musik label, the current Ghanai...

The 67 bus, friendship, sex, UK garage, school, music, teachers, friendship, periods, emergency contraceptive, arse and tits, friendship, raves, tampons, white boys, God, money. Friendship. Aaron, Candice, sex and Connor Jones.
Ten years on, not much has changed for Tracey Gordon, star of the play Chewing Gum Dreams. She may now be 24 but she’s still obsessed with religion and Beyoncé. And she’s still unaware of quite how funny she is.
But life has changed quite drastically for the playwright...

It was tough but here’s my definitive list of the top African players in the Premier League of all time. And I stand by it. So read on to find out which Touré makes the cut.
Tony Yeboah was fond of the crossbar well before Sky’s Soccer AM challenges. The Ghanaian striker arrived in South Yorkshire in January 1995 and quickly gained a reputation for scoring stupendous goals in the mid 90s. He was also the first foreign footballer to win the club’s player of the year award.
Tony Yeboah during t...

There’s no denying it. African music is where it’s at and, alongside homegrown talent on the continent, there’s a new wave of Africans across the diaspora producing, writing and making some pretty spectacular music. So, here’s a compilation of the rising stars from the diaspora to switch your ears on to.
Kwesi Darko (better known as Blue Daisy) is an experimental MC and producer blending trip hop, electronica and hip hop infused together with a dark, melancholic bass.
One for collaborating wi...