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WINDRUSH Contribution Examples

Windrush generations have made great contributions to the UK’s economy and cultural heritage across many sectors:

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Sound System Culture

The first sound systems set up in the UK, came with the Windrush generation, with several based in Brent. This introduced the Jamaican culture of toasting over records that has now transcended into various forms of rapping at which Stormzy has now become one of the country’s biggest selling artists.

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Reggae Music Distribution

As sound systems became the popular outlets for Windrush communities to socialize, a burgeoning industry grew from Caribbean music distribution, especially Reggae, for these outlets. Brent was an important hub for this as it was the home of:

  • Jet Star: Which became Europe’s biggest distributor of Reggae music
  • Trojan Records: UK’s biggest Reggae music recording label, that licensed the early produced tracks of Bob Marley & The Wailers
  • Hawkeye Records: One of the UK’s oldest record shops that is still trading
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The Brent Black Music Cooperative aka the BBMC

This was created in 1985 from frustrations of the 1st and 2nd generations of Windrush musicians and performers. All of the icons of Reggae have either recorded, rehearsed or performed here. The BBMC still exists as an All in One Learning Centre that facilitates creative engagement with the borough’s at risk youths. The BBMC is within the SABA Network and the event’s proceeds will help to secure its future.

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Community Broadcasting

Restricted legal airplay of Windrush musicians led to the creation of the UK’s first community (pirate) radio station, Dread Broadcasting Corporation (DBC) in Brent. This resulted in a national revolution in broadcasting, including legal formations of mainstream outlets like BBC 1 XTRA & Capital Xtra, now amongst the country’s leading youth broadcasters.

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Youth Culture

Brent, through music, has always blazed a trail in youth culture that transcends through the borough, across London, then the country. In delivering the Coca-Cola Reach Up project, we used the BBMC in Brent as our base to attract young people for self-development training across London.

Through these routes, the Windrush’s music has achieved international recognition.