A hip hop gig engaging with this year’s Refugee Week theme of Welcome.
Produced as part of our music project Celebrating Sanctuary London.
Venue: Rich Mix London
Logic, one of the UK’s leading voices in political hip hop, will be heading up the first of two special Refugee Week evenings featuring artists and activists calling for action and awareness for refugees in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and beyond.
Logic is an artist and activist, and states this position through empowering songs entitled Question Everything, For my People and his latest track I’m not an Alien. His socio-political activism and commentary is entwined throughout lyrics with current themes about imperialism, war, government cuts & corporations, equality and social consciousness.
Logic has emerged from strong roots in the South London underground hip hop scene and is also co-founder of The People’s Army, which he established with like-minded artists such as Lowkey to effect ‘positive change’. Featuring luminaries of the UK hip hop and grime scene like Akala, George the Poet, and Mic Righteous, the People’s Army is a community and platform for ideas to raise awareness – and encourages participation by anyone who wants to contribute. His energy can be felt by music fans of all genres. Songs like Spectator tear your heart out with hard-hitting lyrics whilst more up-tempo anthems such as The Future make Logic one of the most talented live performers in UK hip hop.
We are delighted to host Grime artist and MOBO nominee Afrikan Boy two years after his South Bank debut with us. African Boy is a second generation Nigerian living in London who has built a strong reputation for cultural exchange, youth activism and engaging with other rappers internationally in countries like Sudan and Algeria. He has toured and guested on songs by MIA, collaborated with DJ Shadow, and toured with the Africa Express 8 tour that featured legends like Baba Maal, Femi Kuti, Fatoumata Diawara and Damon Albarn.
African Boy is cheeky and vibrant in his performance, with an extra sharp wardrobe cut from Nigerian threads – but at the heart of his songs are the hardships of the migrant and refugee experience, visa issues, and identity fused with urban sounds from the UK and Nigeria. His music is rooted in influences like Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade and Dizzy Rascal. In 2015 he performed at the “Jungle” camp in Calais where he met with and performed to refugees there – this resulted in a film produced in partnership with Secret Cinema called ‘Border Business’. The humanity with which Afrikan Boy highlights refugee predicaments and his energized celebration of migrant roots will be just the ticket for this very special Refugee Week show.
The Op Sa! Balkan Band are a brass-centred Balkan party band performing songs spanning Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Roma cultures with a contemporary twist. They are returning once more to Refugee Week with Czech Roma MC Azza from Margate, with a special set to open the Rich Mix nights on the festival theme of ‘Welcome’.
Expect to question and be provoked, expect to be inspired to show unity for refugees.
facebook: Logicarmy, Afrikanboy, OpSaBalkanBand
twitter: @cslondonfext, @LogicArmy, @AfrikanBoy
