Is Black is the new Gold? The commoditisation of Black British Culture.

The commodification of Black British culture has been extensively documented and played out in real-time but at what cost to its originators? Why did the Nigerian football shirt released in advance of the 2018 World Cup become such an immediate cultural phenomenon? Why is Drake considered a culture vulture for his well publicised appreciation (or appropriation) of Black UK music and arts? The value of Black British cultural capital is on the rise and increasingly becoming more and more mainstream. As part of 2019 Black History Month, we have curated a panel discussion where we will aim to answer the following: Is it right to consider Black British culture as gold? Specifically in terms of its value in the areas of music, film, arts and advertising. In light of the proliferation of brand partnerships, sponsorship and collaborations with the leading protagonists in Black British culture - who truly owns Black British culture? Is Black British culture being commodified? If so, by who and why? We will be joined by: Jude Yawson Jude is a multifaceted writer of essays, articles, and poetry and an author. He co-wrote and edited Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far with Stormzy and the Merky Team, has also contributed an essay entitled “Existing as a Black person living in Britain” to SAFE : On Black British Men Reclaiming Space. An anthology edited by Derek Owusu. Lex Amor Lex Amor is a rapper, producer, sound designer, DJ and presenter from North London. Part of the SXWKS collective and host of the Mellowdic show on Reprezent Radio. Lex is building her reputation as a musical connoisseur and purveyor of soulful, warm-groove laden hip-hop and thoughtful lyricism. Caspar Melville Caspar Melville is author of It's a London Thing: How rare groove, acid house and jungle remapped the city. He teaches popular music and cultural industries at SOAS, University of London, and was formerly a music journalist writing for independent magazines like Touch, On The One and Blues & Soul. Anthony Osho (Host) LAFV’s own Anthony Osho will be navigating through the themes of cultural appropriation, appreciation and vulturism of Black British culture. By RSVP’ing for this event, you consent to photography, audio recording, video recording. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar LAFV events in the future, highlight the event and exhibit the capabilities of LAFV. **As with all free events, we will work on a first come first served basis, so please ensure you arrive on time** Love At First Vibe’s story LAFV is music and culture collective comprising event planners, designers, DJs and photographers. We love all things music and culture, spending most days talking about it. At its inception, LAFV was a private message thread on Facebook which has since developed into a network of creatives passionate about music and culture. We specialise in; music and events by bringing people and creatives together to discover, share and discuss music. Follow our journey on Instagram