That was the mentality of us UK Hip Hop
kids, Unstoppable, we were unstoppable, we were young, stupid, energised, and Hip Hop was the soundtrack to our life.
Rodney P (London Posse)
Agenzia X proudly presents the launch of the English edition of “Original London Style,” a groundbreaking exploration into the cultural upheaval ignited by the emergence of Hip Hop in the heart of London.
On December 6, 1982, the landscape of English popular culture was forever altered with the airing of Malcolm McLaren & The World’s Supreme Team’s “Buffalo Gals” music video on the renowned television program, Top of the Pops. Suddenly, the enigmatic codes of the Bronx’s creative wave seemed to unravel in their full potential. The impact was seismic, akin to pouring gasoline on a fire, igniting a blaze that unleashed the rebellious imagination of young Black individuals. Thus, a disruptive movement was born, with its epicenter in Covent Garden, the pulsating heart of London, a metropolis renowned for its ability to intertwine diverse forms of expression. British Hip Hop, facilitated by the culture of sound systems, ingeniously blended Caribbean, African American, and African influences into a highly original style, placing the Black British experience at the forefront of the Atlantic diaspora.
Hip Hop infiltrated England at a time when music was undergoing a continuous evolution: punk, new wave, synth-pop, as well as reggae, funk, R&B, and rare groove. Simultaneously, the advent of low-cost technologies such as synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, and drum machines empowered the production of increasingly innovative genres. Over the course of a decade, a multitude of musical subcultures emerged, destined to shape the landscape up to the present day: jungle, house, D&B, dubstep, and grime.
From the impassioned pen of u.net comes the story of the British scene, narrated through a myriad of interviews, voices, and anecdotes from the protagonists. “Original London Style” delves into the essence of this cultural revolution, offering insights of its pivotal moments and developments.
