500 years of music: exhibition challenges when Black British music began

From jazz to jungle, Black British music has topped the charts and inspired generations.
Now a new exhibition charts its history and the places it was born, from the kerbsides, clubs, and carnivals.
But it also goes way back before the 20th century - charting hundreds of years of Black musical history.
I went down to the exhibition at the British Library in London and met some of the pioneers featured.
Warning: flash photography.

[@mindblown42069]

I dont think anyone with a brain has ever said black music didnt exist in britain till the 1940s

[@joshuataylor3550]

Exactly the point of this

[@johnrussell3961]

Black music doesn’t have to be performed by blacks. Blues was played by whites . Eric Clapton ranks along side BB king..

[@astroboirap]

500 years of weed, stabbing and r a p e

[@user-wq6sz7vt3w]

@@joshuataylor3550time for you to chill out man!

[@SuperJAMAICAJAMAICA]

John Blanke's contribution should have been given more prominence.....kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHTQZ3muZ8iqd9Usi=Ibuns7EEx1kFgiXr

[@johnrussell3961]

Jazz arrived in the 1920’s . Blues arrived after the war.

[@ownerpeasant]

So true. Most UK record labels had large lists of Jazz music licensed from the USA from the twenties onwards, including blues and gospel. Ragtime titles predate that. They did not do this for diversity but because it was popular and made money. Indeed these titles are still easy to find today for anyone interested. The title to this article is simply silly.

[@CriticalTheoryIsNonsense]

You can try to rewrite history all you like, we all know the reality and it's not what you're preaching.

[@globalist1990]

You know the guitar came from Northern Africa into Europe, right?

[@CriticalTheoryIsNonsense]

@@globalist1990 And what exactly does that claim have to do with this?

[@globalist1990]

@@CriticalTheoryIsNonsense it's a fact, bud.

[@CriticalTheoryIsNonsense]

@@globalist1990 Is it? So what does it have to do with this subject, or do you not know either?

[@globalist1990]

@@CriticalTheoryIsNonsense you obviously don't know much about history.

[@ivanrlynn]

“Fought their way into the charts” wow… what an insult

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

Black British is an oxymoron.🤨

[@DanAshford-ny6sq]

Like saying dog horse

[@serraangel7465]

Dude Marvin Gaye and Stevie wonder wrote political music in the 70s

[@spreadgoodenergy6051]

So many black Americans made political music in the 1960s and 1970s. He really could have left black Americans out of the conversation.

[@BlogofTheW3st]

This is simply the culture war raging in England.

[@antonia3292]

500 Years?

[@marcusparkus682]

Misleading title and intro. Come on...?

[@levystein666]

Robbin and Lootin music 😂

[@bollockchop501]

My dear father was a stride piano player(Winifred attwell,mrs mills,russ Conway,duke Ellington,thelonius monk)this is black jazz music from USA.my dad was Irish Londoner. Most music today is rooted in Africa,so any modern music one plays is black music.We musicians mostly do not discriminate we just play it.

[@corndogius5706]

Expands the narrative whilst simultaneously reducing it's historical scope.

[@educocult]

So much incredible stuff packed into 5 minutes!

[@mark8544]

More devisive BS

[@DanAshford-ny6sq]

They love playing that black violin

[@alanharniess9298]

Very misleading. No more to say .

[@entertainmentworldsoldier]

This entire report just showed musicians from the 80s and a singer singing now where's the ones before world war II

[@normanbrown9225]

When The FIRST DRUM BEAT SOUNDED IN AFRICA COUNTLESS YEARS AGO.❤

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting

[@bushsymphony6283]

Samuel Coleridge - one of the composers

[@zenster1097]

Not black. Stop promoting black supremacy.

[@gareth449]

Divide and Conquer

[@woden3894]

So another exhibition in a long line of exhibitions promoting black identitarianism and historical revisionism. One Black immigrant of which we know very little about played the trumpet this means black people have been producing music in the UK since 1501. I'm surprised they didn't role out Cheddar Man and claim he played the trumpet, they always like to discuss Channel 4's historical fraud.

[@Dracoti]

Exactly this. They are trying to brainwash the public, and sadly working.

[@meme4one]

Pictures from that time also had cats and dogs playing the role of humans. It's not exactly documentary imagery.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I love black music but the old image of a trumpeter means nothing, its just a guy probably playing someone eles music. If someone plays a instrument they are a musician and it does not mean there a artist who actually makes there own music.

[@martinjohnson2549]

Where can I see an exhibition on polish music arriving in UK?

[@WalshyFire]

Amazing piece

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

A significant amount of My music is based off of what was black music first, including Hiphop, Drum n Bass and so on however I mixed that with what was white music first like classical and cinematic music. Hiphop beats and bass mixed with strings and piano basically which a hybrid of both white and black.

[@dennythegreek]

Love our British black music but no one explained in this clip why it was a lie that it came before the war

[@ivanrlynn]

Woah pass the Dutchie (is it that as ism now?) was shot across the river from the houses, lol too funny 😂

[@user-wq6sz7vt3w]

Pure dross leaving someone else holding the spoon!

[@matterdowe4350]

Nia archives should be a global superstar

[@SereneSoulSessions-hb5ox]

She has ghost writers making her music ? She’s good at being a face but not a musical icon.

[@garyc9908]

So what music is couourless

[@ivanrlynn]

the best thing about music is that it is invisable

[@chrispowell8121]

The colour of people's skin isn't really the point. It's about the roots of the music by people who are often forgotten.

[@ivanrlynn]

@@chrispowell8121 and who exaxtly is meant to remember other than those who appreciated that art

[@chrispowell8121]

@@ivanrlynn that's why we teach history, so that future generations remember. This isn't just about that particular music, but the evolution of our culture and where it came from.

[@ivanrlynn]

@@chrispowell8121who cares? is the question

[@thomas79marshall]

3:04 nailed it

[@bollockchop501]

If you born in a stable,dosent make you as horse.we are all gods children,we as human beings are all related

[@ingridseim1379]

I deleted what I said here because I misunderstood and my comment was inaccurate.

[@titteryenot4524]

_Genuinely_ never got this skin colour thing, and how some people can’t be doing with a different skin colour from their own. The colour of your skin bothers me not a jot; it’s only your _ideas_ I care about.

[@Dracoti]

BBC trying so desperately to rewrite history. England has never been ethnically black. Cheddar man was mischaracterised, and a single roman soldier from Carthage 2000 years ago. And what even is "black" music, since when does music have colour?

[@pallascat1743]

This is channel 4.

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

Built by Europeans for Europeans... The peak of civilisation, a beacon of achievement to the rest of the world.

[@Dracoti]

@pallascat1743 Ngl I missed that. But they push the same narrative.

[@DanAshford-ny6sq]

White people sing about love and other great things, the other lot "sing" about "getting paper" (money) "dems biatches" (women) and "da erb" (drugs)

[@AsherKhazar]

Azerbaijan supports Israel not just verbally as many other "supporters", but indeed and in real time! Shalom to Jerusalem from Baku! Your victory is our victory! 🇦🇿❤️🇮🇱

[@techtinkerin]

Pass me the dutch bro

[@alingard1]

Black music IS UK music. Without it we'd be on a par with Latvia. Everything comes from it. Stones, Beatles, reggae, jazz, dnb, house, soul.... everything.

[@harry.flashman]

Black music isnt 500 years of UK music. Youve completely overlooked classical and folk music.

[@DanAshford-ny6sq]

OMFG

[@georginacasey6648]

Great reporting 🎉🎉

[@ciararespect4296]

4:46 half Jamaican half British? Doesn't really makes sense. Britain stole Jamaica from the Spanish. (who in turn stole from the native arawak Indians) circa 16th century They then transported slaves from Africa.. Her parents who descended from Africa and just happened to be transported to Jamaica came to the UK in sixties for work. On the buses and trains etc. Clippies and ticket inspectors also traffic wardens. Yes she's British born. Certainly not Jamaican. Her forebears might from the gold Coast or ivory Coast etc? She certainly has other blood races mixed in her as her features are not from any particular genetic pure race? Its akin to saying my great grand parent was forced to live in Say. Japan then my father moved to the UK and i was born here so I'm half British and half Japanese? 😂

[@byronleigh80]

Not Jamaican? Not according to Jamaican law. Read the Jamaican nationality law. Being Jamaican exists and it is not tied to being black. By the time Africans were transported to the Caribbean, West Africa as we know it didn’t exist. Coming from somewhere is part genetics and part culture.

[@ciararespect4296]

@@byronleigh80 I Don't mean there isn't such a person as Jamaican She isn't however. If you study her history she was born in the UK so regardless of her parents birthplace she's just British to me. I also don't care about the law Yes. Culture plays a big part I never said being Jamaican was tied to being Black??, there are plenty of white Jamaicans around? Even reggae is copied from something else previous. So nothing new under the sun as they say We're all however from East Africa. It's been proven by the bones found in present day Ethiopia

[@jujutrini8412]

Why do you care so much how SHE identifies herself? You can’t tell her how she feels. She knows more about her own roots than you do.

[@globalist1990]

@@ciararespect4296if she is entitled to Jamaican citizenship, she is Jamaican.

[@H-ME2003]

What even is black music?

[@Bungle-UK]

Gansta rap and stabbing

[@schang8964]

good point

[@stanspliff92]

All popular music genres.

[@ivanrlynn]

No fucking idea mate

[@JakeLDS]

Music that was originally created within black culture: blues, rock n roll, jazz, soul, funk, reggae, afrobeat, disco, hip hop, house, techno, jungle, garage, dubstep, grime etc

[@jujutrini8412]

No mention of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor or George Bridgetower. How disappointing.

[@yoyopoplondon]

They are in the exhibition itself. Worth visiting

[@sandraagard6320]

You need to see the exhibition

[@richardmccrorie5814]

I love the brit-funk era and street soul etc but can't stand that appalling Drill and grime stuff. Light of the world were much better musically than the boring stormzy.

[@levystein666]

WE

[@kevinwilliams1768]

excellent history

[@mark8544]

....of all the things you open up with and you choose Musical Youth.....im %^&ing offended and im public enemy #1 (middle aged white man).....

[@zenster1097]

Downvoting black nationalism/black supremacy.

[@fintamaria2429]

👏👏👏

[@user-zi8qe6tf9f]

‏‏ندائي إلي كل مسلم قال عزوجل (قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ) وقال النبى ﷺ(ما نقص مال من صدقة ) رواه مسلم وقال ﷺ ( أنفق يابن آدم ينفق الله عليك) متفق عليه وقال ﷺ:( مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصبِحُ العِبادُ فِيهِ إِلَّا مَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلانِ، فَيَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا )ِ((يا ناس يا امة محمد صارت قلوبكم بلا ﺭﺣﻤﻪ ﻭﻻ ﺷﻔﻘﻪ ﻭﻻ ﺃﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﻪ ﻛﻢ ﺷﻜﻴﺖ ﻭﻛﻢ ﺑﻜﻴﺖ ﻛﻢ ﻧﺎﺩﻳﺖ ﻭﻛﻢ ﻧﺎﺷﺪﺕ ﻭﻟﻜﻦ ﻻ ﺣﻴﺎﺓ ﻟﻤﻦ ﺗﻨﺎﺩﻱ ﻫﻞ ﻳﺮﺿﻴﻜﻢ ﺃﻥ ﺃﺧﻮﺍﻧﻲ ﻳﺒﻜﻮﻥ ﻭﻳﻤﻮﺗﻮﻥ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﻮﻉ ﻭﺃﻧﺘﻢ ﻣﻮﺟﻮﺩﻭﻥ ﻳﻌﻠﻢ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ ﺃﻧﻨﺎ ﻻ ﻧﻤﻠﻚ ﺣﺘﻰ ﻗﻴﻤﺔ ﻛﻴﻠﻮ ﺩﻗﻴﻖ ﺃﺑﻲ ﻣﺘﻮﻓﻲ ﻭﺃﺧﻮﺍﻧﻲ ﺻﻐﺎﺭ ﻟﻴﺲ ﻟﻨﺎ ﺃﺣﺪ ﺃﻗﺴﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ ﺃﻧﻬﻢ ينامو ﺟﻮﻋﺎﻧﻴﻦ ﻭﻫﻢ ﻳﺒﻜﻮﻥ من الالم والويلت ﻳﺎﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ ﻫﻞ ﻳﺮﺿﻴﻜﻢ ﻳﺎﺃﺧﻮﺓ الأسلام00967717354582 يافاعلين الخير انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يتيمه نازحين من بلأدنا انا واسرتي بيتنا ايجار تجمعت علينا اجارات البيت وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد يطردنا من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرناندفعله الأجار وما يروح الئ بعدما نبكي وحلف يمين بالله بيخرجنا إلى الشارع بدون رحمه واحنامشردين من بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي واخوتي سغار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا يقف جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه ومامعي اخوان كباره يقفوا معنا في هذا هذاالظروف 00967717354582 رقمنا واتساب الي يقدر يساعد،نا،٠'"،::'%$'%%🎉😢🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😢😢😢❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤

[@joshuataylor3550]

Sky daddy doesn't exist

[@JessicaZane4realz]

So that's why there's so much terrible music today.

[@johnrussell3961]

Blame Taylor Swift!

[@ivanrlynn]

@@johnrussell3961it’s Jack Antonoffs lazy, uninspiring and AI like synths.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

@@ivanrlynn No its Trap and Mumble rap.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I notice that black people start music but white people make it better, Way way better in many instances and then black people swtich to something eles every time it get taken over by white people.

[@fuckbankers]

Silly games ❤