For centuries, Black communities have created music in the UK, melding global influences into a Black British sound that has echoed through generations.
Beyond the Bassline at the British Library, the first major exhibition of its kind anywhere in the world, is about more than music. It’s about the places where these sounds were born: the clubs, the carnivals, the stages, the kerbside auditoriums.
It is the voice of community, resistance, culture and joy. It is a celebration of the trailblazers and innovators that brought new music to the UK, and the layered Black experiences that have birthed a thriving musical culture and history. Beyond the Bassline is a map through Black music in Britain.
Transporting experiences give way to absorbing soundscapes, artworks and films produced by artists and collectives across the UK. Archival footage leads into spectacular costumes, interactive displays, and of course, music. And at the conclusion of the exhibition, Tayo Rapoport and Rohan Ayinde present a new multi-screen film installation in collaboration with Touching Bass, a South London-based musical movement and curatorial platform.
Dive into letters from 18th-century composer Ignatius Sancho, glittering props and outfits of glamorous performers, records from the likes of Fela Kuti and Shirley Bassey, nostalgic video archive of grime’s golden era captured on Risky Roadz DVD and the equipment that Jamal Edwards used to start SB.TV, the industry-defining YouTube channel dedicated to Black British Music. Here, alongside over 200 exhibits, they are woven into union as you journey through an ever-evolving and ever-expanding history.
It is curated by Dr Aleema Gray in collaboration with Dr Mykaell Riley. Aleema Gray says: “It represents a timely opportunity to broaden our understanding of Black British music and situate it within a historical conversation.
"Black British music is more than a soundtrack. It has formed part of an expansive cultural industry that transformed British culture.
"Beyond the Bassline celebrates more than music. It’s about the places where these sounds were born: the clubs, the carnivals, the stages, the kerbside auditoriums.
"It is the voice of community, resistance, culture and joy.” About the exhibition Dr Riley (pic) added: "Beyond the Bassline is both a celebration and a starting point, spotlighting the rich legacy of African and Caribbean influences in British music.
"Yet, this is just the beginning. There's much more to uncover in our ongoing quest to understand and honour the depth of Black British music's impact, on British musical heritage."
