Next generation of Bow’s musical talent featured on The South Bank Show

Published by Anonymous for Circle in Housing and also in Communities

Eastside Youth Centre, run by Old Ford Housing Association, proudly hosted a screening on Friday night of the South Bank Show, Episode 3, ‘Grime, Bow and how UK Hip-Hop found its voice.’

Several young people who regularly attend the youth centre to make use of its recording studio were featured in the film, which focuses on the vibrant music scene and the surprising amount of talent to have come out of E3 in recent years. Katrina Forster, Junior Jagne, Alex Reid, Jack Gipson, Farah Jniah, Kasheem Quinland, Cadell Gerald, John Mcclaine and Kayn Bicknell were all featured in the hour long documentary, which premiered on Sky Arts this week.

The programme follows Grime stars and the next generation of musical talent through the estates and high rise flats of East London; highlighting the success of stars Dizzee Rascal, Tinchy Stryder and Wiley, and featuring interviews from Dizzee, Tinchy, Trevor Nelson, Rinse FM and more.

Top name music stars such as Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder who both attended local youth clubs, like Eastside, attribute much of their future musical success to their formative years spent performing to their youth club peers.

Bow’s youth clubs have flourished over the years and are still responsible for providing young people a safe, yet creative place to go out at during evenings and weekends.

Lord Melvyn Bragg, South Bank Show presenter said: “I found in Bow as exciting a group of serious and talented popular music artists as I have come across since the Liverpool explosion in the early sixties. I love their tenacity and their integrity. I am also deeply impressed and moved that they have done it on their own terms. It is terrific to have put their music right on the centre of the music map. What a story! I’m so pleased The South Bank Show, under Archie Powell and the team, has made such a powerful film of such a remarkable success story. And this is just the beginning!”

June Morton, Managing Director at Old ford housing Association, said: “Eastside was set up in June 2007 as a place where young people in the Old Ford Area could socialise and develop their skills safely. A year later, a music studio was added, which young people in the area have made great use of.

“These facilities harnessed the musicality and the creativity of young people in the area and provided them an outlet for their talents. To see some of them go on to become so successful really reinforces our vision of enhancing communities and shows the value of investment into sustainable community programmes, such as Eastside.

“It is great to see the music scene in Bow has acknowledged on such a scale and it is fantastic that the next generation of stars from Eastside were given the opportunity to participate in the making of this programme.”