Dizzee Rascal MBE, George The Poet and Lavida Loca join line-up for Black History Month
Free to watch on YouTube: Thursday 22 October at 7pm.
Above L-R: Dizzee Rascal ©EvaPentel, Lavida Loca, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Nubya Garcia ©AdamaJalloh Frisco ©AshleyVerse
Join PRS for Music in celebrating Black History Month with a special virtual edition of PRS Presents in collaboration with its charity partner, PRS Foundation. Dedicated to the significant influence Black songwriters and composers have in the music we know and love today, legendary pioneers and thinkers from the Black community will come together alongside music creators this evening, Thursday 22 October from 7pm, streamed for free on PRS for Music's YouTube channel.
Hosted by award-winning presenter Gemma Cairney, BRIT Award-winner Dizzee Rascal MBE will perform from his studio. PRS Foundation supported rappers Lavida Loca, Skengdo x AM, and producer and Boy Better Know member Frisco, will also join an eclectic line-up including Grammy nominee Yola, Ivor Novello award-winner Mysie, alongside saxophonist Nubya Garcia, and rapper and singer Jelani Blackman, showcasing some of the best homegrown Black Music in the UK today.
PRS for Music represents the rights of over 150,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK and around the world. PRS Foundation is the UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development. Since 2000 PRS Foundation has given more than £35 million to over 7,300 new music initiatives by awarding grants and leading partnership programmes that support music sector development.
As well as exclusive performances, PRS Presents Black History Month will also feature a series of short documentary-style interviews. Hear from British singer and musician Rhoda Dakar, who will delve into the history of Brixton’s underground club scene. Listen to Eddie Capone, Allan Wilmot and award-winning dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson talk about the phenomenal impact the Windrush generation had on shaping Black music and culture in Britain. George the Poet, will introduce newcomer to the spoken word scene, Henry Stone. Kwaku, founder of British Black Music and Black Music Congress, will bring to life the history of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, the world-famous Black British classical composer and activist whose plight led to the creation of the Performing Right Society in the early 20th century.
Ferocious Management and Cr8ing Vision founder, Kwame Kwaten, will shine a light on the vital work grassroot organisations are doing across the UK to support creativity, instigate change and promote equality and equity within the music industry. Girls I Rate, Small Green Shoots and People Dem Collective are just some of those organisations transforming emerging talent into successful careers and will feature in PRS Presents Black History Month.
We are incredibly proud to have such a great line-up of songwriters, voices and organisations join us for this special edition of PRS Presents. While we continually celebrate the talent and development of our diverse membership with the support of PRS Foundation, Black History Month is an important moment in the calendar year to reflect, listen and pay respect to the Black music community and beyond as we build towards a more inclusive future for all.
We’re delighted to be partnering with PRS for Music for this very special PRS Presents celebrating Black History Month featuring the brilliant PRS Foundation supported artists Skengdo x AM, Yola, Frisco, Lavida Loca and Nubya Garcia. We’re proud to play our part in supporting talented Black music creators and Black-led organisations through our funding programmes and we are committed to standing against anti-Black racism, breaking down barriers and powering up Black talent.
I’m excited to be part of the incredible line-up for PRS Presents celebrating Black History Month. This year has been a tough one without live gigs, but it’s great that we can get together virtually for a show that highlights the Black community, and the talented musicians within it.
PRS Presents Black History Month will take place on PRS for Music’s YouTube channel, from 7pm on Thursday 22 October. Watch here.
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About PRS for Music
Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public.
For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues. prsformusic.com
About PRS Foundation
Since 2000 PRS Foundation has given more than £44 million to over 8,500 new music initiatives. 9 out of 12 Mercury Prize 2022 nominees had received PRS Foundation support (including the winner Little Simz) and the charity has supported BRITS, RPS, AIM and Ivors Award-winners.
PRS Foundation supports outstanding talent from all backgrounds, covering the whole of the UK and all genres, with grantee success stories including Little Simz, Wolf Alice, Dave, Sam Fender, Years & Years, AJ Tracey, Anna Meredith, Yola, Glass Animals, Ezra Collective, Jade Bird, Ghetts, Shiva Feshareki, Sarathy Korwar, Floating Points, Nadine Shah, The Fanatix, Imogen Heap, IDLES, Kae Tempest, Kojey Radical and Emily Burns.
Widely respected as an inclusive, collaborative and proactive funding body, PRS Foundation supports an exceptional range of new music activity through direct grants to music creators and through support for pioneering organisations, including venues, festivals, promoters and other talent development organisations. PRS Foundation founded the Women Make Music fund, co-founded global gender equality initiative, Keychange and most recently launched the POWER UP initiative to tackle anti-Black racism in music. www.prsfoundation.com
