Winner of the UKLA Book Awards 2023: Information Books 3 - 14+
An outstanding combination of musical and Black British history which shows the strength and cultural significance of Black music and reveals the people behind the music, what they’re really saying and why.
Music can carry the stories of history like a message in a bottle.
Lord Kitchener, Neneh Cherry, Smiley Culture, Stormzy . . . Groundbreaking musicians whose songs have changed the world. But how? This exhilarating playlist tracks some of the key shifts in modern British history, and explores the emotional impact of 28 songs and the artists who performed them.
This book redefines British history, the Empire and postcolonialism, and will invite you to think again about the narratives and key moments in history that you have been taught up to now.
Thrilling, urgent, entertaining and thought-provoking, this beautifully illustrated companion to modern black music is a revelation and a delight.
'Engaging and accomplished . . . perfectly judged for young readers.' Guardian
'Fantastic' Clash Magazine
Author
About Jeffrey Boakye
Jeffrey Boakye is a writer, teacher and music enthusiast originally from Brixton, London. His books include Hold Tight and Black, Listed. He is also the co-author of What is Masculinity? Why Does it Matter? And Other Big Questions. Jeffrey lives in East Yorkshire with his wife and two sons. Ngadi Smart is an award-winning Sierra Leonean visual artist based between London (UK) and Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire), who specialises in illustration and photography. She has illustrated for The Guardian and Eastpak and won the 2020 FAB Prize for illustration.