When I claim my black Britishness in this age of intolerance, here is the music that goes with it
Hugh Muir
A wonderful thing happened on a visit to the new V&A East: a very public, taxpayer-funded soundtrack of my life, says Hugh Muir, executive editor, Opinion
With warmth, kindness and unlimited energy, Kanya King revolutionised Black British culture
Joseph Harker
The Mobo founder, who has died aged 57, had an unprecedented vision: to give Black British music a glitzy and joyful awards ceremony. But her impact went well beyond it
Kanya King, founder of Mobo awards for Black British music, dies aged 57
Entrepreneur died of colon cancer, with Mobo Organisation hailing her as ‘one of the most fearless champions’ in the music industry
April 2026
The Long Wave
‘Reparations take many forms’: what the UN’s landmark vote on enslavement means for restorative justice
As the United Nations recognises the transatlantic slave trade as a crime and calls for reparations, a growing ‘global diasporic movement’ is pushing for action
Story of Black British music writ large in first exhibition at V&A East
Museum says The Music is Black is part of a push to reposition scene as central to UK’s cultural history
‘A cauldron of people with their tops off!’ Goldie, Estelle, Courtney Pine, Flo and more pick great moments in Black British music
For its inaugural show, the V&A’s east London outpost is celebrating 125 years of Black music-making in Britain. We asked top performers to pick their favourite exhibit
March 2026
Is calling a woman ‘auntie’ ageist harassment – or a mark of respect? It’s a trickier question than you think
Lola Okolosie
UK music industry figures call for more black talent in executive roles
Olivia Dean leads the way with three wins at 2026 Mobo awards
Frank Bowling: Seeking the Sublime review – shipwrecked Ophelia points the path to freedom
‘Black music is not a subculture – it is the engine’: Why the Mobo awards matter more than ever, 30 years on
Black music has been the driving force in Britain’s music industry and culture. It’s time we treated it that way
Kanya King
TV review
Boarders season three review – the brilliant school satire bows out at the perfect time
Labour in ‘deep trouble’ with Black voters, Operation Black Vote chair warns
February 2026
The Long Wave
‘I really believe in revivals of Black work’: why a director brought back Chadwick Boseman’s play Deep Azure
The late actor’s writing was overshadowed by roles in blockbusters. Now, Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu is giving his play about grief the audience it deserves
The Long Wave
‘A mission of mine’: during Ramadan, Sudanese food is a reminder of what is at stake in a time of war
The loss of sacred spaces during the period of observance and the ongoing conflict reminds us of the importance of cherishing food
‘It’s an opportunity for bonding’ – my quest to become a Black dad who can do his daughters’ hair
For me – and many other Black men – my experience of hair begins and ends in the barbershop. But as my two daughters get older, I’m determined to make ‘salon night’ pain free – and maybe even enjoyable
January 2026
Eric Huntley obituary
Activist and co-founder of Bogle-L’Ouverture, one of the most important black publishing houses in Britain
The pub that changed me
The pub that changed me: ‘We would flirt and mingle with the wild children of the wealthy’
To me and my friends from a Battersea council estate, the Dome seemed the very height of Thatcherite hedonism – and seeing ‘successful’ people up close was an eye-opener
The Long Wave
‘The locals don’t really benefit’: the dark side of Detty December party season
What began as a welcoming home for many in the global Black diaspora is threatening to cause frictions that no amount of fun can resolve
