17/07/2023 Issue No. 3

Full article in link below

230717_SABA Newsletter June (2)
 

On 24th June, Your Digital Network (YDN) held the annual Mini
Festival at the Grange in Neasden, this year with a greater focus on
celebrating the Windrush generation for the 75th anniversary of
their first arrival in Britain.
The day included a brilliant display of talent and creativity across
multiple generations with performances from UK UNSIGNED
artists; display booths from community businesses; a stunning
fashion show; and an immersive set-up stepping back into history.
As a family event, the festival invited the Windrush Generation as
guests of honour with the eldest person being 105 years old. There
was also entertainment by Johnny Orlando and Dennis Alcapone, a
celebrated musician and DJ respectively.
YDN also hosted awards throughout the day which gave

appreciation towards 1st and 2nd generations of the Windrush
generation for all they have given to the community and their
families. The day also showcased talents from the younger
generations with an array of singers, rappers, and fashion
designers who were eager to build on the legacy left before them.
As a Windrush celebration, the event was covered by the media
outlet, Smiley Movement, who had interviewed Blaze from the
Chalkhill Community Radio Show. Blaze spoke on the importance
of remembering the Windrush generation and their lasting impact
on Britain. Seen here: https://smileymovement.org/news/festivalcelebrates-windrush-75th-anniversary/

Dee Digital Music/ Child minded project young participants meets Mayor at Croydon Queens Garden Mural reveal.

Dee Digital Music created Childminded Project which is in partnership with YDN and SABA Network; had been approved by the National Lottery fund. Danielle Smith, the founder and Director of this projects aim is to take on Croydon young adults from 18- 25 who are not currently in employment, education or training. This is to develop their talent and enhance their employability. The organisation helps young adults by promoting positive music through many connections including YDN Radio and podcasts Including through our very own Dee Digital radio podcast station. This project was designed to encourage Croydon-based young adults to be more mindful of the content and the influence their artistry has on children and young adults. To become great role models to future generations by being childminded and childminders of our future generations with what they do and the content they create. To bring awareness to the implications of negative music such as drill has on the young and society.

By providing music production, media production, and filming opportunities to get young adults to focus on positive music representations.

Nathan, one of the young participants from the Dee Digital Project gave this statement on his experience,

“ I enjoyed the experience and was happy to have support from Danielle and Anne Michelle from the start to finish on the project”

Thanks to the approval from the National Lottery fund and the brilliant partnership with YDN this project made great success in the Croydon area including support from the Croydon Mayor who they met at the Queens Garden Mural Reveal.

The Young participants from the Dee Digital Music Child minded project released their Music video on the 1st July 2023 that features the Croydon Mural you can support this project by liking there Social media.

Help them achieve there goals by Watching and Subscribing there music video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR4FPsX9hp4 

Listen on Spotify 

https://open.spotify.com/track/3h2WDNhbi8FdFEE55BR9TL?si=5836e09ce7014c5d

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/deedigitalmusic

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/deedigitalmusiccm/

This past weekend celebrated International Reggae Day where artists of this genre are remembered for their impact on the culture. This year’s theme brought light onto old school artists under the theme ‘Saluting the Global Influence of the 80s and 90s Dancehall – From Bruckins to Bogle’, referring to the traditional dance in Jamaica (Bruckins) and the Dancehall move created by ‘Bogle’, the famed dancer in Dancehall.

This theme recognises the worldly talents of artists such as Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Tanya Stephens, and the late Sugar Minott, regarded as one of the pioneers of the Reggae genre. Seen as a golden age of reggae, the 80s and 90s have provided many great artists that have led to the genre’s worldwide popularity today. International Reggae Day seeks to recognise these names and their roles in the Reggae community, as well as ensuring that their legacy is maintained amongst the new generations of Reggae artists.

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, also expressed his celebration for the day on Twitter and encouraged all who may celebrate to ‘use Reggae music to spread peace, love, and unity around the globe’.

Happy International Reggae Day!

The UK Unsigned open Mic Competition in Neasden this Saturday.

The first event YDN mini festival will be holding Uk Unsigned open mic Competition on Saturday 24^th of June, at The Grange, Neasden Roundabout, NW10 1QB from 2pm – 8pm. 

Charity, SABA (Society for the Advancement of Black Arts), leads a community network that includes a partnership with community groups YDN, Ultra Education and Aleto Foundation. This partnership has created the WINDRUSH ARENA LEGACY 2098 project (see www.windrusharena.com). This will include projects running throughout this summer ad culminates with a celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Windrush on Saturday 28th, October at Wembley Arena.

The UK Unsigned open Mic Competition will be offering the winner A chance to perform at Wembley Arena

The Plymouth Street Factory Performance Project

For over 15 years, Street Factory has used Hip-Hop to transform lives.

The co-founders, Toby and Joanna Gorniak established the organisation on seeing how many young people were affected by the challenges they faced and were struggling with low aspirations.

The elements of Hip-Hop that they incorporate through their work are Respect, Peace, Love, Unity and Fun. They are now established in Plymouth to help people in the community to exceed their potential and fall in love with their purpose.

They connect with local employers and organisations, willing to support Plymouth youths into longer term placements.

The programme is supported by the National Community Fund, and following local community research, they established an initiative to help youths move towards the best versions of themselves.

These groups include:

· UK UNSIGNED: providing event management opportunities across their many genres. In the lead up to the project, they had been active in locally in the categories of Singer Songwriters and Spoken Word. Both of which are strongly connected to Mc’ing performances.

· Plymouth Music Collective: where community events can be planned and performers accessed. As they provide rehearsal and recording facilities for local musicians and artists, they are a next stage point for those coming through this project

· SoulFooD Community Group: delivering community broadcast centres across Plymouth. The broadcast centres provide further opportunities for youths to share their experiences. Within these centres will be other people who will benefit from hearing about the experiences of those on this project.

· YDN Radio Tresegeal: just one of the newly formed broadcast centres. Their programming specialises in local poets and Spoken Word performers being given an outlet to reach even more communities across Plymouth.

Contact

Email: streetfactorystudios@hotmail.com

Tel: 07527 887 893

The UK grime rapper transformed #Merky into a music label, a book imprint, and advocacy campaigns—something that could become impossible in the new Twitter era.

Stormzy, 29, has been using #Merky on Twitter and other platforms since he was an underground phenom back in the mid-2010s. He has built on his network around the hashtag as his popularity has grown.

When Stormzy began building his #Merky network, he grew it the traditional way by tagging tweets or Instagram photos, drawing in followers in the process. It was a steady rise that built a stable fan base. For some, social media success can come much faster.

#Merky label, now affiliated with Def Jam. His #Merky Foundation funds scholarships for Black students at the University of Cambridge. #Merky Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, is dedicated to publishing underrepresented voices and also released Stormzy’s own Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far.

To get more Black people hired in prominent positions throughout professional soccer. He launched, #Merky FC, a partnership with Adidas to launch a soccer-based initiative aimed at helping young Black people secure roles off the pitch. (The word itself, if you’re wondering, generally connotes quality and strength. “I get merky / they get worried,” he raps on 2017’s “Shut Up.”)

#Merky long ago moved beyond its origins, and these days the rapper uses social media only fleetingly, but still, Stormzy’s hashtag campaign stands as a singular use of online platforms. As Twitter enters its ever-evolving, Elon Musk phase, and as TikTok is growing in popularity, it’s worth wondering: Will future enterprising musicians be able to follow Stormzy’s lead and find ways to bend social media to their will.

Glastonbury Festival has changed its poster in an apparent response to criticism from one of the Other Stage headliners Lana Del Rey.

Lana Del Ray the American singer-songwriter suggested she might pull out of performing at the festival because she wasn’t announced as a headliner.

The singer’s name was below more than 20 other acts in the poster, from those at the top who will be headlining the Pyramid Stage, had performers in alphabetical order. Lizzo playing immediately before headliner Guns N’ Roses but has joint headline billing on the line-up poster.

Del Rey implied she might pull out of performing at the festival because it hadn’t announced her as a headliner.

She is said to have written: “Well I’m actually headlining the second stage. But since there was no consideration for announcing that. We’ll see.”

After Del Rey’s comment, Glastonbury Festival has now updated the poster with Del Rey moved up to the second row. It also includes new acts after the West Holts stage line-up was revealed on Tuesday.

Sam Smith reacts to getting Cancelled for worshipping the Devil and Nick Krygios comment.

The Non Binary Uk Singer has addressed the rumors surrounding his alleged involvement in devil worship. After a music video featuring Satanic imagery, fans have called for his cancellation and boycotted his music.

Sam defends himself against these accusations, claiming that the symbolism was misinterpreted and taken out of context. Sam Smith continued to perform a devil-themed Grammy performance with Trans singer Kim Petras for his song “UnHoly” which ignited a wave of backlash.

Sam speaks out in an explosive interview, Sam Smith addresses the rumors surrounding his involvement in devil worship.
He explains the true meaning behind the video and how it was meant to convey a message of love and acceptance. Despite his explanation, the controversy continues to divide his fan base.

Nick Kyrgios Aussie Tennis player has ridiculed Sam Smith on Instagram by using the term ‘fisherthem’ instead of ‘fisherman’ in a recent TV interview.

The superstar entertainer Sam Smith changed pronouns to they/them in 2019.

Speaking on The One Show with Ronan Keating recently, Keating asked Smith: ‘You’re a big fan of fishing?’

‘I do love fishing, yes. Yeah, I’d love to be a fisherthem!’ Smith replied.

Even though there is nothing controversial about being called a Fisherthem, Sam Smith has attracted both praise and criticism for his performances and clothing choices since then, including at the Brit awards, which sparked more than 100 Ofcom Complaints.