Mykaell S Riley’s research has brought out the hidden story of Black Britons’ musical heritage while empowering new black creative talent in London and beyond.
The impact of Riley’s research – like the subject matter itself – has been revolutionary; shining a light on Black Britons’ rich musical heritage, and even changing the law to empower the next generation of artists.
It makes me feel proud of my heritage.
Attendee of Jamaican heritage at Mykaell S Riley’s Bass Culture 70/50 exhibition – the first in-depth retrospective of Black British music.
Engaging policymakers
Riley’s 2017 project, State of Play: Grime Report, was used in the former Culture Secretary’s successful campaign to repeal London Metropolitan Police’s Form 696 in the same year.
This live music risk assessment form disproportionately affected black performers – particularly grime artists – directly hindering their ability to perform and promote their music.
A collaboration with Ticketmaster, State of Play was the first big data study focused on public attitudes towards grime and the genre’s cultural and economic contribution to the UK.
The project provided the then Culture Secretary's team with the evidence needed to successfully lobby for the removal of the form, enabling grime artists to flourish.
One of the department’s senior policy advisers, at the time, confirmed Riley was “one of the most trusted people” in the campaign, adding:
“His work is authentic and trusted, so I knew that seeking his advice on this was always going to be beneficial to our campaign.”
The Bass Culture project
A ground-breaking multimedia project, Bass Culture is creating a broader understanding of Black Britons’ contribution to mainstream UK culture.
As an award-winning former industry professional, Riley was able to obtain unprecedented access to Black British artists, during his three-year Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded project.
Interviewing 70 people who worked in Britain’s music industry over six decades, these previously unheard voices recounted a hidden history – reclaiming a narrative traditionally controlled by white middle-class men.
By preserving these oral histories for the first time, Riley has captured the stories of earlier generations of Black Britons before they pass away.
“The value of personal testimony the Bass Culture project has amassed is huge,” says Andy Linehan, the British Library’s Curator of Popular Music. “They can provide an incredibly useful resource for future generations, who can use the project as a primary resource for their own research.”
Explore the findings of the Bass Culture project on the Black Music Research Unit website.
Bass Culture 70/50 exhibition
Riley curated the Bass Culture 70/50 exhibition, marking 70 years since the Windrush generation’s arrival and 50 years since the advent of British reggae, at Ambika P3, from October to November 2018.
Rejecting the traditional white cube gallery space (and its elitist connotations), Riley presented his research through a blend of photography, painting, music, film, and interactive events (such as an intergenerational fashion show).
Sharon Ament, Director of the Museum of London, praised Riley’s inclusive approach.
The exhibition clearly reached new audiences. It was clear that the people in the room owned the research.
Sharon Ament, Director of the Museum of London
Riley was appointed to the Museum of London’s academic panel in November 2017, and is advising on many issues, including the development of a new London museum.
“As an academic whose sphere is popular culture, he is bringing insight to an enormous part of London’s history and culture which we don’t have on site,” Ament explained.
“In doing so, he is filling a significant gap in our knowledge,” she added.
Ament says the Bass Culture project has directly influenced the museum’s curatorial strategies, resulting in, for instance, their Dub London: Bassline of a City exhibition.
View a playlist of Bass Culture 70/50 exhibition videos on YouTube.
Empowering new black creative talent
Riley worked with community filmmaking collective, Fully Focused Productions, to convert his research into The Bass Culture Documentary
Driven by a youth perspective, the film journeys back from the present to the late 1950s, explaining the origins of most significant Black British music genres since the 1970s, along the way.
Riley also advised Zerritha Brown in her curation of No Bass like Home – a community-led project focused on Brent’s reggae heritage.
Brown said “Bass Culture is an invaluable role model for us,” and highlighted Riley’s guidance on how to “frame the project” as enabling its selection within the London Borough of Culture 2020 programme.
The Bass Culture project helped to upskill its collaborators, including Makeda Benett-Amparbeng and Jade Reid, who went on to co-found community-focussed entertainment company SDS Entertainment.
Benett-Amparbeng says the project honed her networking skills and opened “key doors” to establishing this black female-led Arts Council-funded enterprise that supports upcoming Croydon artists.
SDS also “use their platform to spread awareness of the impact Jamaican music has had on the Black British music scene”, continuing the inspiring work of the Bass Culture project.
Find out more
Connect with Mykaell Riley
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