The campaign will span over four weeks and will see host DJ Target set up camp in 16 cities, where the search for new talent will take place. Cities included on the campaign trail are Sheffield, Belfast, Nottingham, Cardiff and Birmingham, plus more. As well as finding brand new talent, DJ Target will be learning about the cities culture and reporting back on their music scene’s trends. The host will also be linking with the city’s respective artists, including Lady Leshurr from Birmingham, London’s own Little Simz, Rapper Aystar from Liverpool and Toddla T from Sheffield, as well as various other artists who will be on hand to guide listeners through their cities. Target has this to say regarding the network’s new project, “I’m really excited for the UK Touchdown Tour this month. It’s another great way for us to connect with the regions and showcase some amazing new talent from all over the UK.”

Special editions of the UK Touchdown Tour will also be aired online and will pay particular attention to music, culture, community and art found in the different cities visited. These special edition shows will be hosted by Reece Parkinson. The network has given music fans an exciting month ahead full of new music. Faron McKenzie, Head of IXtra has spoken on the importance of emerging new music and had this statement about the upcoming month. “The UK is brimming with amazing new talent and it’s important that as the home of new music, 1Xtra continues to support new and emerging artists and talent. 1Xtra’s UK Touchdown Tour will enable us to get closer to the artists in different cities and communities across the UK as we support them from the early stages of their careers.”

The homegrown artists featured will also be included on a new weekly BBC sounds playlist. The new playlist also sees the new campaign link up with BBC Music Introducing, the premier platform for new talent, to enable the hottest and freshest artist and tracks to be featured. This is not the only cross-over within the network, a very special performance from Mahalia, MOBO winner and Grammy Award Nominee, will also be aired on the Live Lounge show. And special performances taken from 1Xtra’s Hot For 2021, 1Xtra’s highly regarded guide to new music, will also be featured as part of the network’s new campaign to locate and raise new homegrown talent. The tour started on week one on April 5th 2021 in Glasgow and will air from Monday to Thursday from 7-9 pm, please see below for the full schedule.

Week 1 (5-8 April)
Glasgow
Newcastle
Leeds
Manchester
Week 2 (12-15 April)
Liverpool
Belfast
Bristol
Cardiff
Week 3 (19-23 April)
Brighton
Ipswich
London
Coventry
Week 4 (26-29 April)
Derby
Birmingham
Nottingham
Sheffield

Speaking to NME about the news Kofi ‘Funkz’ Kyei of MOVES Recordings, who is part of the team that created the new chart has said; “It has been amazing to witness over the past decade the sheer growth in African music being welcomed by the UK and the international market. A scene that defines a culture, a people and countless generations, its music has soundtracked underground culture for years, being the go-to sound in clubs, parties and communities in a way that’s shaped our very culture. For too long, Afrobeats artists have had to work tirelessly to get their voices heard and now African music/Afrobeats is finally being seen as a leading sound that global superstars turn to on a regular basis.”

Speaking about the official chart itself, Kyei said; “The Official UK Afrobeats Chart will help open up the culture to new audiences, giving emerging artists the opportunity to be heard whilst celebrating the sound of a continent that has gone global. Its importance can’t be measured and I look forward to celebrating the biggest and best tracks each and every week!”

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This is it, the Official UK Afrobeats Chart is here! Who do you think will get the first ever No.1? ⁣ ⁣ This week sees the launch of the first Official UK Afrobeats Chart – a new Top 20 weekly rundown spotlighting the fast rising Afrobeats scene in the UK, initiated by celebrated festival @afronation and compiled by the @officialcharts Company.⁣ ⁣ We will be be unveiling the first chart in a special ‘The Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show’ on Sunday 26th July from 1pm-3pm. Join Eddie Kadi, Shopsy, Danai and P Montana as we celebrate the launch with music, discussions, artist interviews and more.⁣ ⁣ #AfrobeatsChart #WeHaveArrived ⁣

A post shared by BBC Radio 1Xtra (@bbc1xtra) on Jul 21, 2020 at 1:42am PDT

The chart will decide the artists each week be measuring UK sales and streaming data from over 9,000 outlets, incorporating audio and video streams. They will also measure downloads and physical sales. The playlist will be released every Sunday on a weekly Spotify Official UK Afrobeats Chart playlist.

The announcement was made by Dotty on The 1Xtra Breakfast Show this morning. Dotty spoke about Stormzy’s pledge and said he “inspired a movement.” She went on to explain the plan, saying; “BBC Children in Need will work with young people and 1Xtra to develop a plan that will support individuals, organisations and groups in all areas of the UK, and fund a range of activites that will enhance young black lives.”

BBC Radio 1Xtra will also have a programme to develop radio presenters and also tell the stories of the communities who receive the funding from Children in Need.

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“This is huge” Listen to our announcement that we will be matching Stormzy’s £10M pledge with new funding to benefit young Black lives in the UK, in partnership with BBC Radio 1Xtra. For more info on the fund and how to apply, head to our site.

A post shared by BBC Children in Need (@bbccin) on Jul 13, 2020 at 3:59am PDT

Children in Need will donate this money over ten years. The funding will be available to support young social entrepreneurs in making a difference in their local communities. It will also enable access to education and learning to develop young people’s skills and confidence for work. The funding will be delegated by a panel of young people and volunteers with direct experience of the Black British experience.

Speaking about the plan, Kenny Imafidon, trustee of BBC Children in Need, said: “I can speak for the entire Board of Trustees and all the staff at BBC Children in Need when I say, we were really inspired by Stormzy’s pledge. I am excited about this new fund and I truly believe that this is the beginning of greater things to come, as we continue on our mission to support children and young people most in need.”

It is not surprising that Stormzy has inspired so many others to step up, as he is constantly working to fight inequalities in the UK. Last month, Stormzy announced his pledge to donate £10m over ten years, which is half of his net worth, to “organisations, charities and movements that are committed to fighting racial inequality, justice reform and Black empowerment within the UK.” He has also stated that even though he is announcing this ten-year plan, it will be a lifetime commitment.

In 2018, Stormzy offered to pay for two black students to go to Cambridge University and also has a deal with Penguin to help young black authors get published in the UK.

Stormzy will be donating £10m to support causes which are commited to fighting racial inequality, justice reform and Black empowerment, over the next 10 years.

Brilliant initiative by #Stormzy.#Merky #BlackEmpowerment pic.twitter.com/0VAht2SoDJ

— Abdul Hamid Faruki (@TjpAbdul) June 11, 2020

Children in Need currently funds over 3000 charities and projects in the UK that help disadvantaged children and young people. The charity already has funds that address the specific challenges that face young black people but want this additional funding to go even further to create opportunities.

Joe Black’s renowned mixtape, King of the Underground was released 10 years ago and featured the tracks ‘Welcome to the Layer Cake’ and ‘Pain.’ Utilising music-streaming sites such as MySpace and dishing out hood videos on YouTube regularly; provided him with a platform to be heard. That, along with his unique storytelling flow and proven street credibility gave the rapper from Islington his legendary status.

Joe Black’s name holds weight in the scene and it isn’t just a gift with words he possesses, he’s founded local artists’ like Squeekz, Benny Banks and Lil’ Torment, who all have had relative success in the hip-hop scene. Rapping on the new freestyle, “Like I never inspired these rappers to write their songs, I’m the truth I really rapped about what I was on, I got up and introduced you to a couple of others.”

Taking a break from music for a couple of years, the rapper has been focusing on scouting in other industries, founding and coaching a youth football squad based in Islington, AC United FC. Addressing his neglect of music Joe Black raps, “Blacks, everyone thinks you’re done with rap, but I’ve been in my community giving something back.”

We hope to hear more music from the North London rapper and eagerly await a new project. You can watch the BBC 1Xtra Voice Of The Streets freestyle below.