The British Music Awards Have Been Party to Some Pretty Strange Sights
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USIC he British Music Awards derstood what they were try- the image of the Funki Dred. sion of their feelings through have been party to some ing to do. We knew we had to With the proceeds they were Jazzie's adages. Tpretty strange sights. get all our things together able to open their own shop in Soul II Soul's shrewd amal- Prince, for example, perched and give it to a record com- Camden Town, where they gamation of hip-hop beats, on the shoulders of a huge pany on a plate.' sold their own designs, most reggae-style bass lines and a bodyguard, making his way Jazzie's game-plan was to of which centred around the peculiarly British pop sensi- through the audience to col- sell Soul II Soul as a concept, slogan, 'A happy face, a bility is still proving popular. lect a prize, or Norman Teb- not merely as a group. Not a thumpin' bass, for a lovin' Teddy Riley, perhaps the bitt being asked to deliver new idea. Back in the 70s, race'. The optimism was hottest American producer the night's main speech. black American funk musi- derived from London's club- today, enthuses: 'That song This year was no exception, cian George Clinton put to- land which, in stark contrast Keep On Moving is great, but but this time it was a sadly gether a huge number of to many Londoners' home where it really lifts off is familiar sight that marked groups (Parliament, Funka- environments, is a thriving, when they bring those wild the occasion. In a year which delic, The Parlets), for whom multi-cultural scene. Jazzie strings in (courtesy of the had seen Soul II Soul estab- he wrote and produced. He pushes this positive force via Reggae Philharmonic Orch- lish themselves as Britain's then signed them all to dif- his music and videos. estra) just when you thought most successful group, it ferent record companies. By the time they signed to the record was ending. Only was taken for granted that Through them, he was able to 10 Records, Jazzie was the British can get away with Jazzie B and his crew would channel both his musical already an entrepreneur. that kind of shit.' gain some recognition for vision of mixing together The Face were quick to dis- Americans love their bass their individual brand of disparate styles of music, play him on their cover, ask- lines and drum sounds being music and positive imagery. and his surreal fantasy ly- ing if he was just another sold back to them and it is It was not to be. Lisa Stans- rics. Clinton thought up slo- symbol of Thatcher's ideo- purely on a musical level field, a white singer who gans ('Free your ass and logy. The answer, in short, that they so admire Jazzie's owes at least some of her your mind will follow') and was no. Jazzie may have ac- groove. Yet Jazzie's words success to the favourable cli- encouraged his protegees to quired the material trapp- have not gone unheeded. The mate Soul II Soul have dress in the same way to keep ings but his message was National Association for the created for British dance the Clinton vision on course. clear; if you can't beat the Advancement of Coloured music, collected four prizes. Jazzie B is operating in a system, join together with People (NAACP), a distin- Soul II Soul didn't win a similar fashion today. His others and simply ignore it. guished American black civil thing. Two days later, Jazzie empire consists of clothes Many of his lyrics, or slo- rights organisation, nomi- B told America's Spin ma- and record shops (two in gans, reflect this: 'Keep on nated Jazzie as their role gazine: 'It's hard when you London, more to follow in moving', 'Get a life', 'Be an model for the year. It's the don't get recognised by the Tokyo and New York) a rec- asset to the collective', first time a British-born per- industry for your contribu- ord label, Soul II Soul Rec- 'Dream a dream'. He has son has won the award. tion to music. But I've lost ords, for which three artists, been careful to disassociate Jazzie, meanwhile, still pla- interest in that whole striv- Lamya, Jimi Polo and Victo- himself from party politics, ces a huge emphasis on ing to be recognised. I don't ria Wilson James, have been pushing a philosophy that is sustaining links with his think it means that much. It's signed. His record company, removed from the political community. His latest public a bonus but it's not some- 10 Records, seems to be mainstream. This probably statements show no sign of thing you can take seriously.' there only to manufacture accounts in part for the loyal back-tracking. 'One day,' he Given that Soul II Soul's and distribute Soul II Soul following he now enjoys. told Spin magazine, 'I'd like greatest contribution has music. All this is held to- After the first two Soul to buy a car that's built by a been a graphic lesson in gether by what he calls the 11 Soul singles Fairplay black company, invest my not taking the music busi- 'Funki Dred philosophy'. and Feel Free disappeared money in a bank that's owned ness seriously and in circum- The empire did not simply without trace in 1988, many and run by blacks... All I'm venting its traditional machi- appear from nowhere when people thought that the Acid seeing every day is how our nations, Jazzie's grievance the money came rolling in. House movement, with its people are misled. All I want comes as a bit of a surprise. Jazzie has had his eye on the frantic dance records and is for my own people to get He knew from the outset that different strands of Soul II ecstasy-induced energy, would equality and justice... The the music business is a racist Soul since he and his brothers negate the slower feel and reason I'm standing up for institution. Even if it is hard first started setting up a beats of Soul II Soul music. certain things as Soul II Soul, to point directly at blatant sound system to play at dis- But Jazzie's message of self- or as the Funki Dred, is just racism within the structure used warehouses and par- help and optimism was prec- so my people can get their of record companies, radio ties. The reggae influences isely in line with the sent- own and see somebody with and media, there are still that Jazzie derived from this iments that the Acid House success.' plenty of stories of how scene can still be heard on crowd were used to receiv- There can be no doubt about black musicians and their his records where the spot- ing through various 'spiri- the strength of Jazzie's vi- work are given far less pro- light is thrown on to bass and tual' House records. sion. As a shrewd operator, minence and money than drums. Many of these young club- he is better equipped than that enjoyed by their white The next stage began with bers are fiercely apolitical. most to realise his ambitions. counterparts. Soul II Soul playing every Although they may strongly No doubt he is aware that Jazzie recently recalled the Sunday at the Africa Centre, resent Margaret Thatcher's society loves its popstars fate of the crop of British Covent Garden. The success interference as the police when they turn their atten- soul groups who came to and credibility of the venue break up their clubs and the tion to charity but it can turn slight prominence at the was such that it has since Bright bill severely limits awfully nasty when they get start of the 80s before passed into club mythology. their right to party, there is ideas above their perceived quickly dying out: 'All those To capitalise on their popu- little evidence of them plac- stations, such as black-owned early British bands were an larity, Jazzie and his compa- ing their faith in the Left. businesses or hospitals. inspiration to me. But they ny designed and sold to their They have looked instead for For now, Jazzie B com- didn't have anybody who un- audience a t-shirt which bore representation and expres- mands huge support among 36 MARXISM TODAY JULY 1990.