Profiling Britain's Biggest Rap And Grime Stars | Writer Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom

Storyteller with Lisa Golden

We are starting season two with our feet planted firmly in 2021. I want to use this podcast to learn more about the world and the wonderful people who occupy it. I hope by following my curiosity, scratching my own itch, I can make something of value that will help expand how you see the world.

The world of music is one I’ve never been super engaged in. I’ve never been ahead of the curve, I tend to find out about artists a few years after everyone else. I have the 80s Hits playlist on repeat on Spotify. Any vaguely cool music I like was collected in my early twenties. And I’m fine with that. I knew I officially became old when I looked at the red carpet to the last MET Gala and didn’t know who most of the people were. I was excited to see Rihanna.

But what was really grabbing my interest was the bevy of music talents who dominate the British music charts and are finding success all around the world. J-Hus. Kano. The rapper Pa Salieu topped the BBC Sound of 2021, an honour given to artists like Sam Smith, Michael Kiwanuka and Adele.

While I don’t know the scene well, I do know that art reflects society, and I want to know more about the Britain that these genres, rap, grime, drill, dancehall, reflect about celebrity and culture of this strange island in these strange, unsettling times.

This week’s guest is Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom, a writer who focuses on the ties between British music and culture. His works spans a variety of formats but he caught my eye with his compelling, sensitively written profiles of some of the biggest names in British music today.

There were two things I wanted to learn more about from Neef - firstly, what it means to profile celebrities in an age where they can choose to give away so much of their lives on social media, and why it’s important to place them in a wider context of society. And secondly, I wanted to hear his thoughts on the music scene some of the biggest stars he’s profiled are creating and coming from.

SHOW NOTES:

Follow Neef on Twitter here and see more of his work here on his website

Find his Guardian pieces here

Send host Lisa Golden your thoughts about the show on

Twitter @lisajozi or @storytellerpod1

Instagram @lisagoldenjozi or @storyteller_pod

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