In Conversation: Jesse Bernard

Jesse will be in conversation with journalist Jak Hutchcraft, founder of Sound Affects.

Jesse Bernard is a London-based journalist, DJ and filmmaker. His work has been published by GQ, The FADER, The Guardian and OkayPlayer. In 2022, WePresent featured his documentary “COMO VOCÊ,” which offered an inside look at Brazil’s burgeoning grime scene.

Jesse's book Escaping Babylon examines how thirty years of Black music reshaped Britain, from 1989 to the present. Shapeshifting, collaborative, endlessly inventive and robustly empowering: Black music has transformed British culture and society, and gifted generations of Black Britons a powerful means to reject misrepresentation and find freedom and joy in sound. From the height of jungle and hip-hop in the 90s to the London uprisings in 2011, the birth of UK trap and the rise of grime superstars like Stormzy, filmmaker and DJ Jesse Bernard examines how Black culture in Britain is moulded by creativity drawn from Lagos and Los Angeles, Sao Paolo and South London. Escaping Babylon takes a deep dive into the history of Black British music to celebrate its richness, heritage and towering legacy.

"In Conversation" has grown into a remarkable event series at Afrori Books. Whether it’s a lively auditorium filled with hundreds or a cosy, intimate setting, these events offer a chance to engage with some of the brightest established and emerging authors and creatives from around the globe. These are one-of-a-kind opportunities to hear personal stories and experiences, shared with honesty and openness. At Afrori Books, we’re committed to providing a safe space for Black creatives to tell their stories in their own voices. We’d love for you to join the conversation.

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This is the ultimate event for music lovers of every genre

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