The Long Play Sessions: Lloyd Bradley - Funk Is Its Own Reward

Join us for a special evening with Lloyd Bradley, acclaimed music journalist and cultural historian, as he discusses his seminal book Funk: Is Its Own Reward, one of the most definitive explorations of funk music and its enduring cultural impact.

This event forms part of The Long Play Sessions, a curated series hosted by ICMP celebrating influential writers who have shaped how we understand music, culture and history. Each session brings books to life through live conversation, context and deep creative insight.

In Funk: It’s Its Own Reward, Bradley traces the evolution of funk from its roots in soul, jazz and gospel to its explosive influence on hip hop, electronic music and contemporary pop. More than a genre study, the book examines funk as a philosophy — a sound rooted in liberation, identity, resistance and collective joy.

Drawing on interviews, cultural analysis and lived experience, Bradley explores artists such as James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Prince and Sly Stone, while also unpacking funk’s political power, its connection to Black identity, and its role as a radical, community-driven form of expression.

Both scholarly and deeply human, the book positions funk not just as music you dance to, but as a worldview — one that celebrates groove, individuality and freedom on its own terms.

What to expect

An in-depth talk with Lloyd Bradley on the ideas and stories behind Funk: It’s Its Own Reward

Discussion on Funk’s musical, cultural and political legacy

Insights into music journalism, cultural writing and storytelling

Audience Q&A

Book signing opportunity — bring your copy or purchase one on the night

We look forward to welcoming you to for an enlightening and groove-filled evening with one of the UK’s most respected voices in music writing.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher The Long Play Sessions