Joy White - Urban Music and Entrepreneurship: Beats, Rhymes and Young Peoples Enterprise

Joy White goes boldly where no sociologist has previously dared to venture. She takes us inside the social and cultural habits of the Grime scene's young artists and entrepreneurs. Her insightful, detailed exposition of their creative and commercial worlds demonstrates how the politics of race and culture are evolving in Britain and even suggests how hope and dignity might be salvaged from the incorrigible chaos of neoliberal capitalism.

Paul Gilroy, Professor of American and English Literature, Kings College London, UK

Beats, rhymes and young peoples enterprise

Joy White

First published 2017
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

2017 Joy White

The right of the editors to be identified as the authors of the editorial matter, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

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British Library Cataloguing-in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Names: White, Joy, 1962 author.Title: Urban music and entrepreneurship
: beats, rhymes and young peoples enterprise / Joy White.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge, 2017. | Series: Routledge
advances in sociology ; 189 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016022784 | ISBN 9781138195462 (hardback)
Subjects: LCSH: Music entrepreneurshipEnglandLondon. | MusicSocial
aspects-England-London. | Youth-Social conditions-England-London.
Classification: LCC ML3917.G7 W5 2017 | DDC 306.4/842409421dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016022784

ISBN: 978-1-138-19546-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-63839-3 (ebk)

Typeset in Times New Roman
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear

This book is dedicated to Nico Ramsay 5/12/199617/2/2016 Young blood, forever in our hearts, forever in our souls, in our minds. RIP Nico

I would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF). To all of my informants, the people at the heart of this book, who were so generous with their time, I extend my heartfelt thanks. I am extremely grateful to Paul Gilroy, who took time out of his busy schedule to offer insightful and helpful comments along the way. I would also like to express my appreciation to Joel Lazarus for his careful reading and constructive feedback on the early drafts. Towards the end of writing this book I experienced a family tragedy. When a young life ends, there really are no words to describe it. Theo Ramsays tribute to his brother, Nico, says it in a way that I cannot. So thank you, Theo, for giving me permission to use the lyrics from Better Place (SBTV: Music 2016) in the dedication to my dear nephew. This book comes out of my PhD research, and my former supervisors, Steve Kennedy and Gauti Sigthorsson, gave a listening ear when needed. The University of Greenwich provided a quiet space to write and library facilities. Finally, I would like to thank my family (way too many to mention), my good friend, Lindsey Bourne, and my daughter, Karis Duncan, for their unwavering encouragement during the writing of this book. Even though you were not always physically present, your positive vibrations were keenly felt and much appreciated.