Bernie Grant joins Brotherhood

About this item

This document features British Labour MP Bernie Grant’s involvement with the rap collective BROTHER (Black Rhyme Organisation To Help Equal Rights) in 1989. It highlights Grant’s contribution to the track 'Beyond The 16th Parallel,' where he uses rap to speak out against racism and encourage community action. This collaboration marked a unique moment linking Black British political activism with hip-hop culture.

Key points:
– Bernie Grant, the first Labour MP to appear on a vinyl record since Neil Kinnock, contributed a rap to BROTHER’s track 'Beyond The 16th Parallel.'
– Grant wrote his rap spontaneously at a meeting and rehearsed with the group before it was edited into three parts on the record.
– His lyrics reference the '16th Parallel' as a metaphor for racial boundaries in Africa and Britain, condemning racist restrictions on Black people's progress.
– Grant emphasized the importance of ordinary people recognizing their role in combating racism.
– Although not a regular rap listener, Grant found the medium naturally suited to political expression and hoped to support BROTHER’s message to communities.

Bernie Grant was a pioneering figure in Black British politics known for his outspoken anti-racist stance and advocacy for racial justice. His collaboration with BROTHER connects his political activism with cultural movements, such as hip-hop, that have been vital in raising awareness about racism and inequality. This event reflects the broader theme of internationalism and grassroots engagement in Black British political history.

Source note: The OCR transcript shows minor irregularities and some text fragmentation, but the main content and Bernie Grant’s quotes are clear and reliably captured.