Image by Pryere

“Carnival crowds can be very unforgiving and they don’t suffer fools gladly; poor selection or performance will not be tolerated easily. But if you come correct it can be the best place to play in the world. That’s the thing about Carnival; it represents what’s going on on the street. It represents London music. Alongside the backdrop of the foundation musics of reggae, dancehall, soca and calypso, Carnival has always reflected the most important native musics of London – be it jungle in 1994 or garage in 1999 or funky in 2009. If you look at selectors such as the Rampage soundsystem who play, arguably, the youngest sound at Carnival, it’s their job to reflect what people are actually checking for.”

More here: Notting Hill Carnival offers a reflection of what it is to be a Londoner