14 UK Music Radio Hosts Pushing The Culture Forward (2021 Edition)

To a greater or lesser extent, the UK has always been blessed with good radio. From the pirate stations of the 1960s to the DIY tower-block broadcasters of the ‘90s and 2000s, radio has always been connected with the underground, connecting renegade creators with listeners hungry for something new.

Thanks to the lockdown and being cooked up indoors for over a year, that’s been kicked into overdrive. All of a sudden it became impossible to get people from different households together in the same room and radio’s competitors were struggling. As one of the few mediums immune to that problem, radio has thrived. Stations like Rinse and Reprezent have always done well, but over the past 12 months they have stolen the show. Not only that, but some new players have entered the game. Grassroots outfits like No Signal have been the stars of lockdown, captivating millions with the NS10v10 format (which has since spawned several imitators) and making stars of its hosts and core team, particularly Henrie Kwushue, Scully, and sex blogger Oloni.

Equally, newer faces have graduated to the big leagues, shaking up broadcasting institutions like BBC Radio 1Xtra and Capital Xtra. Building on the foundations laid down by established legends such as MistaJam, Sian Anderson, SK Vibemaker, DJ Target, Manny Norte, DJ Ace, Jenny Francis and Charlie Sloth, newer faces like DJ Kenny Allstar, Tiffany Calver, Snoochie Shy and Nadia Jae are propelling radio broadcasting into the 21st century.

Having spent hours upon hours on the FM dial, the Complex team have compiled a list of UK music radio hosts who are pushing the culture forward—on and off the air—in 2021. Tune in below.

Station: BBC Radio 1/1Xtra

When: Saturdays, 9pm–11pm 

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If ever there was a UK equivalent of hip-hop radio queen Angie Martinez during her Hot 97 reign, Tiffany Calver would be it. Having started out in the game as a music blogger for the likes of SBTV, Calver—who was born in Shropshire but now calls London her home—soon ventured out into PR work as an intern whilst doing warm-up DJ sets on the side. All of that experience soon led to her hosting shows on Radar Radio, NTS, Kiss FM and now, as the leading lady of its premier rap show, BBC Radio 1/1Xtra. Every Saturday night—in a slot previously held by Tim Westwood and Charlie Sloth—Calver spins the very best in UK and US hip-hop, with everyone from Fredo to the late Pop Smoke having sat opposite her for a friendly chat or freestyle. In addition to that, she was also the tour DJ and dot-connector for Drake’s last UK tour in 2019, where she got the likes of NSG, Dave and J Hus to perform in front of a sold-out O2 Arena. All hail, TC. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

Station: Capital Xtra

When: Weeknights, 7pm–10pm

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From starting his own online broadcast in secondary school to fronting two national radio shows in the present day, Robert Bruce has found a lane as one of the premier voices on the airwaves of late. On duties most nights for Capital Xtra’s 7-10pm evening slot, as well as his own Homegrown show on Saturday afternoons, Bruce brings energy, knowledge, humour and vibes to his settings as he spins the best of established and emerging UK rap, R&B and more. Bruce’s passion is evident every time he’s on the air, whether he’s chopping it up with the likes of Stormzy, Chip, Ghetts and Jorja Smith or bigging up new artists and giving them their first plays. The chemistry he has with his guests also adds to his appeal; they rarely feel like interviews, more like barbershop chats with your favourite artists, which isn’t an easy thing to achieve. Meanwhile, debuting future artists on a regular basis is a responsibility that he takes with pride, making him an asset to the present and future of the scene at large. —Yemi Abiade 

Station: BBC Radio 1Xtra

When: Fridays, 9pm–11pm

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When it comes to UK drill, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who backs its cause as hard as Kenny Allstar. The South East London native, who began his DJ and radio journey through grime and stations like Deja Vu FM and Radar Radio, has been a name to know in UK music ever since he joined BBC Radio 1Xtra in 2017, where he’s championed the likes of Abra Cadabra, DigDat, OFB and Unknown T. But it’s not just drill; road rappers such as Rimzee, Aystar and Tunde have also stepped up for now-classic freestyles on his 1Xtra show. With a compilation project in Block Diaries (Columbia) under his belt, Kenny Allstar has also picked up the baton from rap mixtape-hosting icons such as Mykal Million and Big Ryde to become one of the few trusted voices of the streets, and one whose ears stay pinned to the ground. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson

Station: No Signal Radio

When: 24/7

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In just under a year, No Signal has redefined British radio. Founded by brothers Jojo and David Sonubi, the London-based platform initially held one-off livestreams on its website before the confines of lockdown from March last year encouraged the Sonubi bros to take it a step further, building off the strength of the insanely popular #NS10v10 DJ battles. Since then, NS has rapidly evolved to become one of the leading listening spaces for Black radio. Nothing is off limits, with shows encompassing everything from rap and drill to gospel and highlife, and the platform has gone a long way in ushering in the future of Black British broadcasting and entertainment to front their shows, including Henrie Kwushue, Jason ‘Scully’ Kavuma, Qoy Lawal and more. NS’ appeal is clear; tapping into the music of our ancestors, its programming provides a real cultural bridge for younger Black generations to identify with yesteryear, as well as providing a vessel through which they can be themselves, unapologetically. You only have to think back to the epic Wizkid and Vybz Kartel #NS10v10 battle last year to get an idea of just how impactful No Signal Radio can and will continue to be for the masses. —Yemi Abiade

Station: BBC Radio 1Xtra

When: Fridays, 11pm–1am

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Sir Spyro, one of grime’s most technically-skilled DJs, has been flying the flag for the scene for the past 15 years in various capacities. As a producer, he’s created some of the genre’s biggest anthems (see: “Side By Side”, “Topper Top”) and, as a radio host and DJ, he held one of the longest-running residencies on Rinse FM, for over a decade, before signing on with 1Xtra four years ago to lead its flagship grime show. Instrumental in ushering in the new wave of mic-sprayers and producers—and nurturing their talents on and off air—grime, the genre resposible for much of today’s Black British music success, is in safe hands with Sir Spyro at the helm. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson 

Station: Reprezent Radio

When: Fridays (bi-weekly), 7pm–9pm

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A regular at Reprezent Radio for over four years and a presenter/DJ at Apple Music for almost as long, NAINA’s shows tear through the full spectrum of UK club music. As anyone who’s seen her spin can attest, her sets are full of surprises, setting Bollywood soundtracks up against rap, acid and footwork. More recently, NAINA launched Hooversound with 6 Figure Gang boss Sherelle, putting out intensive jungle and adventurous rave sounds from Hyroglifics, Sinistarr, Deft, Special Request and Tim Reaper. Before the misery of COVID-19 set in and ruined everything, NAINA had also teamed up with Ahadadream to form No ID, a South Asian-focused rave that flourished and even took over a stage at Lost Village festival. Highly resourceful and inventive, NAINA is one of the key reasons UK club music is in such rude health, even without clubs. —James Keith

Station: Rinse FM

When: Fridays, 8pm–10pm

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Born in New York City but raised in West London, DJ Oblig has always straddled different worlds. Approaching his selections with the knowing of an old hand but with the enthusiasm and spark of a newcomer, he has built a solid fanbase out of finding common cause between drill, rap and grime music, smudging the boundaries and nurturing a hotbed of cross-pollination. That idea of connecting is a central theme in what Oblig does. Besides merging genres in his sets, he’s also keen on collaborating, regularly inviting DJs from a wide span of genres to join forces with. If it’s not the likes of Jammer, Scratcha DVA or Riz La Teef, it’s Frisco, Kamakaze or MicTy joining him on air, giving his shows a consistent freshness. In fact, just last month he celebrated two years at Rinse FM with a special B2B set with dubstep stalwart Loefah. You’re looking at a future radio legend here. —James Keith

Station: BBC Radio 1Xtra

When: Mon-Thur, 11pm–1am 

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South London’s Snoochie Shy is one of the most recognisable voices in broadcasting today. The 27-year-old talent is a jack-of-all-trades, with a storied history in both TV and radio, as well as being an ambassador and model for countless brands. Snoochie began turning heads in 2016 as a super-lively presenter on the now-defunct Radar Radio, where she would often bring out the fun side in some of the toughest UK rappers. In 2018, she started hosting a late-night specialist show on BBC Radio 1Xtra, where she has continued to present rappers in a different light with her laid-back interviewing style, and makes it her duty to put smiles on faces with her infectious on-air personality. —Mimi Itseli

Station: NTS Radio

When: Saturdays (bi-weekly), 2pm–4pm

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Transmitting music for the soul, Touching Bass brings its eclectic, community-first philosophy to NTS Radio every two weeks, playing an eclectic range of sounds across genres. Serving multiple functions as a club night, concert series and record label, its radio show, ongoing since 2016 and led primarily by founder Errol, underpins TB’s intention to unite communities in song. You just never know what you’re going to get with each show; the most recent set played some incredible jungle and D&B grooves, and it regularly dabbles with everything from jazz fusion and classic rock to house and grime. An entirely democratic setting, Errol, his girlfriend Alex Rita and co. can also tap into their expansive community at a whim, enlisting the likes of Lianne La Havas, Caleb Femi, Oscar Jerome and Ghostpoet for interviews, guest mixes and unforgettable live performances. In the prolonged absence of club nights over the last year, the Touching Bass crew take you to the heart of the dance one set at a time, making life that bit more enjoyable. —Yemi Abiade

Station: BBC Radio 1Xtra

When: Weekdays, 7am–11am

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Nadia Jae has built a career in radio off the back of her love of R&B music. Getting her break on Westside Radio back in 2013 (before joining The Beat and Rinse FM), the DJ and mother of one has played at some of the best hotspots in London, from Gilgamesh to Trapeze to Fabric, and is generally known for being that music girl around town. Before lockdown, Nadia Jae ran her own platform, CRnBonline, which hosted live nights and R&B karaoke at Boxpark, but has since been focusing her energies as the newest host of BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Breakfast Show, which came off the back of a residency she started in 2018. Whether she’s asking Anthony Joshua about what he likes in a woman or taking song requests from Digga D when he was serving time, her interviews are always on the ball and always done with the culture in mind. —Mimi Itseli

Station: Reprezent Radio

When: Mondays, 5pm–7pm

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Having joined Reprezent in late 2015, Joe Walker has become one of the station’s most loved presenters, as celebrated for his selections as he is for his interviews. Grime, drill, R&B, funky, garage, hip-hop all have a place in his Monday night shows, and over the years he’s welcomed some of the biggest names in grime on air with him, including appearances from the likes of Wiley and P Money that are still talked about today. Then there’s the Sunday Roast show, which he co-hosts with No Signal mainstay Scully (in recent years, Joe’s also been a regular fixture over at Apple Music 1). Essentially a two-hour conversation between Joe, Scully and the occasional guest, the show sees them dive right into whatever the big topic is that week. With a background in music journalism that includes years of work at RWD Magazine as well as column inches for the likes of CLASH and PUSH, he has a well-honed ability to get otherwise guarded figures to open up more than they otherwise would. —James Keith

Station: BBC Radio 1/1Xtra

When: Tuesdays, 9pm–11pm

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Jamz Supernova has been a mainstay at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra for a few years now and her show is a key outlet for the club sounds that don’t quite fit into any one category. Kinetic jungle, space-age jazz, slinky R&B, razor-tongued hip-hop and UK funky bouncers all sit side by side. Each show weaves together club sounds from across the globe, but it’s always anchored with a UK sensibility. Equally, her ever-thriving Future Bounce label stands as its own fountain of dancefloor gold from around the world and her hunger for new sounds is tireless. At any given moment, Jamz always seems to have at least half a dozen projects firing off at once and lockdown doesn’t seem to have hampered that one bit. We can only imagine what she’s got planned for the clubs when they reopen. —James Keith

Station: Deja Vu FM

When: Mondays, 10pm–12am

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DJ Spooky’s love for grime is like one would have for their own kid. Always there to correct any misinformation and stamp out any ill chat surrounding the scene he’s been a part of for the last 15 years—where he started out as the DJ for East London’s Slew Dem Crew—Spooky’s like-it-or-lump-it approach online is pretty much the same when he’s on-air at Deja Vu FM (and sometimes Rinse), where reloads are commonplace. Just as known and loved for his gully grime productions, which are made with soundsystem bass pressure in mind, Spooky’s passion for music overall is an inspiring thing to see and his dedication to radio is evident. —Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson