Kano, the British grime and rap legend, has just launched an exclusive series of conversations entitled Newham Talks, where well-known locals from the worlds of music and entertainment, sport, food and literature will have a heart-to-heart with him about life in the East End, all with an aim to grow awareness and raise funds for the London borough.
Filmed remotely, the eight-episode series will see leaders in their fields join Kano each week for an in-depth discussion about growing up in Newham, their road to success, and lessons learned along the way. As well as showcasing Newham's homegrown talent, these talks will delve deep into important topics: like how to support next-generation talent, Black creative expression, the death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests, the pressure of being in the public eye, and more.
Guests include fellow grime legends Ghetts, D Double E and Footsie, Olympic athlete Christine Ohuruogu, actor Idris Elba OBE, author/researcher Joy White, vegan chef and restaurant owner King Cook, ex-footballer and Brighton & Hove Albion former manager Chris Hughton, and GRM Daily's Posty.
"Growing up in Newham made me the artist, and the man, that I am today," Kano said. "Newham is one of the most culturally rich, but economically one of the poorest boroughs in London, and as the effects of COVID-19 continue to hit the community hard, we must come together and do what we can to help." He added: "With other Newham-raised artists and cultural pioneers, I've started a conversation: through Newham Talks, we aim to raise both awareness and funds to support this brilliant community, that has supported so many of us."
The money raised via the GoFundMe campaign will go directly to The Renewal Programme, which will then equally split the funds between themselves and two other charities in Newham: Caritas Anchor House, and Bonny Downs Community Association.
A new episode will be released every Monday and Friday until the end of the month. The next episode will be released on Monday 7th September at 10am. Tune into the first episode with Ghetts above.
