Some music industry events in the UK can be fairly tame, lifeless affairs, while others go all out in order to create a memorable atmosphere. With Since ‘93 (the new hot-on-the-block record label/Sony imprint), Beats By Dre and Ciroc, they opted for the latter for their BRIT Awards after-party. And what a lit-uation it was! Since ‘93, run by Riki Bleau and Glyn Aikins, is much more than just a label: they connect dots in the culture and have made huge dents in the industry over the past 12 months.
Arriving at the venue, it felt like that scene in Hangover 3, where Phil and Allan have to abseil from the top of Caesar’s Palace using only bed linen to gatecrash Mr Chao’s party—a moment filled with huge pillars, red carpets and flashing lights all over. As soon as you pulled up to the former church building, the first impression suggested that this would be a no-expense-spared type of night. Inside, members of the UK music scene came together for a night of celebration and a surprise performance from UK rap legend Giggs. Some of the attendees included Daniel Sturridge, Riz Ahmed, Michael Dapaah, Maya Jama, B Young, Zane Lowe, Julie Adenuga, Swizz Beatz, Mo The Comedian, Big Narstie, Mabel, Not3s, Loski and Fredo, to name but a few.
BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Nadia Jae had a standout set, mixing in classic R&B with the new, as did DJ Spoony with a UKG mix and Rampage with the dancehall bangers. This was all before Beats 1 DJ Charlie Sloth stepped up and introduced the biggest highlight of the night—Giggs. Nobody expected Hollowman to perform, but when he did appear out of nowhere, the vibe stepped up a few notches, with live renditions of hits like “London Town”, “Active” and “KMT”, and ending with the UK’s national anthem: “Talkin Da Hardest”. If all industry events were like this one, we’d all be better off for it.
Check out the full highlights from the night in pictures below.
