Black influence on culture

Suella Braverman has reignited one of Britain’s never-ending conversations: what does it actually mean to be British, and who gets to define it?

Black History Month is a useful moment to add something important to that conversation: Black Britishness is an integral part of Britishness.

Back in 2020, The Unmistakables created a guide to help businesses approach Black History Month with more thought and purpose. One of its clearest messages was: think about Black people beyond October. The work should not begin and end with a campaign, a panel or a post.

So this month, and every month, we want to celebrate Black British culture by looking at some of the places where its influence is most visible, while recognising the people and communities behind it.

Roxanne’s film pick: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. 

As someone who loves a vampire movie from Blade all the way to Twilight, Sinners was different in a way I didn’t expect. It landed as so much more than a vampire horror and said so much about Black life, culture and community through the lens of the Blues. Music has always been at the heart of black culture and this film really captures both the struggles and joy of Black communities and shone a spotlight on how despite all of that, they found freedom and connection in their own places. I particularly loved how it touched on all these elements but didn’t leave me feeling traumatised (thanks to the supernatural story no doubt), but entertained, represented and mostly proud to be black. So, if you haven’t seen it…go do that.

Eli’s music Picks:

Legacy: Goldie - Innovative electronic music artist elevating all genres he came into contact with, but particularly breakbeat, Jungle and Drum and Bass. Black British Music always stands out for how it takes a variety of influences from the diaspora and embeds them into its soundscapes, wearing influences on its sleeve, appreciating its origin and then building on it. Goldie specifically co-founded a label known as Metalheadz, which brought together a litany of amazing innovators for the electronic music scene. Fun story is that my dad actually used to tour with them, providing some 3D graphic visuals in the late 90s and early 2000s as a fun side quest.

Current: In the modern era, in the last year, I’d recommend the aptly named: black british music (2025) - Album by Jim Legxacy. A deeply personal soundscape indicative of Black Britishness having grown up in the 2000s. It masterfully curates influences from a metropolitan and digitally influenced upbringing alongside personal preferences and experiences. The Black British experience is often portrayed through a singular lens, through reflections of Black pain and generational trauma in the community. This album portrays the multifaceted layers of his specific reality, offering relatability but also something to learn from in the nuance. That individuation is something we can miss in artistic or curated spaces, where Black History Month serves to educate but can centre a narrative of oppression. That’s one side of an experience and story that is far more multifaceted. Drawing from the influences, syntax and tonality of London, the album truly embodies the layers of his experience as a young Black man.

Maybe that's the more useful way to think about Britishness: as something continually shaped by the people who live it.