Check out their Samba/digital rap fusion sound here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AE0g...

A bit more about the group here... http://www.afroreggaeuk.org/uk-proje...

Bigga Bloco are performing at Underage Festival on 2nd August 2009..!

Nike Forrest from Urban Development gives us her view on the press launch of Young London into Music on 25th June.

"Inspiration hit the air at the Young London: Into Music Press Launch as it was filled with UK Artists such as Bashy, Akala, MPHO, Duplate Drama Producer Justin Stennet and Urban Development. Bashy collaborated with The Urban Soul Orchestra for a performance of his Chuppa Chup mixtape classic "We Can Do Anything", a song so self-explanatory and passionate you could see each and every lyric touch every pair of ears as the audience listened closely to his words.

Vocalist, producer and guitarist Leon Jean Marie lit up the stage with his chords while Shezar and the Urban Development Vocalists warmed our hearts with their strong soulful vocals. When organisers of the event presented each act they spoke of how much growth each artist had done - from their trips to Africa alongside many other proud accomplishments. It was easy to see where they got their inspiration from while listening to them perform. This night fully showed how great UK music has become and how great it is going to be. It is fantastic to see the amount of support that organisations have given to each other, helping each other to grow."

YOUNG LONDON: INTO MUSIC
26TH JUNE – 2ND AUGUST 2009
PART OF THE CREATE09 FESTIVAL

‘Young London: Into Music’ - a new urban youth festival aimed at developing the next generation of talent in east London - was announced today.

A series of five individual events – produced and delivered in the five Olympic and Paralympic Host Boroughs of Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest – takes place between 26th June and 2nd August 2009.

Young London: Into Music is delivered in partnership with Biggafish, Continental Drifts, Music Matrix, Rising Tide and Urban Development. Over 100 young people between 14 and 25 years old will receive professional mentoring and the chance to work with established artists.

Each event will showcase some of the boroughs rising stars, alongside the hottest names in grime, dance, dubstep and indie. So far artists such as Bashy, Ms Dynamite, Roachford, Leon Jean Marie, Double S, Ghetts and MOBO award winning Akala, have been confirmed as performing artists.

Bashy said: "There is so much to celebrate in the UK right now. I'm looking forward to CREATE09 Festival. Local talent gifted in music and arts - putting on a show to feed mind body and soul. It doesn't get better than that."

A large part of the group who will be mentored by ‘Young London: Into Music’ fall under the socially excluded banner and are ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’ (NEET). By working with industry professionals, the young participants will be inspired; engage in the development of new music content; curate, produce and promote a series of events alongside high profile artists. ‘Young London: Into Music’ will be created by young people, for young people.

The project will foster links between participants and record labels, publishers, promoters, broadcasters, producers and artists; in addition to instilling self-confidence and professional work experience to all its youth contributors.

‘Young London: Into Music’ is a key strand of CREATE09 – the multi-genre, multi-event festival of culture that will be celebrating a wealth of music and art in all its glory in the Olympic and Paralympic Host Boroughs between 22nd June and 2nd August 2009.

The Delivery Partner Events

Biggafish, @ Underage Festival, Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets
A carnival of samba drummers. The festival finale partners with Underage, the world’s first under 19’s festival with a show stopping carnival performance from Brazilian influenced drumming troupe the Bigga Bloco!

Music Matrix, Greenwich
The Missing Link presents a special showcase installation (July 14 – 17) with man of the moment Bashy, hot on the footsteps of collaborating with Damon Albarn he will be performing live on July 17.
In partnership with Bashy, an aural narrative installation will be exhibited in the Greenwich Heritage Centre, Artillery Square, SE18. The narration will be a compilation of interviews conducted by local young people with the older generation about their perspective on life today and how things have changed.

Urban Development, Stratford Circus, Stratford
Based in Stratford, Urban Development are hosts of regular club nights ‘ILUVLIVE’ at Cargo amongst others. Urban Development will host a specially commissioned ‘Young London: Into Music’ event at Stratford Circus with artists such as Ghetts and Leon Jean Marie. With more guests to be confirmed...

Continental Drifts, at Rough Trade East, Tower Hamlets
Continental Drifts are based in Waltham Forest. For this event, indie band The Brute Chorus are set to perform a live set at Rough Trade East - recently named as one of the top 20 best retailers in the world by Tyler Brûlé's Monocle magazine. In addition there will be more special guests confirmed!