In the wake of a rise in acid attacks and a string of tragic events that have hit the UK, including the Grenfell Fire and the London Bridge attacks, indie Urban artists have banded together to launch a music festival to spread hope.
UK Rapper, Guvna B, founded Allo Mate Live as an antidote to music that focuses on the problems in society.
“In the estate that I grew up on, I saw two of my close friends murdered and that obviously had a massive effect on me. I saw people selling drugs consistently and that obviously had a big impact on me,” he told HuffPost UK.
“As much as urban music focuses on the problems in society, I think it’s time to try and focus on the solution and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Melvillous, also performing at the launch added: “We’ve got a lot of negative things around us, particularly in London we’re seeing up close and personal all these recent acid attacks and even the fire at Grenfell in West London, just politics and all these different things that are just giving people a bitter taste in their mouth.
“I feel like positive music is needed more than any other time that I’ve been here. It’s so needed.”