The London-based writer and journalist, Aniefiok Ekpoudom, joins me today to discuss his recent debut book, Where We Come From, which is a ‘history of rap, home and hope in modern Britain’, recently published by Faber & Faber in the UK. 

When grime music emerged in the early 2000s, born on the streets of East London, it fused elements of UK garage, drum and bass, and dancehall into a dynamic, fast-paced sound. With raw authenticity and sharp lyrical narratives, grime quickly made its mark, both changing the shape of contemporary British music influencing global trends with its undeniable flair.

In his book, “Neef” goes to the very origin points of some of the earliest artists in this genre, across different areas of Britain to investigate its earliest beginnings, as well as its growth, and the artists who were most influential in pushing it.

In today’s episode, we discuss the four books which have most informed his development as a thinker and a writer – be that in terms of literary styles, interesting subject matters, or new approaches to integrating creative elements into non-fiction stories. It was such a great conversation, and I’m very excited to share it with you.