BEqual celebrates Lover’s Rock

BEqual, Bolt Burdon Kemp’s diversity group, recently held a fantastic event, celebrating the musical genre Lover’s Rock and the Jamaican Independence.

Colin Brown, a reggae historian and record producer set up an exhibition on our mezzanine level, walking us through the history of Lover’s Rock, interspersed with the music.

After reviewing the exhibits, listening to some of the music and watching performances on Top of the Pops, we went downstairs to listen to Colin talk us through the history of Lover’s Rock.  The music was invented by Black women as a romantic version of reggae. It allowed the women to talk to people of similar backgrounds about their love lives, feelings and helped them to express themselves through their own voices for the first time to a wide audience.

Indeed, some of the recordings have become reggae classics – Janet Kay’s Silly Games and Caroll Thompson’s Hopelessly in Love to name but two.

The genre emerged as the second generation of Black British women were looking for music to express themselves and their unique identities.

During the talk from Colin, a delicious Jamaican buffet was available for attendees.  As you can see from the mouthwatering photographs, all of the food was readily consumed, from patties, salt fish fritters and callaloo savouries, it was all delicious. The food was accompanied by fruit and rum punches.

There followed a music quiz where we had to recall who the original artists were when we were played the reggae cover versions.  It was such fun.

Thank you to BEqual for a wonderful educational evening.