New Generation – The Film by NEW GEN on VEVO.
XL Recordings is a British institute of the highest order. With a roster spanning some of the most sought after artists the UK has to offer including King Krule, Radiohead & Kurupt FM. For a label that has always had its finger on the pulse of the music scene, it wasn't a surprise to see them put together an all-star cast of talent from the UK Rap & Grime scene. Their 'New Gen' project, which released last year, showcased tracks from some of the best up and coming talents including Stefflon Don, Avelino & Bonkaz.
With the album being really well received by fans & critics alike in 2017, the New Gen collective have released a hard hitting short film that revolves around issues facing inner city youths in London. It features AJ Tracey, Kojey Radical & Dotty, all of whom deliver slick performances, across the city including around the Grenfell Tower just weeks before it was burned down in a tragedy felt across the nation. Creative duo The Rest directed the film, and as one half of the pairing Lewis Levi explains, the importance of the film was reinforced during pre-production. “When we first came up with the concept of
the film, we just wanted to put a spotlight on these issues, which are ingrained in the black experience of living in the UK’s inner cities. But it was shocking to us to find out in pre-production that almost every person we spoke to about the film had had someone close to them either get hurt or die because of crime
within the city – mostly knife or gang related. These are issues that happen so regularly you read about them and then just move on, it’s normal.”
