- Rebel motorbike gangs, racial segregation, economic crises, escalated warfare and the eventual complete annihilation of Europe—GAIKA's "The Spectacular Empire", published in Dazed in late September, posited a bleak future for Greater London and the wider world. Scarier still is that some of the scenarios seemed entirely plausible. This was speculative fiction culled from grim reality, and it cut close to the bone. But "The Spectacular Empire" is also a narrative of hope. It's about unity and collectivism, about people—specifically progressive artists—banding together to create a better tomorrow, and one hell of a party.
Since mid-October, GAIKA has been touring "The Spectacular Empire" across Europe and the US with a roving troupe of collaborators in tow. For the Amsterdam edition, hosted by politicised club promoters Progress Bar, he was joined by East London poet and rapper Kojey Radical, NTS radio host Cõvco, Crazylegs artist Gage and Manchester's Madam X, among others. It was a night of inclusive clubbing, soundtracked by the most current evolution of British dance music boiling away in the capital right now: UK Afrobeats, an infectious melting pot of Jamaican dancehall, West African beat music, US rap, R&B and grime. I joined Tolhuistuin's shuffling dance floor as "Linguo" by Giggs and Donae'o came flooding through the speakers. DJ Tjaey's bubbling Afrobeat remix of Grizzy's "Look Like You" came later—two cuts that typify the UK Afrobeats sound.
Prinz George & Rosita Bonita, AKA S4U, mellowed out the room with their soulful take on R&B before Kojey Radical and London duo 808INK produced another spike in energy levels. Radical's poignant and powerful "Kwame Nkrumah," dedicated to his father and Ghanian heritage, was the standout. Other highlights were "Windows," "Mood" and the galvanising "After Winter," all off his recent stellar EP, In Gods Body. But it was "Gallons" that resonated the most with GAIKA's vision. 808INK were feel-good fun, inciting sing-a-longs and lots of arm-waving with catchy anthems like "Flexing." Cõvco delivered the DJ set of the night, ripping through tempos and styles with wild abandon. She ended on Teedra Moses' "Be Your Girl" mixed with drum & bass.
The pinnacle, and only let-down, of the night was GAIKA's soundclash. It was chaos, with six DJs vying for the decks, plus all the MCs. There was a brilliant moment when one of the females claimed the spotlight and started rapping over Boy Better Know's "Too Many Man," and whoever unleashed Musical Mob's "Pulse X" made the place explode. I would've liked to have heard more of GAIKA and Madam X, but individualism isn't "The Spectacular Empire" way.
Photo credit /
Pieter Kers and Amie Galbraith