BBC Radio 6 Music presents Rave Forever – part of the BBC’s The Music is Black season

Each Friday in August (7am-7pm), 6 Music presents Rave Forever, part of the BBC’s The Music is Black season, in collaboration with V&A East Museum’s The Music is Black: A British Story exhibition. Rave Forever celebrates Black British music scenes, movements and pioneers that built the UK’s dance floors, taking listeners decade-by-decade through the underground music of the 80s (7 August), 90s (14 August), 00s (21 August) and 10s (28 August). Expect lovers rock, reggae, Brit funk, soul, 2 tone, jungle, drum & bass, trip-hop, UK garage, grime and more across the Fridays, and 30-minute guest mixes or playlists at the end of each programme.

• Listen to 6 Music's Rave Forever

On Friday 7 August, Rave Forever celebrates the 1980s, with presenters exploring the foundational roots of sound system culture, 2 tone and the acid house explosion. Nick Grimshaw (7-10am) hears from lovers rock pioneer Caroll Thompson, Lauren Laverne (10am-1pm) welcomes legendary DJ Norman Jay for a dive into Rare Groove, a phrase that he is rumoured to have created, Craig Charles (1-4pm) speaks to 2 tone legend Neville Staple of The Specials and Emily Pilbeam (sitting in for Huw Stephens, 4-7pm) explores Acid House.

On Friday 14 August, the Black British artists and unsung heroes of the 1990s are celebrated, capturing the explosion of jungle, trip-hop, soul, and UK R&B. Nick Grimshaw (7-10am) dives into the roots of jungle with Julia Toppin, Lauren Laverne (10am – 1pm) chats with drum and bass legend Goldie, Craig Charles (1pm – 4pm) speaks with UK soul legend Omar, and unpacks the down-tempo grooves of the era with an archive mix by Jazzie B, and finally Huw Stephens (4-7pm) hears from Bristol-born producer DJ Krust. The day ends with a trip-hop mix.

Friday 21 August spotlights the 2000s and the critical sonic transition from UK garage to the birth of grime and broken beat. Nick Grimshaw (7am- 10am) brings club energy and welcomes Stush to the show, Lauren Laverne (10am – 1pm) breaks down the cultural shifts of the decade with Dr Joy White, Craig Charles (1pm – 4pm) dives into the West London broken beat scene with IG Culture and brings listeners broken beat tribute mix from Shy One, and Deb Grant (sitting in for Huw Stephens 4-7pm) unpacks the era with DJ Target. The 2000s special ends with DJ Target’s garage to grime mix.

Wrapping up with the 2010s on Friday 28th August, 6 Music highlights the bassline revival, UK funky music, and modern underground crossovers. Nemone (sitting in for Nick Grimshaw, 7am – 10am) brings listeners a celebration of UK funky, Lauren Laverne (10am – 1pm) explores bass and jungle music’s high-energy new wave with Sherelle, Craig Charles (1pm – 4pm) explores the bassline revival with DJ Q, and Huw Stephens (4-7pm) explores the grime, rap, and alternative music crossovers.

Every Saturday throughout August, Jamz Supernova (1-3pm) will bring listeners sets from Power & Respect, a day she co-curated at The Music is Black Festival at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in July. Music comes from Adele Tondu (1st August), Smokin Jo (8 August), Zakia B2B Marcia Carr (15 August), and Cooly G (22 August) and DJ Flight B2B VXRGO. Plus, The 6 Mix with Mary Anne Hobbs has takeovers from Karen Nyame, Tim Reaper, Shy One and more each Friday in August, 11pm-12am and The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show (Saturdays, 6-9pm) has guests including Joseph Malik, Perry Louis, Brooke Combe and Yazmin Lacey.

Radio 2’s The Music Is Black – Live at Hackney Empire is available on BBC Sounds until Friday 21 August. It sees Trevor Nelson and DJ Spoony host a unique celebration of Black Music in Britain at the Hackney Empire featuring the Chineke! Orchestra and the LJ Singers directed by Chris Cameron. Plus, special guests Alison Limerick, Courtney Pine, Rhoda Dakar, Elisabeth Troy and Omar.

DJ Spoony’s Selection is available on BBC Sounds until Friday 28 August. DJ Spoony explores the V&A East Museum's first landmark exhibition, celebrating Black British Music and the people who made it. Through personal stories, artefacts and artist contributions, Spoony shines a spotlight on pivotal moments including UK garage, reggae, 2-Tone, Afrobeat, rock 'n' roll, jungle, rap and trip-hop.

To discover more about BBC’s The Music is Black in collaboration with V&A East Museum’s The Music is Black: A British Story exhibition, please visit bbc.co.uk/themusicisblack to find collections, mixtapes, and highlights from the season on Sounds and iPlayer.

SH8

Follow For More