My Mixtape: Akeil Onwukwe-Adamson, Queer Bruk

It’s just a few short years since this collective began, created in 2018 by Akeil Onwukwe-Adamson. But what started as a relatively humble 100 person club night has soon established a fearsome reputation, and in April we welcome Queer Bruk to the Southbank Centre for a special Concrete Lates club night as part of our Aladdin Sane: 50 Years weekend. Helping them keep the music going to the early hours in our Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer are special guest, rapper Ms Banks, plus DJs Donnie Sunshine, Mark-Ashley Dupé and Talia A Darling.

Ahead of this event we caught up with Onwukwe-Adamson and asked him to put together a short mixtape of his favourite tracks. And because he’s a nice guy, he duly obliged, offering up this sweet half dozen, along with his reasons for their selection, which you can read below.

‘She’s Royal’, Tarrus Riley 

This song has been such an important part of my upbringing – being one of my mum’s favourite songs. I remember it playing in our house constantly, and it’s still played at every family gathering. It’s such a beautiful song about women and just makes people happy. 

 

‘Yolele’, Papa Wemba 

I have a very specific memory of being in an Uber in Kenya for my cousin’s wedding back in March 2020 (just before the pandemic locked us all inside) and this song coming on. It holds a lot for me because that very brief moment felt so freeing and ‘normal’ – not knowing that life would take a weird turn – so this song really does have great value to me. 

 

‘Love Is Wicked’, Brick & Lace

Brick & Lace are just amazing and this song is a classic. The beat, the lyrics, everything is pure perfection to me, and it’s a necessity at all our events. 

 

‘Wrong Name’, Terencia TC Coward

Listen, this is a Notting Hill Carnival staple! This song plays at almost all of our nights as well. A Soca classic, it gets the crowds going and really lights up the dancefloor. The pure joyful sounds set against hilariously angry lyrics make for a great singalong.

 

‘You Can Call Me Al’, Paul Simon 

Again, like ‘She’s Royal’, this song has such value for me as a song that played at our family parties. Paul Simon has also been a personal favourite of my mum, and his album Graceland is one of those pieces of work that has a very specific place in my heart and brain. Special shoutout to Ladysmith Black Mambazo!

 

‘Let It Go’, Kelela

To be honest, anything by Kelela should be in this edit, but I chose this one, from their most recent album Raven, because it’s a personal fave of mine. Kelela represents everything I want for Queer Bruk – she embodies Afro-Futurism while displaying inspiration from a blend of black genres. The song is such a beautiful presentation of her talents as a writer and as a singer. In my opinion, it’s a work of art.