In 2019, as part of my role co-curating Bass Festival in Birmingham we commissioned a mural celebrating 'Future Black Icons' from the city. The images of 22 black musicians, organisers, educators and artists were painted on to the side of SUKI10C in Digbeth by local artist GENT48.

The giant mural turns a spotlight on the talented young people creating music, art and fashion across the city. We wanted to look forward and maintain a sharp focus on the creative, but not just famous artists - people who we feel are really pushing the boundaries. We have some obvious choices in there, but also some new faces and shortlisting the list was hugely complex. Commissioned through Punch Records. The mural was launch on the 23rd October 2019 at Suki10c with speeches from Vanley Burke, myself and RTKAL.

I grew up in Reading, Berkshire and used to pass the mural of Black heroes at Central Club all the time. Seeing Black faces like that taking up space in the city centre had a profound affect on me growing up and knowing I had possibilities. When we commissioned the mural this was the inspiration in taking up space to showcase the unsung heroes and those doing things to shake up Birmingham for the better - be it through radical pre-school education, music production or setting up artistic infrastructure for other artists in the city. Birmingham is bursting with talent, innovation and new ideas and we wanted that to inspire the next generation of Black Brummies on their way to school, just like I was as a yute in Reading.

The mural has been featured BIRMINGHAM UPDATES, BBC, THE VOICE and many more.