Communities of Liberation
Communities of Liberation is a historical research and public art project which aims to increase awareness of the long history of the African presence in the borough of Tower Hamlets by focusing specifically on excavating and sharing stories of individuals who lived here in the 17th and 18th centuries.
THE AUDIO WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN NELLO AND THE CO-PRODUCERS FROM THE COMMUNITIES OF LIBERATION PROJECT BASED ON THEIR ARCHIVAL RESEARCH, CREATIVE WRITING AND 3 audio production workshops delivered by NELLO.
learn more about the project here
Other Side of The Wind
Written & performed by Weyland McKenzie-Witter
Circa 2020 (unreleased)
This song was written to explore the intergenerational experiences of Black Caribbean men in London, exemplified by the “Nod”.
Verse 1 and the chorus are about a fictional elder who lived through the turbulent 80s, while verse 2 is somewhat autobiographical with some social commentary.
Chorus
On the other side of the wind
manna hit the boat and get rich, new house find, and a wife make some kids
on the other side of the wind
manna so fly- elegant tell the queen she nah met the prince
it feel so cold in the bits
yute’s pulling out knives on their friends
on the other side wind
election time come again don’t fall for the old politricks
on the other side of the wind
Verse 2
they held the christening beside the river blood
I think it came to the surface from all the winds that they rushed
had the skin of a “wog” but the hair of a native
his curl pattern made it harder for the locs to embrace him
he never played a teddy bear, he was fighting teddy boys
wouldn’t dare to taste but bacon tryna get the boy
he said, “Don’t tell me about the KGB
when the KBW tryna KO me"
they lie about muggings on all the TV screens
things are far from Corrie on the nation’s streets”
Broadwater into animal farm
didn’t know they’d kill the cop; he was just tagging along
bells toll, shell toes, in the city we RUN
birds by the doorstep just singing a song
birds by the doorstep just singing a song
Chorus
on the other side of the wind
manna hit the boat and get rich, new house find, and a wife make some kids
on the other side of the wind
manna so fly- elegant tell the queen she nah met the prince
It feel so cold in the bits
yute’s pulling out knives on their friends
on the other side wind
election time come again don’t fall for the old politricks
on the other side of the wind
Verse 2
just an IC3
stop & search “where’s your ID please?”
my first time was 11 in some hand-down jeans
cos my hand-down Genes
trident only tries the migrant kids
while they’re hiding class A in their offices
they marked out Mark, hide the officers
if they catch a PC then heads going off again
shut down, can’t watch the news cos I just shut down
history repeats and the darkest get the run round
tryna make it out, but I can’t ask Darcus How(e)
grew up without but blink and we’re the fathers now
not a sound couldn’t fit the noun
don’t plant a family tree and start branching out
what’s in the water in this animal farm
i didn’t know they’d loot the shop; I was just tagging alone
born in Babylon, I know this sh*ts hard
I knew he understood me from the head nod
Chorus
on the other side of the wind
manna hit the boat and get rich, new house find, and a wife make some kids
on the other side of the wind
manna so fly- elegant tell the queen she nah met the prince
i feel so cold in the bits
yute’s pulling out knives on their friends
on the other side wind
election time come again don’t fall for the old politricks
on the other side of the wind
The land Still Holds W Belinda ZHAWI - Poet In the city - Run the Night
Written & performed by Belinda Zhawi AKA MA.MOYO.
Sound design & production by Weyland McKenzie-Witter for Nello
Presented as part of Run the Night, commissioned by Royal Borough of Greenwich as part of the Woolwich High Street Heritage Action Zone.
