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What's The Play: Wray & Nephew, Afrobox plus more

CELEBRATION: Joe Grind performs at the Wray & Nephew event

AFROBOX WAS the hype over the weekend, celebrating the second year anniversary, and your boy Mr Play was spinning some summer vibes at Boxpark Croydon!

Held as a bi-monthly celebration of the continued growth of the sound of young Africa - across the continent, throughout the diaspora and most especially in the UK. Check out the next event and follow @AfroboxLive for full line up and details.

On the other side of south London in Peckham High Street was an undercover pop up event run by Wray & Nephew Rum.. The drinks brand have been recently running select pop up events in the local areas including Brixton. Wray Residency celebrated what it means to be ‘Straight from Yard’… and being from Jamaican paternal roots, I don’t know one family home that doesn’t have a bottle of Wray in the drinks cabinet or bar. Haha …


Ashley Walters was a surprise guest at the Wray & Nephew event

Big up to Joe Grind and Raver who performed on the night. Shout out to Ashley Walters who made a special guest appearance too. The Wray cocktails and vibes were flowing, with everyone feeling ‘Straight from Yard!’

This week, I speak with young aspiring Donso Pedro, a conscious lyricist that wants to impact change within the young generation communities through his music.

Donso has been working with LEAP the social enterprise helping young people handle conflict from underestimated backgrounds, his music resonates with his peers and community as a real reflection of encouragement.

Q: Who’s is Donso Pedro?

A: Donso Pedro is delightful open minded, nourish sincere and original. Donso Pedro is a young man trying make a positive impact through all my experiences, I believe in turning my passion into profit, music has never been about money it was always about a solid message.

My vision is to turn negativity into positivity by implementing (DONSO)delightful ness, open-mindedness, sincerity and originality in order to aim to make an influential and international impact. I want everyone Revolutdnize minds


Donso Pedro

Q: Tell us more about your new track or your new EP?

A: My new track is about growing up in London. Struggling to do what you went to be within certain circumstances. I talk about every situation happening being for a reason regardless if it is good or black. Keep good company around, realise who’s fake before it’s too late.

Q: What’s inspired your journey in music and your style/genre?

A: What inspired my journey in music was me growing up in a church gospel environment which influenced me the most. As well as a singer-song writer and rapper I’m at drummer on Sundays at church. I listen to the majority of the artist in the scene like Drake, J Hus Bryson Tiller and old goats Biggie. Tupac, Nas WuTang Clan etc.

I’m in love with old school 90’s and R&B my favourite producer is J Dilla. My style is me and whatever I like or whatever I do is for a reason that reason is the same as everyone, to show off my swag on and off the music showing people that my style is just having fun with an old school approach with a new school approach.

Q: What are your upcoming plans?

A: I have a show in a free festival called ChingFest on August 31. Dropping my first single from my EP Dropping, ‘My EP’, end of summer changing the game.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring artists and musicians?

A: No dream is too big, In most cases listen to your head not your heart, it’s better do what you feel not what you think, be different in what you do do yourself not others, don’t make music that people want to hear, make music that people NEED to hear. Always remember your morals and values

Q: Where can we follow your movement and listen to your music?

A: All social platforms follow me @Donsopedro (Insta, Youtube, Soundcloud, & Spotify)

Q: Tell us about how you got involved with Leap and has it inspired your music?

A: I heard leap we running annual event they do called lighting the fire. Fortunately, I got the opportunity to perform at these event, held in Bloomberg. From this event I gain a larger network and met people that have the will to change my life and impact my life. Leap knew that I was an upcoming artist and ever since I joined leap I had support in anything I’ve been able to do even if it wasn’t music.

*Weekly contribution by Steph D’Sa*

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