Brixton Baby

I had never been to Brixton before this week was my first time. I was a bit weary going on my own so my flatmate tagged along to help me spot different things. I find taking someone who doesnt have a creative eye means you have the best of both worlds as she spots things i wouldnt. Eddie Grant once sang about Electric Avenue, it wasn;t until i saw the sign and experienced it for myself it hit home what he was talking about. "Now in the street there is violence and a lot of work to be done, no place to hang out our washing and i cant blame all on the sun. Oh no we gonna rock down to elcetric avenue and then we'll take it higher" Brixton market is definatly the place to go for some inspiration and allthough i went in the afternoon it would be interesting to go when the market is setting up early in the morning.

Brixton is a district in South London, London borough of Lambeth. It is multiethnic community with around 24% of Brixtons population being of African and Caribbean decent. Brixton has become famous for many things over the past few decades some of which include the brixton pound. Electric Avenue being the first shopping arcade to have electric lighting and the Brixton murals. As with most London Boroughs Brixton has a reputation for its gangs, sex, drugs, and taboo culture and several gangs are headquartered in Brixton. In 2003 the independant reported that around 200 "hardcore yardies" are based in Lambeth, some operating as members of "firehouse posse" or "Brixtons cartel crew". Allthough a scary statistic and with such high gun crime rates Brixton has the character that most London boroughs do not with so many cultures worlking closely together in one area.

The people of Brixton dont like to have their picture taken for various reasons, the only one that allowed me to take a picture was the fishmonger but he would not look directly into the camera. For crime reasons, religious, or just protecting their innocence it is easy to see why when reading the police presense that dominates their area. I visited a local record store to get into the vibes of the African and Caribbean influences and upon leaving was greeted at the door by 2 police vans, 12 people were arrested for hiding illegal immigrants, these poeple were ones that i had asked to take pictures of at the meat market.

"People have always smoked cannabis in Brixton- everyone knows that, people have walked down the street smoking spliffs for years."