What We Do
Since being founded in 2000, Nu Century Arts has established an international reputation for producing ground breaking and influential work of a global standard. Based in the Handsworth area of Birmingham UK, its mission statement is to make a lasting difference.
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8 Miles Away Mon 9th Nov
8 Miles Away
The Drum rumbles with an unexpected collaboration of hip-hop and jazz music, hosting Battle in the Box- the open mic. rap night. Audience members were called to battle; freestyling on topics that ranged from Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace prize to Marge Simpson featuring on the front cover of Playboy, under the effortless hum of the band, consisting of a drummer, bass and keyboard player. Host Soweto Kinch also employed other gimmicks, such as hats and buzzwords (often of political content) to focus the musical wit, avoiding the tedium of ‘your mum’ lines. The audience, which started ‘small but perfectly formed,’ grew both in size and confidence as they were called upon to rate the MCs in each battle, using a flawless scientific scale of 1-4. Audience participation was paramount to the running of this show and encouraged with a catchy chorus; “Skipped on down to the live box: to the L, to the I, to the V, to the E.”
