Professor Riley (GB) is Director of the Black Music Research Unit at the University of Westminster, which he founded in 2012. His work centres on mapping the history and legacy of Black British music, with a particular focus on the profound influence of Jamaican music and soundsystem culture on British society, from Ska and Reggae through to Grime.

His landmark Bass Culture project, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), has produced a major exhibition, a documentary film, and research that directly shaped London Metropolitan policing policy. Most recently, he served as co-curator of Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music at the British Library.

Steel Pulse

Before his academic career, Riley was a founding member of Grammy-winning British roots reggae band Steel Pulse, and has since produced three UK number one hits and formed the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, Britain's first Black pop string section. His keynote promises a rich and timely exploration of the role of Black music in shaping British culture and identity.

The keynote at PHIL is free and open to all. We warmly welcome everyone to join us for what is sure to be an inspiring start to the program. Starting time: 16:00

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