Editing Harlesden (section)

==Culture and "reggae capital"==
[[File:Tile Mural on Church Path in Harlesden, London UK - panoramio - Sean Breeden.jpg|thumb|A tile mural on Church Path, Harlesden]]
Harlesden and some of its surroundings in Brent played a key part in the development of the [[reggae]] music business in the UK. In the 1960s Planetone Studios [[Sonny Roberts]] the heartbeat of Rhythm & Blues and Ska recordings, releasing and distribution followed by [[Trojan Records]] who became a major reggae label, producing successful artists within and in Jamaica, such as [[Desmond Dekker]] and [[Toots and the Maytals]], and numerous top 20 UK singles during the 1970s. Another popular label of reggae and other [[black music]] was [[Jet Star (record distribution company)|Jet Star]], which called itself "the world's largest reggae distributors".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/communityeventsuk6/docs/25th_anniversary_international_regg|title = 25th Anniversary International Reggae Day|website=Issuu.com| date=13 July 2019 }}</ref>

The Brent Black Music Cooperative Rehearsal Studios was set up in [[Willesden]] in 1983 by a grant from Brent council. It provided a studio and training for numerous local and international acts such as [[The Last Poets]] and [[Aswad]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.brent2020.co.uk/reggae-map/bbmc-theorum-music-village/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=30 December 2020 |archive-date=13 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113150847/https://www.brent2020.co.uk/reggae-map/bbmc-theorum-music-village/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1970, [[Sonny Roberts]] established the first specialist record shop called Orbitone Records, retailing various genres of music but in the mid 1970s became the hub premises for producing, licensing and distributing soca music.  During the mid 1970s and 1980s, dozens of record shops filled the Harlesden streets of Church Road, Craven Park Road and the High Street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.layersoflondon.org/map?l=eyJmcmVlX3RleHRfcXVlcnkiOm51bGwsInNlYXJjaF9wYWdlIjoxLCJjYXRlZ29yeV9hbmRfdGVybV9maWx0ZXJzIjp7InRlcm1faWQiOm51bGwsImNhdGVnb3J5X2lkIjoxfSwiYWN0aXZlX2xheWVyX2dyb3VwX2lkcyI6W119&m=eyJjZW50ZXIiOls1MS41MDc0LDAuMTI3OF0sInpvb20iOjEwLCJsaWdodHNPdXQiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D&record=6467|title=Layers of London|website=Layersofl;ondon.org}}</ref> As of 2020, two still remain in operation on Craven Park Road: Hawkeye and Starlight Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the-story-of-this-harlesden-record-shop-shows-why-local-businesses-matter-more-than-ever-110920|title = The Harlesden record shop that shows why local businesses matter|website=Timeout.com| date=9 November 2020 }}</ref> Numerous [[pirate radio]] stations also operated in the area, being very influential to local black artists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://londonist.com/2015/09/how-black-music-pirate-radio-stations-shaped-london-s-music-scene|title = How Black Pirate Radio Stations Revolutionised London's Music Scene|website=Londonist.com|date = 25 September 2015}}</ref>

[[The Cimarons]], England's first home-grown reggae roots band, was formed in 1969 at Tavistock community centre in Harlesden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.clintonlindsay.com/2014/07/19/pioneering-uk-reggae-band-the-cimarons-are-honored-with-a-blue-plaque-at-community-center-they-formed/|title = Pioneering UK Reggae Band the Cimarons, Are Honored with a Blue Plaque at Community Center They Formed! |website=Clintonlindsay.com|date = 19 July 2014}}</ref> Numerous reggae artists lived or live in or around Harlesden, including [[Dennis Brown]] (on Hazeldean Road),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/lifestyle/blue-plaque-erected-in-harlesden-in-honour-of-reggae-singer-3689682|title = Blue plaque erected in Harlesden in honour of reggae singer Dennis Brown|website=Kilburntimes.co.uk|date = 10 April 2012}}</ref> [[Janet Kay]], [[General Levy]], [[Jimmy Cliff]], [[Bob Marley]] (on The Circle, [[Neasden]]), [[Liz Mitchell]] of [[Boney M]] (on Wrottesley Road), and others.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.brent2020.co.uk/brent-stories/bass-weekender/| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201024232419/https://brent2020.co.uk/brent-stories/bass-weekender/| archive-date = 2020-10-24| title = Brent2020 — Reggae Pioneers to Perform in Harlesden}} {{Cite web |url=https://brent2020.co.uk/brent-stories/bass-weekender/ |title=Brent2020 — Reggae Pioneers to Perform in Harlesden |access-date=6 January 2022 |archive-date=20 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120034246/https://brent2020.co.uk/brent-stories/bass-weekender/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

The 1998 musical film ''[[Babymother]]'', produced by [[Film4 Productions|Channel 4 Films]], is set in Harlesden and captures the black dancehall culture in the area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/442572/index.html|title = BFI Screenonline: Babymother (1998)|website=Screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> ''A London Safari: Walking Adventures in NW10'' is a 2014 paperback book authored by local Rose Rouse about Harlesden.<ref>{{cite book| title = A London Safari: Walking Adventures in NW10: Amazon.co.uk: Rouse, Rose, Theroux, Louis: 9781445644509: Books| id = {{ASIN|1445644509|country=uk}}}}</ref>

More recently,{{when|date=July 2024}} Harlesden has produced known hip hop and [[Grime (music genre)|grime]] artists such as [[K Koke]], [[Nines (rapper)|Nines]] and [[George The Poet]].{{cn|date=July 2024}}