Q&A with Jewel Kaye
After years of contributing to Sludge Mag's growth Jewel Kaye joins the platform as creative director
Q&A with Nick Preston
From My Mad Fat Diary to Grime Kids, this actor with an unconventional start is forging his own path.
Big Deck Energy
Find out what it takes to package your idea, secure sponsors, and build compelling campaigns with our first ever event!
International Women's Day | Vanessa Maria
Vanessa takes the ‘DJ’ title and completely flips it on its head.
International Women's Day | Ayesha Brown
The founder and creative director of football rework streetwear brand Offside Outlet's star continues to rise.
Q&A with Joy Julius
Adire Ogun is a masterful interpolation of Yoruba fashion and military history in response to the Lekki Toll Gate massacre
Staying Silent
Staying Silent is the arresting short film by Luke Maund based on the true story of Jeremy Indika’s real life story of childhood sexual abuse.
Q&A with Nergiz De Baere
We chat to Chicks for Climate and hemp underwear label 'Magi' founder Nergiz De Baere about her new book 365 Ways To Save The Planet
To My Love For Your Love
Loue Marc follows up from his stellar debut EP 'DONTKILLYOURSELF', with the much anticipated introspective follow up 'To My Love For My Love'.
Eco-anxiety, and the privilege of potential climate threats
We shouldn’t be anxious, we should be angry.
The conservative government is breeding addiction
Tory MPs are quick to tarnish addicts and drug users, with no consideration for why their own policies might push people towards the escapism drugs can afford.
Excusing Ezra?
What Ezra Miller’s case says about the problematics of using mental health to frame abuse as “wild behaviour
Scouse not English
Why I refused to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee and why the Tories will never be welcome in the ‘Scouse Republic”
Q&A with Loue Marc
We talk to one of this generation’s largely distinct talents, Loue Marc. Identifying the heritage of his looming debut EP, ‘DONTKILLYOURSELF’
London Fashion Week AW22 street snaps
Jacob Valdez catches the best street style from London Fashion Week
#IWD Q&A with Siobhan Fennell
This International Women's Day, we're proud to profile the activist at the helm of Accessible Belper.
Watch: Q&A with Foxdale 1651
Meet the self taught designer designing for Jacquees, Big Sean, Ghetts and many more. All from a secluded Birmingham studio.
Poverty, violence and Black music
How political shifts to the right shaped urban Black music in the U.S., Britain and Jamaica
#SaveDerbyCounty How corporate greed ruined English football
We spoke to Derby fans ahead of their game against Birmingham City to hear their thoughts on the looming threat of Derby County ceasing to exist.
Discriminatory, Unlawful and Unjust
The Nationality Bill and a Decadent Britain. We spoke to a Black British source, (false name provided) who’s experienced this prejudice first hand.
Alternative to Stories Tinged by White Privilege
Solomon PM explores the relationship between Black Westerners gravitation towards anime and the Eastern political sensibilities that inform the art form.
Had To Wear The Dress 'Cause I Had a Stick
After the hugely successful release of Young Thug's So Much Fun one lyric has captured the imagination of listeners. We explore the history of androgyny in rap.
TAI -Shades
Tai links up GRAY417c studios & photographer Džiuginta Mažulytè for Shades. Funds raised through purchasing the track will be donated to The Black Curriculum.
The story of the U.S. and U.K. in Afghanistan
After 20 years in Afghanistan, $2 trillion spent and countless lives destroyed what have the U.S. and the U.K. gained? A shit tonne of money actually.
Q&A with Manuela Karin Knaut
Independent gallery Grove Collective present Manuela Karin Knaut's exhibition Intuitive Energy which you can attend virtually through the power of VR.
Q&A with 1NE Derby
1NE Derby are taking all of the hassle out of the resell market. Championing community, collaboration and sustainability - this boutique store is the one stop shop for streetwear fanatics across the U.K.
Who’s to blame for the Climate Crisis?
The U.K. is dumping tonnes of plastic abroad, floods are ravaging Belgium, England and Germany. Siberia and the actual Ocean are on fire. But are we to blame?
Why is Britain in denial of institutional racism?
When issues such as institutional racism are brought to light, even with supporting cases, many Britons choose to deny and resist its existence. Connie Yates explores why
Q&A with Twentyhood Mag
We sit down with founder Stephanie Kleanthous to chat all things Twentyhood Mag. The magazine which is dedicated to giving a voice to creatives in their twenties is celebrating it's first print issue!
Q&A with Thérèse
Multi-faceted rising French-Asian activist and artist releases her debut 6 track EP featuring the powerful new track CHINOISE? using 6 languages to break common stereotypes around Asians.
Q&A with Second Outing
Second Outing is a new peer-to-peer rental platform that connects users looking to rent and lend pre-loved designer menswear through an online community. With no subscription fee, unlimited rentals and an endless expanding pool of clothes to choose from Second Outing appears to be the antidote to fast fashion wastage. We sat down with one of the founders to see how it all works.
Emotional abuse criminalised in Scotland under the 2018 Domestic Abuse Act, despite no specific training
Aided by celebrity testimony, the public has been made aware of the toll of emotional abuse. Scotland has taken action criminalising emotional abuse, but implementation is lacking.
'Framing Britney Spears': How The Media Has Framed Women In Music
Following the release of Framing Britney Spears, Lydia Patrick explores tabloid press and mainstream media's tendency to dehumanise women in the music industry
Digga D - Against All Odds
We chronicle the storied rise of Rhys Herbert known to everyone as UK drill pioneer Digga D surrounding the release of debut mixtape Made In The Pyrex
Q&A with DJ Spen
With a career spanning across 4 decades Baltimore house legend and Quantize Recordings label boss Sean Spencer (DJ Spen to partygoers worldwide) has overseen several eras of music. Now he's back with his new album Soulful Storm
Students - Customers when it's convenient
The toll of Coronavirus on university students and how they are selectively treated as customers of the private sector. With insight from an anonymous nursing student who speaks on how being deployed to a Covid ward has altered her educational experience.
Influencers - A global pandemic through rose tinted filters
Hannah Kitty Brownbill explores how luxury getaways and designer goods has made the lockdown harder. With insight from students and NHS workers.
Why right-wing populist male leaders are botching Covid
Worldwide the countries struggling most to contain Covid are ones led by right-wing, populist, male leaders. We explore why.
Q&A with KATIE
Following the release of 2019's hugely successful LOG, KATIE is back with new project Our Time Is Blue and we were fortunate enough to discuss it with her.
KidSoSteez - Born To Create
Midlands boy KidSoSteez debuted his first single Born To Create this week, establishing himself on the UK alternative music scene.
Q&A with WOOGIE
Read our new interview with South Korean mega producer WOOGIE. The Jay Park and 2 Chainz collaborator continues a strong run with the release of PARADISE and tells all about his journey to becoming one of South Korea's most prominent music figures
Q&A with Omar Khaleel
British-Yemeni photographer Omar Khaleel 's work is the sort of magic that can only really arise from a multi-cultural worldview. With a client list boasting everyone from Adidas and Puma to The Guardian, HYPEBEAST and the Financial Times he is one of fashion photography's shining lights. Read out new Q&A where he gives budding photographers his top industry tips
Q&A with Vanessa Maria
No Boundaries, alike to the name of the talent agency that she co-founded, is very much the motto that Vanessa Maria lives by. A DJ, broadcaster, creative producer and now marketing specialist- the sky is far from the limit for this young extraordinaire.
Men Ruin Everything:
Gym Edition
Josephine Ewoma of the fitness page Just Josephine speaks to her own experiences and those of countless other female gym-goers having their workouts jeopardised by predatory men.
Odeal - More Life
Fresh off providing the hook for Ringaling alongside Headie One on Nines' chart topping Crabs in a Bucket album, German born Nigerial artist Odeal is here with a banger of his own in More Life
Women In The Dance
We chat to Lintott and Joksi the two Birmingham natives behind Women In The Dance, an initiative through social media to change the landscape of dance music scenes by creating safer environments free from sexual abuse.
L3 - IGNORANT
The Essie Gang family has another star on their hands as L3 impresses with his latest single & video IGNORANT produced by HoneyWoodSix.
M.I.C and PK Brako release new single Witchclart
After a wait that feels like an eon grime fans can finally look forward to hearing the song that incorporates quite literally the hardest bars of 2018. An exert from JUST JAM 117 which is now a viral clip with co-signs from JME and Lethal Bizzle saw M.I.C cursing his enemies with creativity and disdain in equal measure.
Skengman Churchill
Following today's gammon convention in Westminster that has seen far-right protests defending British values by urinating on memorials and fighting the police, Halima Nashir explains Churchill's true legacy.
Q&A with John Alone
John Alone presents a psychedelic, eccentric sound which doesn’t conform to a genre and goes against the grain. We were able to talk to him about the track, his inspirations, and the effects of lockdown on musicians.
Why it’s okay to lack motivation whilst under lockdown
We're really proud of all of you who are spending this time working on yourselves, but if you're just getting by or even a bit fed up that's okay too. Our new article by Emmie Cosgrove tells you why
Q&A with UGLYBUTBROKE
We sit down with the creative director and photographer lensing your favourite artists across the globe. From Yung Lean, A$AP Nast and Aminé to U.K. talents Slowthai and Jorja Smith - Nina Nagele's photography is truly a sight to behold. She even blesses our readers with a playlist.
LOCKDOWN: Couples Edition
Are you tearing your hair out isolating with your significant other? If so our new article by Lauren Dorling is here to help with four top tips for surviving Lockdown: Couple's Edition.
Why are so many young rappers dying?
Recent years have seen an upsurge in the deaths of young rappers including as xxxtentacion, Fredo Santana, Juice WRLD, Lil Peep, Nipsey Hussle, Jimmy Wopo, Pop Smoke, Smoke Dawg, Mac Miller & others. Our new article unpacks the causes of this seemingly unending tradgedy.
The root of modern medicine's failings towards Black mothers
Black mothers in the U.K. are four times more likely to die during childbirth. We explore why.
Seinna and Scientific drop latest collaboration 'Kimchi'
London based rapper Seinna links up with Dresden based producer Scientific to present new track 'Kimchi'. Read the lowdown here
I’ve failed as a woman and I’ve never felt more beautiful
Frequent Sludge Magazine contributor Lauren Dorling's subject matter covers any number of complex issues. Her new article for us explains how she dealt with the one topic request from an editor that stumped her: beauty.
Four Ways To Find The Will To Live When You've Lost It
The dust from Mental Health Awareness month has settled, but unfortunately adversity exists all the year round. Lauren Dorling offers us her four top tips for conquering introspective quandaries.
The Politics of Apathy
Far-right rhetoric and legislation is slowly becoming more publicly palatable, whilst challenges are being shaped as an infringement on the expression of ideas. Ellen’s reasoning that her friendship with George W. Bush is nothing more than “being friends with someone that doesn’t share the same beliefs that she does” is evidence of how the gravity of political ideology is being undermined.
Had To Wear The Dress 'Cause I Had a Stick
After the hugely successful release of Young Thug's So Much Fun one lyric has captured the imagination of listeners. Martyn Ewoma explores the history of androgyny in rap music.
When is booty shaking right?
As women's rap grows in the mainstream, so does the criticism of their reclamation of sexuality through their lyrics. Predominantly from male rappers who have been using women's sexuality as a vehicle to promote their own careers since rap's inception.
Q&A with Kigh Karup$hin
High Karup$hin are back with their new project Guerrilla Glue. We sit down with members Bvby $lurge, Txgh-Dye and F$A Phantom to get the lowdown on the groups spooky production, the groups interesting knack for making joint paintings and the future of Connecticut rap scene as a whole.
Q&A with Amel Mukhtar
Meet Amel Mukhtar, the British Vogue staffer bringing political activism to the forefront.
Valorising the veil
As is often the case with customs that originate outside of Western society and religion, the veil has been demonised and in equal measures co-opted to further right wing agendas. Oliver Stevens-Neck explores the West's orientalist fixation with the veil
Caster Semenya:
When Fairness Is False
Writer Tariyé Peterside delves in to the ever political world of sports to explore the IAAF's decision to deny Caster Semenya the right to compete in the sport she has long dominated
Enthusiastic Consent is Coming! (Spoilers)
As the final series of Game of Thrones commences the surviving characters have treated audiences to a plethora of drama ranging from beheadings, incest, dragons and White Walkers. So what made a consensual sex scene in the last episode so shocking?
Heavy on shoulder
Photographer Jinsun Park explores the stresses of the South Korean education system through her new photos series and think-piece exclusively for Sludge Mag
Q&A with M.I.C
We catch up with the emcee superman punching through grime's glass ceiling. Find out what has fuelled this exciting, polarising, Nintendo loving enigmatic new talent that has everyone from NME to JME and Tim & Barry paying attention.
'Smear' for Sludge Mag
Model Tionne Harrison takes centre stage in our first ever exclusive fashion editorial. Lensed by Martyn Ewoma this dreamy pastel editorial is comprised of looks styled by Skye Lai with beauty looks dreamed up by make-up artist Berny Ferr.
GEEZER GANG!
We caught up with Jimi Da Killa and Wiz who along with producer Ted Loco are inseminating the UK rap scene with a much needed shake-up.
Climate activists:
Pull it out before the earth puts out.
This article by Lauren Dorling explores a belief held by certain environmentalists; that curtailing how many children we all have may be the only way to save our planet.
How Bare Vintage took the Depop market by storm
Over the past few years what started out solely as a Depop page has transformed in to a platform for budding models, and an Instagram page that provides some of the most beautiful editorial photography showcasing contemporary streetwear brands.
Freedom of speech ≠ freedom from consequence
Whilst drill rappers are literally being imprisoned for their lyrics, and professional athletes careers are being destroyed for speaking out against discrimination, sections of the far-right believe the biggest affront to freedom of speech in the modern world is being held accountable for spreading racial hatred.