London’s polymathic performer Love Ssega has just announced that he’ll be playing Lake Of Stars Festival at St Mary’s Music Hall on July 12th and with any luck he’ll add mega new tune ‘Stuck In The Middle’ to his live set. Despite the upbeat rhythm, Love Ssega gets straight to the straight talk of the unfair judgment he feels day-to-day as a black man living in Britain. His first line is sure to provoke white guilt, and rightly so… “now this might have you shocked, but I need a solution / were you clutching your bag as I walk, or is that my illusion?” Being self aware in public is natural, and women have a need to be more so than most, but it begs the question - is your reaction exaggerated by a person of ethnic minority rather than caucasian? The question opens up further, who is to blame for this reaction? Is it mainstream media and news outlets for their demonisation of young black men, is it our parents and grandparents with their inherited prejudices, is it down to a lack of cultural integration? The answers lie with us all, and it’s something that Love Ssega wants to know, “how can we move on?” Right now, a young creative is stuck in the middle of all these questions and as he quite rightly states, it’s not right. Music can enact social change and let’s hope more voices like Love Ssega’s rise up to join him. - Hannah Thacker