Features

Starting from today, every Friday Urban Development is going to bring you some insights on what goes on in our studio based in Stratford. Since the beginning of the year, we had UK and international artists coming down to use our facilities (studio and rehearsal/live room) and we expect many more to come through UDHQ doors. Snaps, quotes, videos and more... 

Melissa Sinclair explores the ‘angry black woman curse…

'Angry black woman.' If I had a pound for every time I heard that phrase I would no longer be an angry black woman. Hell, I'd be a very happy black woman! But as I don't, unfortunately I find myself writing this as a 'somewhat' angry black woman. Angry at the fact that when I am angry, I can't just be angry. I can't even just be an angry woman. I have to be the dreaded 'Angry Black Woman.'

The talk of the Twitter & Hip Hop world this week has been the first (interesting) piece of American rap beef of 2012, Chicago-born rapper Common vs. Toronto-born rapper Drake. Newly recruited 19 year old guest blogger Parris O’Loughlin gets her lyrical game on to discuss the hype… 

Author, music enthusiast and Birmingham born journalist Melissa Sinclair takes to Urban Development to discuss her rage at the BBC admitting to half of their programmes being repeats! For her first guest blog a good rant on whether we should have to pay our TV Licence was definitely in order…

Trading Concerts for Couture

The influx of celebrity turned fashion designers is growing rapidly each year, with most celebrities across the spectrum dipping fingers into the fashion world pie, Abuk Joseph takes a look at the string of singers trading the stage for the runway...

Urban Development went behind the scenes of DJ Swerve - Comeback ft OGz (P Money, Little Dee & Blacks). 

The video features cameos from the Urban Development crew (LOLz) and will be out in January 2012. Look out for the track it's a massive grime fix, definitely one for the sing-a-long crew! 

Check out the images below take by DJ Swerve as he gets his photography game on! 

P Money

Regarded by many as one of the primary sources for hip hop in terms of content and consistency, Sumit Sharma is the one-man team behind The Hip Hop Chronicle. Having interviewed the likes of Method Man, Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, Nas and many more, Sumit has been on his grind over the past three years gaining a respectable place in the rap scene. We asked Sumit to share his ten top tips on how to be a successful blogger…

The mind behind ‘Showcase: LIVE’, a trademark name in live showcase events since 2007, George Eason is not your average promoter. With JLS' Oritse, Lemar and Sugababes' Jade Ewen regularly spotted in the crowd of his shows and years of experience in the music industry, he's also a freelance A&R after recently leaving a full-time position at Global Publishing. George shares his top ten tips on how to make it in the entrepreneurial world as a promoter and talent scout…

Remember  ‘back in the day’  (OK, it was like five years ago) when every rapper had a clothing label, P Diddy, Nelly, LL Cool, even Andre 3000? They quickly realised that clothing labels cost quite a bit of money because they require designers and people with some creative talent, so out went clothing brands and in came the ‘T-Shirt’ lines?  Elizabeth Taiwo breaks it down for us.

With its headquarters across the pond, Ohio precisely, Astor & Black is an expanding custom clothier with high quality craftsmanship and accessible custom experience. Founded in 2004 by 21-year old David Schottenstein, the company guarantees the proper fit offering made-to-measure tailoring, one-on-one counsel with its regional representatives and face-to-face treatment in the client’s home, office or studio.