Brixton , London "Side of London they Don't Show You" 

I remember when I use to go Brixton Village or whatever it was then 10 years ago the only thing that was there was nigerian aunties hairdressers, bits and bobs shops (like mop buckets, sponges, hangers etc) and random butchers that had pig tails and dead chickens hanging up with the Arab workers trying to move to you lol. I went again for the first time 2/3 years ago after like a 5 year break and I saw a cheese and wine shop lmao.

Rich ppl are moving to Brixton because they can't afford central London anymore. Only the super rich can like Russians etc.

Brixton has lost a lot of its unique characteristics that made it special. The main hub of Brixton Road now looks like every other high street in London. The market has lost its spark. It's so gentrified now, that it's almost unrecognizable.

I lived in Brixton from the 80's to the end of the 90's. The community spirit was strong, white and black neighbours looked out for one another. Yes there were drugs and high rate of crime, but also there was high unemployment. There was police brutality and intimidation, which was done openly. If a neighbour had no food, the Street (white and black) would pull together and help that neighbour. This was the Brixton I lived in. I moved out of Brixton once the yuppies arrived as it became too expensive to live there. All the wonderful small businesses struggled with the high rents. 2 years ago I returned to Brixton and found that corporations had taken over and all of the small businesses I remember had gone, the wonderful characters of Brixton had gone, the spirit of the Brixton I remember had gone.

I have always wanted to visit Brixton for years!!! I finally got a chance to visit 2 weeks ago...MAN...I LOVED THAT AREA!! I went to Brixton Village too!!

One of the saddest things about Brixton is that the arches are being refurbished, forcing people to shut up shop and lose business. When those arches reopen the rent is going to triple meaning many won't be able to return. Businesses that have been there for years had to close 😓

weird seeing my ends being profiled lol

I disliked every single thing about this. Brixton was built on the backs of Caribbean immigrants and white working class people, living together and creating a diverse and unified community that respected and embraced each other's struggle and culture. The white and black market venda's and their customers were friends because you were regulars to their stalls, and they watched their customers children grow up. There was nothing like the Carribean food shops, and the pulsating vibes from the music distributors which brought people from all corners to the area. Brixton was full of heart, soul and LIFE! The community that made up Brixton, welcomed and embraced everyone from all ethnicities, races and classes. That is why when describing the Brixton of today the same warm sentiments can not be made. To me and many others who know and remember what the true meaning of community is, are saddened to see what Brixton and many other Carribean and working class areas in London and across the world have become. Brixton is now souless and baron, just like the elite and cold people who frequent or live in the area. Where you use to smile at people as you passed them, today's Brixton regulars and inhabitants don't even look at you. They Focus only on the ones that look like them to drawn strength in the pretence that the space they now frequent is hip and diverse! KMT! Unless you are like the minority who are excited by the changes that have taken place, namely the middle class and so called hipsters. You will not feel nor will you ever welcome the under handed policies and deals such as quadrupling business rents, compulsory purchasing for those who were able to buy their council property in the area and then moving the remaining council tenants to properties outside the borough. All of this done so that a certain class could TAKE over. Brixton today is nothing more than a picture of what social and ethnic cleansing looks like and I for one, feel no excitement about it. If anything I see it for what it is, nothing more than ugly and damn right criminal behaviour. Which the elite minority have gotten away with for centuries, namely take and in the process destroy and discredit any accomplishments made by black and working class people then lie and credit any acomplishments as being their own. No I do not celebrate the so called 'new Brixton' as it clearly demonstrates the fear that a particular class have for the progress and unity of a particular race and class of people.

I love how the background music segways into reggae when he talks about brjxton.

You are so right.. I visited Brixton about 15 years ago it reminded me so much of Brooklyn..I will definitely visit again next time I am in London.

Yep Brixton has suffered of gentrification at its best

Eyyyy you done Brixton proud 💯🙌🏼

Do you have plans to ever go to more of Africa? Middle East? Places that people look down on or maybe places that are not showcased by big time travelers/expats like you? No hate, just would love to see someone in your position truly shed light- most of the places in your videos are over populated on the internet of others journeys But thank you for showing another sife of London, this is awesome.

I'm watching this years after it was made in 2022 and as a Brooklyn native who is about to visit London this made me want to make it at least part of my London itinerary. Thanks PPH for keeping us up to date on what to see out there.

I see you on that JOLLOF!!!! hahaa the boy really loves to eat.

yeah I thought you would be doing more videos in Africa. If theres any place in the world that people have a misunderstanding about, it's definitely the countries in Africa. I'm sure I speak for a lot of viewers when I say we would love to see you go to Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, Coast of Ivory, etc. SOMEWHERE

I enjoyed my short time in Brixton! Authentic Jamaican eateries everywhere!

Videos like this is one of the reasons for the rapid gentrification in Brixton.

Never been to Brixton but just based off of what I'm seeing and his description in the video it reminds me alot of NY. Brooklyn and some parts of the Bronx. Strong West Indian culture but a mix of alot of other cultures as well. Even though I've never been there it feels very familiar.

love the quality of these vid's, keep them coming, very inspiring..

Not all change is good change. What's happening in south is happening all over London; Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Wood Green are just some of the places in London that have become overly gentrified, people are being priced out of their homes and community. If this video has inspired you to visit London then by all means come, you'll probably still have an amazing time! It's just a shame you didn't get the chance to see London before this ongoing transformation

Brixton just aint the same. Hopefully the cultures who made it what it is still get to stick around. Last time I was back home in South London, me and the fam saw a man lying down on the floor with a raw fish in his mouth( I got pics) whilst someone was taking pics. That is hipsters in Brixton for you. I never saw such madness when I used to pass through Brixton to go school. I am hoping that the cultures that made Brixton what it is still remain. Remember many African and Caribbean communities ended up in Brixton and other areas because they were deemed not good enough by the locals. Even Notting Hill is great because of the windrush generation and carnival.

He's right, I live in South London, Brixton is down the road from where I live & man....gentrification at it's finest! I HATE how much it's changed. So many hipster people there now! Even the Greggs bakery he walked into, which I can see from my living room window has been included in the gentrification lol It's looks so different now....sigh

The landscape of London has changed dramatically in the last 60 years. That doesn't need to be an inflammatory statement, modern London has profited from having a diverse population in many ways. But also any white person, especially in smaller cities in the UK, who are seeing their landscape change dramatically through immigration are called bigots and racists when this is pointed out and I believe this is what is driving normal people to vote for extremist political groups.

In the 80's some friends and I went to Streatham ice rink (a stones throw from Brixton) and after about 20 mins, realised we were the only white people there and it was packed, but it was all cool and the worst thing that happened was being offered some hash. The best thing was the sound and lighting, it was like a nightclub with ice skating, awesome atmosphere.

From a born & bred Brixtonian thanks for your positive profile of Brixton. We think its special too.

Just seen your vid for the second time. I lived in that area for many years in the nineties and I as a white man did go around Brixton to the bars and clubs, Dogstar, The Fridge, The Academy and Basement Jaxx at Loughborough Junction so it's wrong of you to suggest that Brixton was a white free zone back then because it wasn't. Yes the crime was much higher than it is now but like anywhere if you're sensible and streetwise enough.

In Australia I only saw one Jamaican on the train. An older man who yelled at all the white people to get to the back of the train like the cattle we were. Think he was an Israelite Rasta. The guards took him off. He spat on me and told me to go back to where I came from. I was born here and am 7th generation, yet with his accent he as an immigrant thought I and other whites should kowtow to him thinking with his dark skin it gave him moral superiority about past injustices which had nothing to do with my country or ancestors. So sick of upstart people of colour using some 200 year old history that happened 12000km away.. Get over yourselves.

ayyyy London stand up !

You're videos are so energetic and motivating. It makes me want to travel to places I've never thought about. It's because of your video on Thailand I decided to celebrate my 50th birthday there.

This for your vid! It was a great overview of how to discover the vibrant culture present in Brixton without just indulging in Hipsterfare. Went to London for the first time in December of last year and was literally overwhelmed by the diversity. It reminded me so much of NYC. I did spend most of my time in Central London and did typical touristy visits since it was my first time there and I only had a week. Next time, I definitely want to check out Brixton. It's sad to see how gentrification is unfortunately a worldwide phenomenon and is threatening to erase Black and Brown culture everywhere. Perhaps one day we'll get to community development without displacement.

Super professional, well made video. Love these, keep making more.

Brixton has changed dramatically over the years. I lived in London 1st time late 80's in North Harrow and Brixton was the only place I could find black hair products and salons....And I never seen a white person in Brixton back then..much different now, very diverse area..

Great Video Jubril. I really like how you digging deep to find those new happening spots where cultures are coming together! Its time for the world to unify!

Anyone else thought he was gonna show about gangs 67 and drill and shit hahahah

Every time I watch one of your videos about a place, it makes me want to travel there. Proof that this channel is effective.

This is happening in New York as well. Bunch of hipsters flooding in.

You speak so well. You’re expressive and engaging. Refreshing change from other vloggers whose elocution skills are severely lacking.

Shame you didn't hit Brixton back in the 80s or maybe even 90s. It still had the downtown Kingston Jamaica energy back then. Visitors appreciated it as it was authentic, and the locals were cool. Gentrification is happening all over London (see Ladbroke Grove/Notting Hill) and all over the world. The question is does it benefit everyone? For me personally, knowing the old Electric Ave and All Saints Rd, the hipster vibe is just a sterile veneer that does not come close to the soul of the bad old days.

Well travelled, articulate, educated, a sense of humor and handsome too...DAYUUUUUUUUMMMM!!! Thanks for a different look at London...

wicked channel Bruv

I was born and bread in Brixton I lived in the guinnesstrust the top of somerlayton road back in 50s it was happy place as a chilled growing up you could walk the streets at night as I was well none I remember the winsor carstle myril road the blues den the bottom of myril road the off licence next door there was a lot of good places in Brixton yes the markets grand vill market reggae play through out the man dances on corner rip then the riots came 1983 my home Brixton was no more i was working at st giles hospital Camberwell go home Brixton is burning I then moved the night not to look back I'm am now 63 and not been back .....

M8, that skate park wasn’t in brixton, that’s Stockwell 😂😂, plus u only saw the good parts of Brixton. U have no idea what goes down in A town, new park road, Tulse Hill, Stockwell park.

Thank you so much. For making this video I really appreciate it. I knew it was much more to London than what I saw on TV One Love

found this by accident. loved it. subscibed

Thank you much for the information! I will most definitely be visiting Brixton when I come to London. I just hope the spots you showed are still there when I visit! Peace🙌🏽

Go to Portobello road, Ladbroke Grove. Gentrification is reallll down there.

Loving these Videos from Passport Heavy! Big Up

On what basis do you say white people couldnt walk round at night? I did back in the day and I'm here to tell the story. Whilst walking I also seen other white people!

From one British born American raised Brit to another Brit, salute my brudda.

on my way to London in 4 days. gonna check this out

Not just Brixton - gentrification is happening across London as a whole. Peckham, Harlesden, Hackney, Dalston, New Cross, Deptford.... it's been happening for years, and it's not going to stop. It's bullshit for anyone to try to say "oh we redeveloped this space, it was nothing", so what if you put a bar on an empty roof?, who do you see inside the place?, is it the locals?, no, it's not. Furthermore, if the locals tried to come in, security would be highly interested in them! The fact is, businesses don't open and then people follow, the businesses follow the people... so the guys who open that rooftop bar, they looked at the demographic of the area changing and they looked to exploit that, and what that does is, it catalyses the area to change even faster. You can influence people to move by building some nice apartments, but once you open a few coffee shops, galleries, restaurants, and a poncy rooftop bar, then the type of people those places attract will come on a night out and then be like "hmm, this area is nice, I'm gonna look to move here". Especially as London is a primarily rental type of city. Also - for the record, the idea that Brixton has any vibe any more is a fantasy to me. It has one, that's true, if you have money, there are certainly cool places to go out there, sure, but the idea it's at all representative of a night our in London is laughable and only someone who doesn't know this town would even suggest that. Brixton is a great example of a part of London that's had it's soul removed - the people who live there now might think they are hip to what it was, but anyone who's lived in this town for over 10 years will tell you, walking around that area now, it's a shadow of it's former self, it used to be buzzing (dangerous as f in certain areas for sure) but you could feel the vibes, day or night.... now it's dead, it's still noisy, but there's no soul in that noise. And that's not the fault of the people living there now, by no means... it's the fault of the former mayor (and to an extend the current one) who have allowed capitalism to rule over the lives of the people.

i used to walk round brixton 10 years a go and im white south landon crew

Nuff respect for this video. You are so well-travelled/well-researched. It's refreshing.

that awkward moment you realise the Caribbean is just jamaica

It's crazy, I grew up in London and didnt know so many of these cool places yoy've shown

Bro, really... That's just gentrification plan n simple. There is no community I heard of where once the hippies/yuppies come in, gentrification doesn't follow. look at Brooklyn, Harlem, DC, Baltimore, etc. that's enough of my soap box. I liked Brixton too. The fam been there for decades.

Brixton has always been an ethnically diverse area, with large West Indian and West African communities. Before then there were the Jewish community and the Irish and so on. It's a working class area i its core. The thing is that Brixton was abandoned by the local government. The local schools were underfunded, basic council functions weren't being carried out affectively, there were high levels of crime which combined with poor policing caused allot of tension in the area. People from Brixton were given a bad reputation. People would be denied jobs and have their CV's binned if employers saw Brixton on their address. There were numerous riots and there was even a racist white nationalist that carried out a terror attack by planting and exploding a nail bomb which injured 48 people. The local Brixton community had to fend for themselves. Fast forward to 2018, those same people that were marginalised by the state are being marginalised by rising house prices and cost of living. Brixton is losing it's vibrant and unique character and it's being replaced with Starbucks, Costa and hippy joints. Nowadays every high street in the country looks the same. Starbucks, Ladbrooks, charity shop, casino and repeat. That's the problem here.

I love this video...I've always had a love hate relationship with Brixton (memories of my mum making me go shopping with her there lol) But the gentrification of the area and other places like Peckham does upset alot of people who had to deal with living in deprived areas and now theres money but not for locals? Feeling pushed out. But we have to be pro active and network, patronise each other and get involved. I like some of the new but not to the detriment of the old....

Brixton is interesting, but that’s just one of many vibrant diverse districts of London. What is great is that, you can enter all these different communities and the vast majority of people (from my experience) are friendly, or at least accepting of each other and appreciate the cultural differences.

What's going on this is Q from VA. love those videos. Keep making those because you inspire me to travel. I got a couple of question about Columbia and Thailand. Hit me direct. Thanks bro!!

He made Brixton and London seem so wonderful,. He has been everywhere,. so I can't image how ghastly the rest of the world is . I start living when I get out of England

Next stop Elephant and Castle after Walworth Road :) peace out.

Was just there 2 weeks ago. And I will go back. A Brooklyn boy looking at my gone too young R.I.P. NYC rappers murals had me shedding tears. Been showing pics to my friends and co-workers. This was number one on my list thanks to 'The Clash'.

Come to Trinidad

There is a fair few misconceptions about the place. I’ve lived in Brixton for decades and there has always been an equal mix of white and black folk, living side by side, so to suggest that white kids would have not walked around after night ten years ago is a bit daft. I mooched along the original ‘front line’ in my youth. The place is constantly evolving but for a start this was very well to do affluent area originally, especially in the late 19th and early 20th century with one of the earliest department store and arcades outside of the west end. Electric Avenue was the first market street to have electric lighting. Yes, it has a vibrant mix of culture, including a strong afro-Caribbean influence but this place has never been a no-go area for white folk. There was a beautiful synagogue on Effra Road when I was a kid and formerly a strong Jewish community as well. Some of my friends’ parents moved to Brixton from Islington and Fulham in the mid-seventies, as they considered Brixton a safer and better neighbourhood. As for people talking about gentrification, yes that is going on like everywhere else too but a lot of people stayed true to the neighbourhood, who have had better education than their parents and grandparents and who have a raised standard of living and setting up all sorts of businesses. I’ve lived in the same road for over thirty years and I still know a lot of the neighbours. They come in all shades. There has also been substantial amounts invested into urban regeneration after the riots, plus the lottery fund has really rejuvenated public spaces, like Brockwell Park and the space outside the Tate Library. The indoor markets were bustling and full of various vendors thirty odd years ago, then there was a gradual decline. There have been waves of new people and new shops a number of time, then moved on. I have seen people come and go and in particular, the most recent arrivals,, young cool types seems to bemoan the changes. Well, I welcome a lot of the improvement, as there were a few decades of neglect and decay due to a lack of public spending. Sadly, corporate greed and the Rail track lot have outsted some long standing stores within the arches last year, no doubt to be replaced with more chain-coffee stores. But this faux nostalgia grates a little. I remember wonderful food places along Coldharbour Lane, especially an amazing Greek store with huge selction of olives in the early eighties and then a lot of places shut. It's cool to see new life returning. When a place doesn't evolve, it stagnates and rots.

lol don't get it twisted brixton high street is kool, but go to the back blocks and your bout to get stabbed

Born in Birmingham( first 10 years), 7 months in the Bronx then Bklyn till Feb '77. Now live in CA after retiring form the Air Force 16 years ago.

passport heavy knows about the endz, big up! its not just drake that knows lol

And just like THAT, you have one more subscriber bruh. Thankyou for this very well done video, great audio, vidual and editing

Londonistan

Oh my god!! The place you're walking at 0:34 is Stockwell! I lived there for the first 10 years of my life. I recognised so many places you visited. I've lived in france 4 years and have been in Switzerland 10 years, and seeing anything Stockwell and Brixton related makes me so incredibly homesick...

im a American Jamaican imma come thru and see wat up boi

I’m taking my nephew to London for the first time and I’m so glad for this video, bc we’re heading here for sure.

What a shame Brixton is becoming white...

London is on my bucket list not only for the big tourist draws but some culture. Thank you for this quick guide to Brixton. Cheers!

I love Brixton. the best place in London on my opinion. whenever I want to remember my country that's my place to be . cheers Brixton 🤗

You did Brixton justice, it has changed so much for the better night life in Brixton is awesome

your wrong brixton was first the jewish then black came after!

Loving these videos. Just came back from Medellin on a boy's trip. I watched Passport Heavy before heading out there. Then I see this video and loved this one too! I visited London three years ago with my wife and Father in Law. We stayed in Central London (Westminster) but took the Tube to Brixton. Loved it!! My family is from Ghana so the sight and smells around the open air market that we visited were familiar to me. We actually got a word of mouth recommendation to a Ghanaian restaurant. My wife is from the US, so it was fun showing her the culture. Had some jollof rice, some fried plantain and some chichinga kabobs and watch Premier League futbol. It was all lovely! Sad to hear about the gentrification trend there. We have to get back there soon.

Beautiful. I need to go back to London! That hop on hop off bus don't go to Brixton! lol

This is a great video. Narrated like a pro!!! Big-up fam!!

yo my friend ja makin me feel mighty fine about London:))) thanks for your insight and your time mate:))) you've certainly given me a different way of viewing London..Cheers

As a Londoner I need to check out some of those places still. Lots of gentrification all of over London. Even somewhere like Hackney has changed so much, today its full of hipsters.

Great video fam with quality information on what is happening in many parts of London. Love the visit to Greggs and the English accent coming out at the end lol :P!

aah, I am a south londoner, born and bread,, and white... never had problems walking the streets at night, and thats even during the days of the brixton riots.. Its a great place and has always been a great place.

Americans are so Londoncentric (as are Londoners), there are 8 million people that live in London and 57 MILLION people in Britain that don't. The population of the UK is 65 million remember. All big cites in the UK are like this. Black and white people mix freely in every major city, I'd say to even more of an extent than they do in places like Brixton. Can a black American please do a video about black people in Leeds, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bradford, Leicester, Coventry, Birmingham, Nottingham and the list goes on. The UK is not just London.

Dope Vid!!! Thanks Brotha. Planning a trip for June and I def want to see my culture. Appreciate that info and love thru the video.

This video is amazing... thank you ugys for creating this.

niiice i DEF gotta hit Brixton on the next visit. Another amazing production 💯

Lovely upload. I love the changes that are taking place in Brixton and other parts of London. I remember Brixton in the nineties, I hated it, especially the market in Electric Avenue, it used to be such a dump.

Welcome back anytime bro!

BRIXTON!!! THATS MY ENDZ BRUV! BIG UP! BORN AND RAISED!!

Great and informative! I was born in West Ham London grew up in Vancouver BC. Canada. Love London.

brixton is a place were i was born which i now live 3 miles away now . i still love brixton but it has change a lot not the same anymore all the fun & has joy gone what a shame ?? still have some family and friends who live there .but all the others sell out and gone . the big apple i remember was a hat shop up acer lane brixton which is no longer there and all the records shops. brixton was a place back in the late 70s were any body from jamaica could find there love ones and family & friends . pop brixton was were the car park use to be . Rich White People have taken over .so all the black people in brixton if you have a house hold on to it .............

spent 3 years in London and brixton is one of my favorit areas there. I love it!

loved your video I live in England been Brixton many times but never been here .. will go next time

your videos are great. This video even made me wanna visit London. (I found you via Columbia and Chaing Mai videos, fixing to digital nomad myself). keep up the good work

Thanks Bro. from Philly. I'm sold on Brixton!

BRIXTON!!!! I lived there for 2 years! If I have to ever go back to the UK I will live in South London for sure!