In the mid-1980s, a group of young Londoners led by Jazzie B transformed urban culture and the black music scene, renewing the concept of the “Sound System” (they built their own) and of black music. They replaced reggae’s call to resistance with an appeal to optimism and self-confidence, to “reflect street culture as it was,” according to Jazzie B. That small revolution was at the heart of Soul II Soul, the most important band in Afro-British music. With a formula mixing “a bit of hip hop, reggae, funk and pop”, and playing on their close relationship with the audience, they managed to create what they describe as “music that was unlike anything that had been heard before”. They’re probably right. With their very first album, Club Classics. Vol. 1 (1989) they reached the top of the charts, and they continued to triumph with Vol. 2 (1990), which took them halfway around the world. Soul II Soul recorded three more albums until 1997, releasing hits such as “Back to Life” and “Keep on Movin”, and they collected two Grammy Awards, among other accolades. For his part, Jazzie B became a reputed DJ, as well as a radio broadcaster and producer.