Osc Kins (Shubzin): 7 ways to use underground music to ignite political change
Using underground music for political causes can be a minefield. Cancel culture, the corrupt music industry and the time and energy it requires are enough to put most people off. But should that stop you? No way!! Fighting institutional and structural inequality is the very essence of rave culture. And has been since its birth.
But using underground music for political activism isn't easy. So to help you go about it in the best possible way, I got some advice from Osc Kins, founder of Shubzin: a label which takes all the love and unity found on dance floors and puts it back into local communities.
Shubzin’s compilations have backed everything, from knife crime to domestic abuse and government cuts. Their insta is an amazing resource to inspire action, and when not fundraising for charity, 100% of all profits go straight to the producers.
some of the amazing causes Shubzin has supported:
Looking forward, Shubzin plans to open a socio-political youth club for ravers “to rebuild some sense of community after the Tories, once again, cut everything”. Obviously, Shubzin practises what it preaches. So who better to share their advice on how to use your underground music platform for good?! Let’s jump into it. Here’s Osc Kin’s top 7 tips:
1. Start small with organisations you trust, where you can see results
“If you want to work with charities, start small. Start in your own circle. Start with issues that you know about. Issues affecting you, people that you know, or your local community. Ideally, work with charities where you can see results. I know that if it's going to be a small local community based incentive, that money will go a long way”.
2. Consider throwing a charity rave - it’s the most positive byproduct of people having fun!
“My friend Anna does this party called WHOMP. At their last event they raised 1000 pounds for a charity called JMB education fund, which sponsors girls to go to school in Nepal. Just based off of a bunch of people having fun! The ravers love being there, and they don’t feel like they’re paying for the rave. So it’s almost like a bonus”!
3. Think about joining forces with other social cause platforms you respect
“Pollination is a nonprofit platform promoting greater inclusivity through music. Their next compilation is against the immigration bill, and they're really trying to drive home a point. They’ve emailed me at Shubzin, asking me to join them in an email pitch packed full of information and quotes. I loved that! The more ‘pollination’ between two people and crossing your base together, the better”.
4. If something makes you uncomfortable - boycott it! It doesn’t have to be public
“If somebody’s being a dickhead, boycott them. I know it’s easier to do that the higher you climb your career ladder. Nobody wants to go make loads of enemies when you're starting out at the bottom, or turn down opportunities because of morals. So no shade to anyone. But if the way someone’s operating makes you feel uncomfortable, don't work with them! You don't even have to be vocal about it online. If you can, great, because it means you’re in a position of influence. But quite often I think you can go a lot further privately. People get on the defensive when they’re scared of publicly losing it all”.
Toya Delazy at the Freedom to Dance protest, captured by Rave Report
5. Don’t be afraid to hold your hands up if you make a mistake
“It's damaging when people feel like they have to be perfect. And then they don't say anything. Or just shield up and go on the defensive. Humility is so important - we’re all human. When I first started the label compared to now, I've grown in a lot of ways. I'm not afraid to say that. If someone calls you out on something, the normal reaction is for people to get defensive, protect what you’ve made. But even if you do something real stupid, just be like, ‘I need to learn and educate myself and get better’. That's fine!”
6. You will need to sacrifice something
“Sometimes it gets to me when I see the amount of people online who just share infographics on instagram. When there's protests happening, it’s always the same two friends that come down. Or when I see people who have loads of money but don’t support any charities. I’m happy to sacrifice a little bit of my time by combining my musical passion, and curation skills to try and form something charitable out of that. If you want to help others, you will have to sacrifice something!”
Taken from the Shubzin charity compilation SHUBZKINVA004 supporting Sisters Uncut
7. Run with integrity and you’ll look back on your journey with a clear conscience
“It takes time to suss out how people work in underground music. You get your bearings and figure out who you want to be and how you fit in. But even if you make it to the top with horrible people and organisations who don’t sit right with you, you're probably not going to feel great. When I'm an old man, I don’t want records with a load of horrible labels. I just want to benefit lovely people. All you have is the journey at the end of the day!”
Captured by Rahael Ross photography
“The Tories have always been terrified of by people giving less and less of a fuck.
Less of a fuck about going into work.
Caring more and more about having fun, partying and sticking a finger up to it all.
You can see how they were terrified of that, and how they still are now.
And with that fear, the government’s belligerent attitude is going to continue.
At the same time, artists will always find another avenue to be creative and stick it to the system.
Because it's art. And art is not optional, either.
We’ve been beating on drums for tens of thousands of years.
Music has so much power. It’s part of what makes us human.
We're not going to stop because of a policy change from the government.
And if music has the power to connect to so many people, then of course it's going to have the means to affect real social change.
It’s just about how to get it there.
Now - music isn't going to change national or world politics until people are represented properly within our scene.
The industry is rife: it's still controlled by a very small group of rich, powerful straight white men, let's be honest.
Music is not going to miraculously cause a revolution until more people are willing to rise up and make a difference from within”.
- Osc Kins
