Harlesden’s rich reggae legacy was celebrated on 1 July 2026, International Reggae Day, with the official launch of the Harlesden Walk of Music, a landmark cultural project recognising the artists, bands, producers, record labels and music pioneers who helped establish the north west London neighbourhood as the reggae music capital of the UK.
Held at the CAVA Centre of Excellence, the ceremony was hosted by broadcaster Daddy Ernie and actor Judith Jacob. The event brought together musicians, industry figures, families of the honourees and members of the local community to celebrate the area’s extraordinary contribution to British reggae.
Among those attending were Jamaica’s High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Alexander Williams, Brent Mayor Amer Agha, relatives of reggae legends Dennis Brown and Alton Ellis, and multi award winning actor and rapper Kano, who supported the event with his Duppy White Rum. Dennis Brown’s widow, Yvonne Brown, also addressed guests during the ceremony.
The Harlesden Walk of Music has been created by the Harlesden Bassline Project, a community group established in 2024 to celebrate the achievements of the Black Caribbean community, preserve local history and inspire future generations. The project was made possible through funding awarded to Brent Council from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025.
Inspired by the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the initiative permanently links some of reggae’s most influential names to Harlesden’s historic record shops and music businesses through commemorative plaques. The project also forms part of a wider vision to revitalise the town centre, celebrate the area’s cultural heritage and support plans for a future Reggae Museum.
Honouring reggae pioneers
Twelve artists, bands, labels and music pioneers were recognised for their lasting impact on reggae and Black British music.
The artists honoured were Dennis Brown, General Levy, Janet Kay and Delroy Washington.
The bands recognised included Aswad, The Cimarons, widely regarded as the UK’s first homegrown reggae band, and Ruff Cutt UK.
Among the labels and businesses honoured were Trojan Records, Jet Star, Starlight Records and Hawkeye Records.
Special recognition was also given to Jamaican born producer Sonny Roberts (1931 to 2021) a pioneering figure in British reggae and Black British music. After moving to London in 1953, he founded Planetone, Britain’s first Black owned record label.
He later established Orbitone Records in Harlesden, one of the area’s most influential record shops and labels, helping to popularise ska, lovers rock, soca and Afrobeat. In 1972, Roberts produced the UK’s first Afrobeat album, Destruction by the Nkengas, cementing his legacy as one of the key figures who helped shape Britain’s reggae and African music scenes.
The honourees were selected through a combination of industry recognition and public participation, with some chosen by an expert panel and others through a Brent Council public survey held in 2025.
A moving tribute
The launch also paid tribute to Cleveland “Popsy” Deer, co founder of Starlight Records, who died in May 2026 before the official unveiling.
Remembered as one of Harlesden’s most respected figures, Deer played a major role in building Starlight Records into one of Britain’s most influential reggae record shops and labels. Although he was too unwell to attend a private unveiling earlier this year, he knew his contribution would be recognised.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Cleon Roberts, director and founder of the Harlesden Bassline Project and daughter of Sonny Roberts, recalled that Deer was deeply grateful to know he would be honoured, saying he left knowing his life’s work had been recognised.
Preserving Harlesden’s musical legacy
For decades, Harlesden has been at the centre of Britain’s reggae scene. Its record shops, studios and independent labels helped introduce Jamaican music to new audiences while nurturing generations of British artists.
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Many musicians connected to Harlesden worked alongside international legends including Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Toots Hibbert and Sir Paul McCartney. The Cimarons, for example, toured extensively with Bob Marley and later recorded the album Reggaebility, produced by McCartney.
The Harlesden Walk of Music celebrates that remarkable history while encouraging future generations to recognise the importance of their community’s cultural contribution. It also shines a light on the borough’s continuing influence, with artists such as Bashy, Carla Marie Williams MBE, Sabrina Washington, Nines, Big Zeeks, Gappy Ranks and Jay Sean continuing to build on Harlesden’s musical legacy.
More than a series of commemorative plaques, the Harlesden Walk of Music stands as a permanent reminder of the people, places and businesses that helped make Harlesden one of the most significant homes of reggae outside Jamaica.
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