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Yinka Awojobi

In the short time it's been set up, characters bearing colourful names like 'OohTheHorror', 'Truedat', 'oONiaOo' and 'SoapManP', are growing Uprise TV's YouTube channel apace.  

Now this new visual chronicler and champion of the UK's effervescent underground scene (the primary reason behind the 'Uprise' name and concept) is already one series deep on OHTV (Sky 199 if you're in the UK). You can still catch the series one reruns alongside OHTV TV's regular terrestrial TV programming. 
 
SHREWD MOVE
  However in a move both shrewd and
  essential, the migration of the entire first
  series to YouTube was completed recently,
  so both UK and - crucially - international
  viewers now have the conveninent option of
  viewing Uprise on demand.

  It's a significant milestone in the evolution of
  the visual broadcast segment in the UK's
  Urban gospel music sector.

  In an industry where many well-intentioned
  projects flounder after typically promising
  starts, it's refreshing to find a well-executed
  strategy that's already already beginning to
  deliver on its promise of 'the very best of
  Urban gospel Hip-Hop, RnB, Soul,
  Garage/Grime and Reggae through credible
  and authentic programming that gives voice
  to Christian creatives and musicians,
  reflecting their world, expanding their
  horizons and providing viewers with a positive
  alternative to current negative urban music
  and culture.'

Bit of a mouthful, but that's exactly what Uprise does, and does very well.

TALENT - AND CONTENT
It's also become a pool for strong content and talent, showcasing the work of producers, directors, editors and the like, while also managing to break the pervasive drawback of emerging platforms by avoiding the trap of a too narrow talent and content base.

Uprise TV shows are fronted by old school, UK gospel industry veterans (in the veritable
E Miner) and new school powerhouses (in the irrepressible L'Dubzy), and through Uprise's Video Blog series even artists get to present the back story to videos currently doing the rounds.

Uprise also covers impressive genre set: Pop/Rock, Grime and Garage, Hip-hop and some decent acoustic music to smooth things out.

TAKE IT TO THE WORLD...
And in moving series one online the revolution continues with the potential to become something genuinely global.

We've a lot to offer. The UK gospel scene is one of the most open-minded, accessible and responsive emerging gospel music industries in the world.

In addition to the classic Praise & Worship format - the highly recognisable public sound of the genre - the UK has adopted RnB, Hip-hop, Grime, Spoken Word, Soulful House, Broken Beat, Electro, Pop/Rock and Funky House as valid channels for the Christian message.

CREDIBLE
And while this isn't neccesarily unique to the UK, the edge - and credibility - of this movement can be seen its relative proximity to the Christian mainstream.

While Hip-hop artists in an established market like the US will have to press hard to promote the vaildity of Hip-hop as an acceptable genre for the gospel, we have less of that to contend with, and our industry is all the more exciting and much richer for it.

THE REVOLUTION - ON A SCREEN VERY NEAR YOU
And now, with Uprise chronicling that excitement, the revolution is on a screen near you...

It also helps that between Patrick Campbell, OHTV's Creative Director and Shabazz L. Graham, Uprise's Director and Head of Production there is significant BBC and MTV experience, which in turn means much of the energy, creativity and passion for the faith is captured all its unbridled excitement.

That means that ending with a lazy journalistic cliché is a risk I can take because you're almost certainly going to like this revolution.

You might even end up joining it...

London based hiphop artist and writer - get Updates!

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