FRONTLINE

The Declaration Issue: Cristale After a barrage of hard-hitting and viral rap tunes, a performance at the MOBOs, and appearances in Top Boy and The Kitchen, Frontline Issue 002’s third cover star is becoming the people’s champ. Still in her early 20s, Cristale has shown passion, integrity, willpower and wisdom, and proven she can bar with the best. Speaking to Frontline’s @davina.kesi , she enlightens us as to why her art will stand the test of time. The Declaration Issue is available to pre-order online, before it’s distributed in colleges, higher education institutions and music hubs in the UK this spring - hit the link in bio to order your copy. Cover: @cristaleyy Photography: @amosmukombero Styling: @christineskowron_ Creative: @ddstudios_ Set design: @kamilaszymkiewicz Set design assistant: @hanak_o Interview: @davina.kesi #Cristale #TheDeclarationIssue #Frontline #FLmag #Rap #TopBoy #TheKitchen #Music #magazine

The Declaration Issue: Nippa Frontline Issue 002’s second cover star has created his own distinctive R&B style as an independent artist, blending nostalgia with a sound that feels authentically London. With a number of releases already under his belt, Nippa is building on a strong foundation, and after a trip to LA, he spoke to Frontline’s @iraalecia about his new music and how he plans to reach ‘the masses’. The Declaration Issue is available to pre-order online, before it’s distributed in colleges, higher education institutions and music hubs in the UK this spring - hit the link in bio to order your copy. Cover: @nippa.ad Photography: @deandumare_ Styling: @sharufa__ Creative: @abbas13 Interview: @iraalecia #Nippa #Frontline #FLmag #TheDeclarationIssue #Music #magazine

FRONTLINE ISSUE 002 IS HERE The Declaration Issue: Byron Messia FL issue 002 celebrates artistic declarations, and how creative vision and intention are paired with innovation and ingenuity to bring ideas to fruition. Byron Messia made a declaration last year with his global hit Talibans, which became the song of the summer. Following its success, and with his sophomore album Sad and Famous on the way, he spoke to Frontline about his journey and what we can expect from his next project. Issue 002 is being distributed in colleges, higher education institutions and music hubs in the UK, with a limited amount available to purchase online. For your copy of The Declaration Issue, hit the link in bio to pre-order, and keep an eye on our socials to see who else is featured. Cover: @byronmessia Photography: @isaiahiloveu Interview: @patchppf #ByronMessia #NoLove #SadandFamous #TheDeclarationIssue #Frontline #FLmag #Dancehall #Music #magazine

Frontline at Jumbi: The Music Is Black 🎶 Our latest piece is live - stepping inside The Music Is Black: A British Story at the V&A East (@vam_east ) . A journey through 125 years of Black British music, from early 20th century foundations to jazz, lovers rock, jungle, grime and beyond — not just as sound, but as history, identity and resistance. Because this story isn’t just something to look back on.
It’s still being written. As Exhibition Research Assistant Josephine Small puts it:
“Music is a product of society… not just of the person making it, but everyone who came before.” This piece explores:
 – Why this exhibition matters now
– The deep roots behind the sounds we know today
– How Black music has shaped British culture for over a century And why even love songs can be political. Read the full article on our Substack to go deeper into the conversation. Then experience it for yourself - The Music Is Black: A British Story is now open at the V&A East. Tap in.
 Learn something new.
 See yourself in the story. Link in bio to read + subscribe. 📸: @amosmukombero

Frontline at Jumbi presents: @gardenofafruika Our second editorial piece is live - and this one sits at the intersection of food, memory and community. Frontline‘s Ira Alecia Gardner (@iraalecia ) speaks with @eyramdzotsi , founder of Garden of Afruika - a project rooted in the simple but powerful act of bringing people together through food. From cooking clubs to community meals, Garden of Afruika is building something deeper: A space for connection across the diaspora. A practice of care. A reminder that culture lives in what we share. As Eyram puts it: “If you give, it’ll come back… community works like that.” This is what Frontline (@flmag_ ) at Jumbi is about - stories that reflect the culture, not just document it. Read the full article on our Substack and subscribe for more. We’d love to hear from you: What’s a food memory that connects you to home?

In Conversation with Community We’re excited to introduce Frontline at Jumbi - a new editorial collaboration bringing the voices of emerging writers, artists and cultural thinkers into the Jumbi ecosystem. Born in South London and nurtured by its community, Frontline Magazine has long championed grassroots creativity and collective progress - values that sit deeply within Jumbi’s own foundations. Together, we’re creating a new space for storytelling. Every fortnight on our Substack, you’ll find thought pieces, interviews and reflections exploring music, food, art, nightlife and culture, rooted in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, through the voices shaping the moment. This is just the beginning - and we’d love for you to be part of the conversation. The first piece is now live. Head to our Substack via the link in bio to read the full article and subscribe to receive future editions. Tell us in the comments: What does community mean to you in South London right now? Subscribe. Read. Share. Join the conversation. @flmag_ See you on the front line.

“Empathy is the only solution” - @ceebosweezy In conversation with Frontline’s @elishasmalls_ , Ceebo sits with the idea of empathy not as a buzzword, but as a necessity - unpacking how lived experience, accountability and understanding shape both his creative output and his outlook on the world. Alongside this, Ceebo speaks on his recently released project Blair Babies, framing it as a cultural commentary on the realities of Gen Z - a generation navigating instability, inherited systems and the emotional weight of coming of age in uncertain times. The conversation moves through music, community and the moments that force perspective, revealing an artist committed to intention over noise. Read Ceebo’s interview with Frontline via the link in bio 🔗 #Ceebo #EmpathyIsTheOnlySolution #Frontline #FLMAG #UKCulture #BlairBabies

‘Find your own individuality, man – that’s your superpower’ - @youngsteflon Stationed in a black cab, decorated with Keep The Change artwork, Youngs Teflon embarked on a journey of reflection, speaking to Frontline’s @davina.kesi about his new album, the impact of accepting change, and what it means to have a ‘South West London state of mind’. Tef has hand-crafted his most meaningful body of work yet, and the stories of the season are change and acceptance. Amidst smooth beats, sharp flows and his quintessential lyrical wordplay, Keep the Change is more than just an album – it’s a culmination of lessons learnt and an honest reflection on the journey that has brought him this far. Listen close and you’ll learn something; if not about Youngs Teflon and the small corner of the world that raised him, then maybe about those around you or even, in some ways, yourself. Read his interview with Frontline via the link in bio 🔗 #YoungsTeflon #KeepTheChange #DaGutter #Frontline #flmag

Can the mandem save Drake? There was a time in UK music where an artist’s proximity to Drake could elevate them to new levels, or at least solidify existing international profiles. But after the fallout from his beef with Kendrick Lamar, is the Canadian rapper returning to London in the hope that its scene will be the catalyst for his restoration? Frontline explores the significance of Drake’s Wireless 2025 takeover, and asks the question: Can the mandem save him? Hit the link in bio to read more 🔗 Words by @patchppf #NotLikeUs #Drake #KendrickLamar #WirelessFestival #Frontline

‘The once-lost embers of Tupac Shakur’s fiery hip-hop canon are reborn here - in song, in spirit, in mentality, and in the soul of Kendrick Lamar’. Following the release of Kendrick Lamar’s sixth studio album GNX, Frontline’s @niallcsmith takes a look under the hood, exploring the project’s themes and its placement amongst the Compton rapper’s wider artistic mosaic. Artwork by @jdillus . Hit the link in bio to read more. #KendrickLamar #GNX #MrMoraleandTheBigSteppers #DAMN #ToPimpAButterfly #goodkidmaadcity #WaccedOutMurals #Reincarnated #Frontline

Mr Eazi for Frontline’s Declaration Issue 🌍 Oluwatosin Ajibade’s legacy precedes him. His impact is so remarkable it takes just four simple words to draw Afrobeats fans into a world of nostalgia and adulation: ‘It’s your boy, Eazi’. This beloved mantra has become firmly woven into the tapestry of Afrobeats culture, along with the artist to whom it belongs. Oluwatosin Ajibade, otherwise known as the inimitable Mr Eazi, is a trailblazing talent. For FL Issue 002, Davina Nylander speaks to Mr Eazi about the multi-layered elements of his artistic journey. Check out The Declaration Issue for the full interview - link in bio. Artist: @mreazi Interview: @davina.kesi #MrEazi #TheEvilGenius #emPawaAfrica #Afrobeats #Frontline #music

‘Some days I’m feeling jovi Some days I’m feeling gloomy Some days I’m feeling like I no wan chill with anybody What am saying is not funny Real life shit, what a feeling Sometimes I pick my key and drive around, they think I’m cruising’ Asake - ‘Mood’. Like many musicians, on his track Mood, Asake lyrically articulates the turbulence of mental health, creating a dialogue with his fans and validating relatable feelings. But what’s being done in the industry to support the creatives behind the music? To mark World Mental Health Day, Frontline’s @jklamps_ explores how musicians navigate mental health issues, and what the music industry can do to improve on providing support. Hit the link in bio to read more 🔗 #WorldMentalHealthDay #Frontline