Choice FM, the historic Brixton radio station, will receive a blue heritage plaque on October the 7th. The plaque will commemorate the station’s chronicled influence on black British culture.

The Nubian Jak Community Trust, in association with English Heritage, will place the plaque on  Choice FM’s original Brixton HQ. The ceremony coincides with the station’s 30th anniversary. There has not been another black-owned, commercial, radio station in London, since it began to broadcast in 1990. It earned a reputation for it’s diverse discography, which included Hip-Hop, Soul and Reggae shows.

The Nubian Jak charity aims to honour ‘stalwarts of black history‘. They place distinctive monuments in locations of Afro-Caribbean cultural significance. Therefore, the award outlines Choice FM’s impact on the black community.

Media company, Global, bought the station and re-branded it as Capital Xtra in 2013. However fans of the station, operating under the alias ‘The Choice FM Blue Plaque Group’, lobbied for a plaque to commemorate Choice FM’s influence. They paid for the plaque through a GoFundMe page.

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We are pleased to announce the unveiling of a blue heritage plaque in honour of Choice FM, the first and only black radio station with a London wide commercial licence. On March 31st 1990, a group of pioneering entrepreneurs and DJs delivered the first historic broadcast on the famous 96.9FM frequency. This year marks the 30th year anniversary and to commemorate its history a blue plaque unveiling organised by @nubianjak will take place on Wednesday 07th October 2020 . The plaque has been funded by the Choice FM Blue Plaque Group and other members of the black community who are making donations through a Go Fund Me campaign. The donation page was set up to give people the opportunity to support the campaign for the plaque and raise awareness of the history. Funds raised will also be donated to an amazing charity, The African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (@acltcharity). Choice FM worked closely with the charity during their broadcasting years, to help provide hope for patients living with blood cancer and other illnesses. The Choice FM Blue Plaque Group continue to support their work through the campaign. To celebrate this moment in history please share your memories, stories, favourite songs and photos using #ChoiceFMBluePlaque. You can also support through the Choice FM Plaque Go Fund Me Page. Link in bio Thanks for your support! #ChoiceFMBluePlaque #ChoiceFM #Choicefmplaque #music #blackmusic #rnb #hiphop #reggae #dancehall #soul #funkyhouse #garage #drumnbass #afrobeats #music #gospel #raregroove #neosoul #soca #calypso #choicefmmemories #blm #blmmovement

A post shared by Choice FM (@choicefmplaque) on Aug 11, 2020 at 1:05am PDT

Neil Kenlock, Choice FM’s co-founder, explained the channel’s significance. ‘The station gave opportunities to UK and international artists, businesses, charities and local community groups that did not have a media outlet‘, he stated.

Kenlock also dedicated the plaque to The Windrush generation. ‘The blue plaque will highlight the work of Windrush descendants and our huge impact on the radio and music industry in the UK. I would like to thank everyone, including Lambeth Council, for their support for this project‘, he added.

Choice FM was the sound of Brixton for over two decades. The opportunities they provided are as limitless as the artists they inspired. Therefore it is only right that, 30 years on from the station’s inauguration, Choice FM should be rewarded for their seismic impact on London’s black community.