Akala on The UK Being Responsible for Slavery in America

The U.K. artist Akala stopped by VladTV to discuss the differences in slavery in the U.K. vs. the U.S., how there is no Black middle class in the U.K, and the differences of black/white relations in the U.S. and the U.K. Akala talked with Vlad about how slavery in the U.K. was a tricky subject. When the U.K. brought slaves over from Africa in the early years, this caused issues within the country because many felt, "Britain is too pure an air for a slave to breathe," so therefore they had the idea that slavery shouldn't happen in the U.K., it should only happen abroad. However, the lower class was treated almost as bad as slaves were. When slaves or former slaves who had their freedom would come to the U.K., they would be caught and sent back to the Caribbean.

In regards to black and white relations in the U.K. vs. the U.S., there are several similarities and differences. Akala explained there is nowhere in the U.K where there are only Black people. "You know if you go to the south side of the Chicago, or you go to certain parts of the Bronx, I've visited family up there, and literally everyone [was Black.]," Akala explained there are places in the U.K. that are similar, but there are still white people in those areas. Akala said that there is no doubt that black citizens in America have it far worse. "When slavery ended in Jamaica there was no KKK; only a nut job would start a KKK in Jamaica... "There weren't public lynching in the 50's and 60's in the U.K...I mean the police are not pulling drive-bys on a 12-year-children in the U.K...the situation here to me is much worse in most ways. In a weird way, black culture has a lot more respect.. many black people in the U.K. come here."

Check out the full clip above.