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- I received a call
about one of my friends passing away over the weekend
from not being, like being in a pool
and not knowing how to swim and drowning.
That's literally the story behind it.
Mysterex - So I mean did you know
any more details regarding how he drowned?
- I just got the bare minimum,
but it's just deep,
it's a deep thing to think about.
- Oh Layla.
It's your friend Mr, Society.
What will all that swimming do to your hair?
What will it do to your skin?
Yeah, what the rumours say?
Blacks can't swim.
♪ Thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ I thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ Thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ I thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ No, no, no, no ♪
♪ Thought about it, thought about it ♪
- So how was your holiday?
- Oh my God.
It was amazing.
We had our own private waiter.
We had our own swimming pool.
It was amazing.
- Private waiter and swimming pool?
- Yeah I just rang the bell and he came running.
- Is that all you guys talk about, holiday?
There's something in life to talk about you know.
- Like what?
- Like music, car shows, fashion.
Is that Gucci?
- Yeah, that's a Gucci.
- I should have worn my Gucci life jacket,
we could have matched.
- Talking about life jacket,
so how'd you get on with swimming?
- Yeah.
So it's going quite well.
It's going pretty well.
I was having problems with the breathing part of it
but other than that, It's going really, really well.
And I just can't believe that it's taking me this long
to actually even consider learning how to swim.
So yeah, I was standing behind them, behind the stereotype,
the stigmas and the myths.
And you guys are pretty instrumental.
And you're one of the triggers actually
in getting me into actually learn how to swim.
Do you remember the last time we had the conversation
and I had a life jacket on
and you say that, if my daughter can swim,
everyone can swim.
And that's one of the things that pushed me to yeah.
Can I just, I'll take this call.
Sorry about this.
- Wow, he's learnt to swim.
- Yeah.
Especially how we know how difficult it was for him, right.
- Oh, sorry about that.
I had to find a quieter place.
So yeah.
So this is Frank
So who's speaking.
- My name is Ettiene from Azutan Empowerment.
- How can I help you?
- I have two young people
who have been working with for some time.
They both have issues that remind me of your story.
They're both bright, intelligent,
and have the potential to move forward in life.
I have recently received funding for a project
which includes swimming.
But no matter what I try to do,
something is holding them back from taking part.
I was wondering if you can come and have a conversation
and chat with them.
- Okay, yeah, I would love to.
Well you obviously, you've obviously had about my journey
and all that kind of thing.
So yes, anything, any assistance I can help,
I can lend to anybody else learning how to swim
and there'll be, yeah, I'd love to.
- Well actually that is not the problem.
They both know how to swim.
- So how can I help then?
- Well, I think it's best if you come down
and you can chat with them further
and then you understand the situation more.
- Well, you've got my number anyway, so text me the address
and let's schedule a time and I'll after work,
I'll pop around then see if I can have a conversation
with them and get to the bottom of what this issue is.
- Okay, thank you.
It was nice to speak to you, Frank.
- Nice speaking to you.
All right, speak to you in a bit, cheers.
Bye.
- So I hear you got a new car.
- Yeah, it might need new tyres.
- How many miles have you done it?
- About 15,000.
- 15?
- Yeah.
- You've only had like what?
- October.
- Wow.
- Sorry about that guys.
That was a really, really strange call.
So this guy Ettiene, said he heard my journey,
my swimming journey.
And which is strange
because we're just talking about swimming.
And he says, yeah, he runs a programme
for disadvantaged children.
And one of the programmes that,
one of the things that you have to do is swim.
And he's got these two young adults
that just don't wanna get in the water.
The strange thing is that he says they can swim
but they just don't want to.
So I'm gonna go see them next week.
I'm gonna see if I can, he wants me to mentor them.
So it's
So I'm gonna see them and see what it's all about.
- My mom is a very, very strongly African-Nigerian woman.
But we live in a predominantly white area.
So I went to a predominantly white school as well.
In primary school,
I was like the only Black person in my year.
And I didn't start off swimming.
I didn't know how to swim at first,
but then I think it was around year two.
So that's like around seven-ish.
We started having swimming lessons
as part of the national curriculum.
And yeah, I wasn't able to swim.
I was a lot behind.
I was a lot more behind than the rest of the group
- When I was younger, on my birthday as well,
I went to a swimming pool
and like they had the blow up slides
and all of that in there.
And I nearly drowned in the deep end.
And since that day I've just been traumatised.
So like, I go back in the water and stuff like,
I'm not traumatised to a point
where I don't wanna even think about water,
but when I'm in there,
it's like my heart is just, I'm anxious.
I'm so anxious.
- So last time I went swimming was in Florida,
literally a year ago.
And they went to the beach and I didn't want to swim
because of my hair, but
- So my dad, every year we go on holiday
and he goes snorkeling under water in the sea.
And sometimes he goes out quite far,
but I'd only go out to where the little fishes.
I normally would go to where they are
but I wouldn't go as far as he goes.
- No way, I can't swim.
Mainly because I just, I don't know how to
and I'm never really tried in a way.
Because I'll be honest,
I wouldn't say I'm scared but, I just don't like swimming.
It's not my thing.
- Well, we've had a lot of experience
and that's how we kind of we know we can't swim.
And this is experience from we're talking primary school
to all the way to even now, shame to say,
but even now I still can't get it.
I guess it's the fear in water that I have,
I don't know about you.
- Yeah, that's what's weird.
It's not like we've never had lessons.
'Cause like it was compulsory in primary school,
but even then we just,
I don't know if we just don't pick it up or whatever it is.
And it's not that I don't want to.
- Yeah.
- I'd love to be able to go on these holidays
and just be kicking the ball in water doing whatever.
- I think I was quite determined,
'cause I quite liked the idea of being able to swim.
Being able to like play in the water when you go on holiday.
So before I could swim, you'd go on holiday, it's like,
oh, I can't go without my arm bands.
You see with these other girls
like going in, swimming freely.
It's like, I can't do that because I can't swim yet.
So I think it was that that sort of like drive me
to like go and learn to swim
- From the beginning, it was primary school.
We used to have swimming lessons,
that's where it first started off.
When we're doing the lessons,
I was the one that couldn't swim in it,
but it was like a few of us.
But like, you know, we were all Black.
- 'Cause I wanna learn how to swim myself.
Like I would love to learn how to swim anyway.
I've went to like in a few dates with different girls
and I was like, you know,
like most of them they know how to swim
and I've asked them you know, can you teach me how to swim?
And that's the thing that shit is like sounds funny
but I'm serious about it.
I wanna learn how to swim.
Same as all like in the summer,
you gonna learn how to like ride a bike,
I wanna swim as well, but I just don't know how to.
- In my head for some reason I just thought I could swim.
So I just jumped in the water,
not caring like about anything else.
I jumped in
I just went all the way to the bottom.
Just like, like an unveil, like boom.
And I'm just like, the water just started going in.
And I'm like taking it in.
And then, I think someone could see the bubbles coming up
or whatever, somebody jumped in and grabbed me out bro,
like start pushing my chest down like all the water
is coming out.
I'm like what the hell just happened?
I just drowned.
- Yes, I've had an experience where I thought like,
yes, swimming needs to be learned.
I remember it was, I was a lot younger in a camp.
I went to a camp with a few of my friends
and they had this like total wipe out kind of course.
So I remember climbing up these ladders
and I had to slide down a slide and then swim to the canoes
and I'd remember just sliding down.
It was all fun and games until I hit that water.
And I just went in and I remember gulping so much
cause I've never been in water like that.
So I just remember gulping and gulping and it was freezing.
And you know that whole thing
about when your body hits water
and you're just gasping for air.
So it was something, it was like,
I remember just gasping and struggling
to swim back to this canoe.
♪ Smokey boy baby ♪
♪ Chop, chop my money ♪
♪ I go make you Koko Belo, Koko Belo ♪
♪ I can buy you motor ♪
♪ My people in the street, that's just how we de go ♪
♪ We don't tire ♪
♪ Tire, tire ♪
♪ But we go higher ♪
♪ Higher, higher ♪
♪ We don't tire ♪
♪ Tire, tire ♪
♪ But we go higher ♪
♪ Every other day we can celebrate ♪
♪ Roll up to the scene, don't hesitate ♪
- All right.
This tune is fire fam.
When this shit touches the road it's gone fam.
We back on top again fam.
Come on, I just need the hook for it and it's gone.
What else are we waiting for fam?
- I know, but I got to go meet Ettiene in an hour though.
- What, why are you wasting time going there for bro?
Finish the beat fam.
I need finished tunes to send to the radio fam.
- Trust me, bro.
Ettiene is a kind person.
He promised to help me with a couple of things though.
- What?
Help you with what fam?
That swimming thing fam?
Allow it bro.
- Bro, I don't even want to swim myself,
but it's part of the whole project.
- Bro, just concentrate on the music fam
and we'll be back fam for that swimming thing fam,
just don't go near water bro.
You'll be good fam.
That's a white man's thing anyway fam.
- My man said it's a white mans,
- Wait, what can you even swim fam?
- A bit fam.
- Why are you lying for bro?
- I'm not lying, bro.
- Fam, have you ever swam in a pool or the sea fam?
- A bit.
- Why are you lying for bro?
- Why are you always on me bro?
- Bro, Mo just allow him in it.
Yow Frost, go do your thing and I will shout you later.
- Hit me up, swimming man, swimming thing.
♪ Sitting by the pool, feeling so cool ♪
♪ Splash, splash, splash ♪
♪ They say blacks can't swim ♪
- Hello Simon.
It's your friend, Mr Society.
Swimming?
You'll drown.
We don't want that, do we?
Listen to your friend Mo, he knows the score.
Blacks can't swim.
- I was born with a condition called tibial hemimelia,
which basically around my fibula bone, all my tibia.
So one leg is shorter than the other
and I have a prosthetic leg
but I don't really pay attention to none of that.
I just live my life normal.
Just doing what next man does really.
And pretty much,
yeah there's some things that I can do
and there's somethings that, because of this I can't,
even when I try and push it, I can't do.
So swimming, I'm still gonna try eventually,
but it's one of them ones where,
it's gonna be hard 'cause I have to use both legs.
I'm only using one.
- I definitely remember trying to conform
and trying to do my best to catch up as fast as I could
so that I could jump in the deep end.
But I had also a deep, almost innate fear of water.
So when I would have to jump in and stuff into the deep end,
I would be the longest one.
I'd be last because it would take me about 20 minutes
to rack up the nerve to actually jump in
- Because I have sickle cell anaemia myself.
I used to be so apprehensive about getting in pools
and like, yeah the way it affects my body,
sometimes just the temperature of the water
can put me completely off
or send me into what we call a sickle cell crisis.
That's where my body just basically shuts down.
And it's in pain stations, pain stations.
Red alert, red alert.
So, but the majority of the time I swim, it soothes.
Let's say, unless I feel like it's too cold.
And then I just start shivering up
and I just like start stiffening,
like it soothes.
There's a soothing feeling that comes with swimming.
- Swimming is back at the priority list for black people
because I think it's just been advertised so much
that black people can't swim.
So like, it's like misleading the mind thinking
that we can't swim.
So I think that's what it is like.
And then with like all the experiences
that they've had as well like for example, myself,
it just leads me think,
yeah like we can't really,
it's not built, we're not built for that
or something like that.
You look at, look at the Olympics,
like it's only, it's maybe only one black guy
I've ever seen swimming and I was laughing when I saw it.
I was like, dude why are you swimming?
That's not your thing bro.
- I feel like the attention span of people
as the generations pass it kind of diminishes.
So the way for older generational could easily
have been attracted to and got into swimming,
isn't the same way the younger generation will be attracted
and get into it because there's so many other things
for them now to focus on
where they'll start now thinking, feeling,
that there's a tier list of the essential skills.
And then regarding what they might personally do
within their own lives,
they might not have it on such a high necessity.
- Yes, and not seeing it as a priority,
I think that's a massive thing.
I think that unless you live either live near water
or live on a boat that there's no real reason
to learn how to swim and if you're never introduced to it
it's just not something you think about.
And I think it's not something people miss out on.
And a lot of the times
I don't think it affects people
unless they do or exposed to water,
which I think that's a choice.
I don't think you have to be exposed to water
if you don't want to.
- The last time I swam,
was probably about three four months ago,
Tell a lie, it was actually about six months ago.
And it was only because me and my partner went to like a spa
or something and it was a swimming pool.
And I didn't ever wanna go in the water
but she she's like, ain't you gonna go in the water?
Ain't you gonna go in the water.
So I went in there for a little bit
and I just felt like I was gonna drown.
So I wasn't even in there for too long.
Like my swimming skills are not really too strong,
as I said so.
I was in there trying to swim but the water is in my mouth
and in my nose and all sorts
- And I remember I went to Greece one time with like
with the team and like one of the guys aunties was there
and she was, I'm gonna teach her how to swim.
And like, it was just in the little part,
and I learned how to just do little basic things
and it was all fun and then,
but then like another future instance,
we did like kayaking.
- Yeah.
- And then our boat turned over and we were in the water.
And then in that moment,
it's not like you just think, oh yeah,
this is what I did then,
it just, everything goes away.
And the only thing I think of is,
I don't want to be here right now.
- Kinda of panic.
- I do want to learn 'cause I want to travel.
I wanna, again it's something I want
but then I don't know how to naturalise it like.
- Yeah.
- It was interesting because from the changing room,
I think things are different.
When you're Black and you're in a situation
with mostly White people
you already know all the ways that you're different.
You already know the ways that,
the things don't, aren't the same.
And it's like even being in the changing rooms
and not having lotion, coming out with your skin dry
or getting your hair wet
and not wanting your hair to get wet.
And we'd always have fun after the swimming lesson.
And you know, we were allowed to play however we wanted
and my friends were trying to splash
and I'd be like, don't get water on my head
when they could never really understand that.
- So when are you gonna get ready?
- I'm literally just gonna do my hair.
Maybe put a little bit of makeup on.
Sometimes I wish I was a boy
I could just like roll out of bed.
- Hell no.
Speaking of boys, you still got that buff thing
coming around later?
- Who, Clayton?
Sorry girl, go on.
- Literally gonna chill, probably make himself that nice to eat.
- Girl, you better make sure that chicken seasoned good boy.
- You're a joker.
- So what, has he seen like your bits yet?
- What do you mean?
- Come on.
Don't play innocent.
It's been a few months still,
you must've shown him something at least.
- Well, usually we have the lights down low
- Still, so you gonna go to that swimming thing then.
Were you gonna tell that, what's that guys name again?
Who, Ettiene?
- Yeah, what are you gonna say to him?
- Would you go?
- What?
Go for the swimming event?
- Yeah, would you go?
- Do you know what?
I don't care.
I'll go if you go.
So what, you're gonna go?
- It is what it is.
I'll probably just gas him up like last time.
- Ettiene is not gonna be happy.
- Boy, I can't lie, I'm gonna shout you later.
- All right girl then laters.
- I do remember being a young kid
and I got an uncle Mike is like a military uncle.
He always takes you out,
little days out your cousins and stuff.
And like, when I wasn't good at swimming,
he's just like chuck him in the deep end.
And that's how he taught you how to swim.
He will just chuck you in the deep end,
you panic about but you'd catch it.
And then once you caught it, you were like, yeah
I kind of learned how to keep myself afloat.
Doggy paddling, doing your thing.
And then that's how I basically,
I learned I remember being like
that was a good way to teach me, it was just like
- I can recall back to probably when I was like six, five.
My daddy used to take me
and my older brother swimming in Brixton.
And that kind of built my confidence.
And then when we went with school,
I was always kind of ahead of everyone
'cause I kind of had that experience.
And then I lost touch.
I don't know what happened, but I just couldn't swim.
And I went South Norwood Leisure Centre,
I remember with my cousins and I drowned.
And they saved me and after that it kinda hold on,
how did I lose the drive to swim?
And I went back and it came back after some time.
- I did swimming lessons.
So obviously I was in a public pool,
like loads of other children.
So I just, I don't know.
It was fun.
I mean, obviously like in the first lesson
I was a bit scared,
but I guess everyone's scared on they're first try
but like gradually I just found it like really fun.
Like wanted to go
- So the first time I went to a swimming pool,
this was back in 2006, maybe seven.
So this was year three in my primary school,
we went to a leisure centre,
which had a swimming pool.
And pretty much the first time I went in,
well I run into,
I actually jumped into the deep end
without knowing it was a deep end.
And this is the first time I've ever swam in my life.
And obviously that's a big jump.
So then I started drowning but it was like,
it was weird because people were looking
but I was at a place where they could obviously reach out
and grab me before I went down too low.
And I came back up, I was confused.
I was like, nah, it's not like what I saw on TV.
- When I went to secondary school,
I went to swimming lessons as well again.
And then that's when I learned to like start swimming
but I still couldn't float,
I still needed those puddles on everything.
So I just thought like,
I see Black people actually swimming
like in those classes in it.
And I was still like the only one that couldn't swim
so I felt it was just me in it so.
- I was always that kid in the school
that was always at the kinda end of the swimming class
- 'Cause you had levels.
- You have levels.
- So it's like the tad pods, the dolphins,
the sharks and the mermaids.
- Yeah, exactly.
I was, I never progressed into the dolphins.
You have to have like the floating thing.
- Yeah.
- Like that little puddle.
- Yeah, I was always
maybe from five to like 10,
I was always in the same position.
And going into high school,
when you go on these school trips,
we have to swim even with a life jacket on.
I still have that kind of fear
like my feet aren't touching the ground.
My feet aren't touching the ground.
I'm gonna die.
You know what I'm saying?
I have to, it takes me a good 15-20 minutes
then I'm like, okay, I'm cool.
I'm settled.
♪ You just waste my time ♪
♪ I don't pay no mind no ♪
♪ Ed Accura in the house ♪
♪ Time is now ♪
♪ Let's change the narrative ♪
- Hello.
- Hello, it's Frank, to see Ettiene.
- Hello Frank, come on in.
♪ You just waste my time ♪
♪ I don't pay no mind no. ♪
♪ Won't swim it's too cold ♪
♪ Won't swim it's too deep ♪
♪ Won't swim it's too wet ♪
♪ I'm so Black, I'm so Black ♪
- Really like what you're doing here with these kids.
How's it all funded?
- Thank you, we can only try.
With such little resources, it's difficult to get funding.
We're relying a lot on donations and favours but we manage.
What we're doing now is giving kids the opportunity
to get involved in different activities
over the course of three months, which includes swimming.
- So how do you want me to get involved in this?
- Well, we used to have a swimming event
before Called Swim Ting, which was good,
but two members have not been taking part.
- So these are the two that are meeting here today.
- Yes.
These are two teenagers who are part of the programme.
Layla and Simon aka K Frost,
who likes to be referred by it's artist name.
- A musician.
- Yes.
He loves his music and Layla loves recreation activities
like camping and traveling.
- So you said they both can swim.
- Correct.
- So in that case, what am I doing here?
- Layla, I thought I asked you to come alone.
You know we're going to be having a meeting.
- We going somewhere after, can't she just sit here?
You gonna have to go.
- I'd like to introduce you to Layla, Frank.
- Hi, Layla.
- Can you put your phone away please?
Sorry Frank.
It's okay, it's cool.
- Oh, just in time, we're about to start the meeting.
Frank, this is Simon, I mean K Frost.
Frost this is Frank who I told you about.
- Hey, what time is this finishing?
- Please show some respect.
You've only just got here.
Shouldn't take longer than half an hour.
So Frank has come here to tell us about his experiences
and how he overcame his fears in water.
And hopefully through this
we can maybe shed some light on both of your issues.
- Do we need to talk about it?
- Yes, we do.
That's what we agreed.
I would help you with your goals and dreams
and you will take part in the programme.
- But we're doing, the programme.
- And that means all of the programme
and that includes swimming.
So Frank is going to talk about his experiences
and then we're going to have a conversation.
Okay?
- Man this heat though.
- Mad hot today.
I know I'm telling you, these bugs are getting on my nerves.
- Kinda like Jamaica
- It's really, really hot can be dealing.
Really hard at the same time, I need to get my hair done.
- Word.
What are you trynna do with it?
- I have no clue.
I need help.
No clue whatsoever.
- You trynna do, front or leave out.
- I was thinking like a box braids.
- Box braids.
I'm telling you it's probably be box braids.
Having it up in one.
Feel the wind going through if we get any wind.
Like have you decided what you're gonna do with your hair?
- I think, I'm thinking of getting it twisted
or I'm not sure if I should just do straight locs.
- Why, you on on some thing with 'em locs boy?
- No.
You know what it is that I really wanna do it
but it's just a process, it's just long.
- Why, is it hard to maintain or something?
- Yeah, definitely.
You have to always get it done
or make sure that it don't get wet.
- No that's just long.
So what was the meeting about then?
- Just some Frank guy talking about how he overcome
his fear of swimming.
- So what, is he trying to teach you how to swim?
That's long.
- I know, right?
- I don't see what's so special about swimming.
He needs allow it.
And I just told you about my hair and ting.
- Damn, did you tell him about the ting?
- No.
That's none of his business.
- So I don't think Etienne is gonna be happy
if you miss the swimming workshop again.
- I know, but we come to an agreement
that I'll speak to Frank over the phone,
but I got my own plans.
- I hear you.
- Issues regarding, hair, and what not for swimming
is rife amongst our community.
- Because I asked my friend if we'd go swimming
a couple weeks ago.
And she was like, hell no, my hair.
I don't want it to get wet.
It's long to maintain.
- Well, I used to wear swimming cap in school.
Like the school swimming lessons that was compulsory.
That's why a swimming cap.
Then after a while it was like your hair still gets wet,
it doesn't really do much.
But then the private swimming lessons,
I wasn't wearing swimming cap.
You just had to wash your hair like straight afterwards.
Make sure you bring your products with you.
And yeah
- I used to have like short hair.
So it would've been just combing it.
Like you just wash it.
Like, it just it's like just coming out of the shower.
It's just normal for us in it.
But yeah, it's a whole lot different for Black women.
But like say if I had hair like this now,
like and I went to go swim, I wouldn't be able to do it.
Cause they would mess up my hair.
Like spent time just doing it.
Like the Mumsy, did it for me and everything.
So I can't let it like, just like after all that,
keep on redoing it all the time.
- Black girls with braids, you can't get them wet.
So they wouldn't go in the water.
Their hair wouldn't fit in the swimming hat.
So they weren't allowed to go in the water
without swimming hat.
But I've never really seen an issue,
I've never had a personal issue,
but I do know a few Black girls
that couldn't have their hair in braids
because they had to go, they had to do swimming lessons,
which I don't know if that's a bad thing or not
because you know, if it's part of the school curriculum,
it's something you've got to do.
But I do understand why it'd be annoying
to not have your hair, like be able to have your hair
how you want to have it.
- I would say with swimming and my hair probably my mom,
she'd always tell me, don't get your hair wet
when you go swimming.
But I feel like it was inevitable actually.
I would try everything.
Every single cap, my hair will still get wet.
I feel like it was the effects of the chlorine
in like natural hair.
Well I just liked swimming so much, I will still swim.
- The whole process of drying it, yeah.
- Yeah.
- But I feel like that can also be used to,
I use that as an excuse a lot.
That was gonna go like,
ah, guys I'll sit this one out,
my hair I don't want it to get too wet.
And then yeah, the whole process but.
- To moisturise it has to come up.
- Yeah I have to moisturise
- And white people don't get that.
They think you just dip in and then you leave.
They don't know we have a whole half an hour there.
Itching inside, getting the sand out of you and all of that.
- Definitely.
- I guess for me an advantage is I come from Eritrea,
my hair texture is a bit different, although I am African.
It's a lot more easy to maintain.
So for me, it's that it's not a big deal.
I'll go ahead and wash it.
But for some other people,
their hair texture might be very hard for them to control.
So it's like is me swimming in the pool
for an hour worth of stress I have to go through?
- You really have to want to go to swim
if you're willing to go through all of that.
And I don't think most people are into the idea.
- Yow Sayso, mans on the way back to the studio bro.
This swimming thing is just so long bro.
Just to let you know I'm really serious
about this music thing.
Forget that swimming thing bro.
- Fam, why'd you keep complaining, just do the thing, bro.
- Why do I need swimming bro?
For real, why do I need swimming?
- You got to look at it in that positive way fam.
Stop looking in the other way fam.
Can you swim?
- I'm not gonna lie to you fam but
A bit. - A bit.
- I don't believe you, but anyway, it's a life skill in it.
So make sure you get that done
before you worry about the music.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I hear you, I hear you.
I'll link you back in the studio though,
my bus is about to come
I'll leave you back in the studio.
- Cool.
- Last year or two years ago,
I was having a conversation with my aunt
and she was saying how there are areas in Nigeria in Lagos
where kids swim, it's water-based country
and well not country but certain parts of the land.
You've got a lot of water and the kids will swim
from a young age.
And I think part of the problem is we never see that.
We don't really know that Black kids can grow up
and water rule their life.
It's almost this thing that we're introduced
to a certain age and its like, trust issues.
- I don't know any like role models that swim
and that's the thing as well.
If there was role models for black people, it will be there.
Once again, like basketball,
we've got the likes of the Jordan, Kobe, Lebron.
Football, Pele, players like Pogba
and swimming there's no one, so.
- I feel like there's a lot of things
that could make swimming more relatable to Black people,
especially in the market.
You're talking about, see like for us basketball, football.
These are things that we can do literally in our gardens,
out on the street you know what I'm saying?
So I feel like, especially in the UK,
you've got so many things like forgetting sport,
you've got music and stuff that a lot of black youth go to.
After school we're doing this, not many say swimming.
I feel like, even just an adverts and stuff
like I feel like they could be using more kind of
like Black models to.
Yeah, yeah so like, when you're a kid,
you look up to that person and go,
oh, there's a Black person swimming.
I wanna do that too.
- It's crazy.
It's all about influence.
Like you'll actually be surprised.
If one of the biggest rappers in the UK right now
said this, sorry.
But you know, I wanna do a big swimming,
he's gonna have the audience follow him, do you get it?
- Just like more,
like a better representation of Black swimmers.
Like I've never heard of the lady in the Olympics
that's gonna compete next year.
I've never heard of her.
But knowing that she is a Black person
that's going to be competing in the Olympics,
I can just imagine kids will be seeing that.
And they will see themselves in her.
So that will inspire them to get into the whole,
the sports of it all.
- I can't believe Frank, you got that stupid life jacket
and learned how to swim.
- But we were walking down the streets, look like a prat.
It got to a point whereby I couldn't do it.
I just had to, I just had to give it up
and actually learn how to swim.
Yeah.
It's a shame it took me so long though.
- And even though he suffered from aquaphobia,
he still buy a house by the river.
- That's how we roll.
This is how we roll.
Yeah.
I saw the house, liked it.
Even think about the whole issue of the river and yeah.
But it's never been a problem.
So that's cool.
But you can swim, can you?
- No, I just didn't bother to learn.
I had a bad experience when I was younger.
Went to the pool with the boys and like it is here now,
everyone jumped in.
I jumped in as well, went straight to the bottom.
Managed to climb myself back up
and I thought, you know what?
This is not for me.
Changed my clothes and I went.
- Would you learn?
- Yeah, now that I see what you're doing,
you might entice me to learn.
- Cool, cool.
So I've actually created a word called the "Bl-aquaphobia".
- Wow.
Is that even a word Frank?
- I thought that word originally existed
but I checked on Google to everywhere.
There's nothing such as, so I created the word,
bla-aquaphobia, as in B L as in black,
then aquaphobia add to it.
- Well, Wikipedia here I come.
I would patent that if I were you?
- I have, I have.
- Do you actually get in the river?
- I've been there a couple of times.
When I first moved in here,
the neighbours came around and said we're cleaning the river.
So do you wanna join us all?
Yeah.
But it's not that deep anyway.
Still only just up to about here.
- Looks great actually guys, should we dive in now?
- Hell no, you've got to be joking.
- Frank what's the trigger for you
to learn how to swim at the first place?
- My daughter.
It got to a point whereby I said to myself
that if she ever was in difficulty in water,
here, on holiday or anyway, and I couldn't help her,
I don't think I would ever forgive myself.
So as a responsible parent,
I thought the best thing to do
is actually learn how to swim.
- Yes, that's probably wise actually Frank.
- It's the least I can do that as a parent.
I've been even asked to mentor these two kids,
well young adults,
But I probably difficulty with them
because it's really strange
because they don't wanna swim,
they don't wanna get into the water.
And part of the programme that they are,
this is under,
means that they have to actually learn how to swim
or actually swim.
But they can swim but they just don't wanna
get into the water.
And I find that very strange.
Every time I asked them, the young lady in particular
she says it's private.
So I don't understand why
but I'm sure at some point I'll find out.
- Amazing Frank.
I'm quite actually amazed.
You've gone from a aquaphobic
to mentoring teenagers on how to swim.
- Well, I'm the perfect person to do such a thing
because obviously I couldn't swim.
So they, I was hoping that they could relate to me more
because I was in their situation a few years back.
- I am also sure Frank,
with teenagers nowadays they aren't that easy.
- I know, I know.
It's a bit of a challenge, but hey.
- So they can't swim or they don't wanna go to the pool?
- And that's the thing.
They say, the guy who's mentoring them,
whose running the programme says,
they can swim but they just don't want to.
And that's the thing I just don't get.
I just don't get it.
Yeah.
I just, I really don't understand, I just don't get.
- The reason, the biggest reason
why I haven't continued to swim
is because it's just not
is like no one around me wants to go swim.
So it's just not, it's just not an interest to be honest.
It's just really not an interest.
And not a lot of family members go swimming.
Like it's never been a feeling when my mom's like,
look we're going swimming today.
Or my dad's like,
look you going swimming with your cousins
or something like that.
So it's just never been an interest really.
- It's like nine to five,
like road man don't find nine to five appealing at all.
But yeah, you would do what you do.
And one day you might not make money
and the next day you might,
but it's like, would you want to take that risk
or would you rather not work every single day,
when you're gonna get a pay slip,
but then but it's the mindset
is I don't wanna be looked as someone that's in a uniform
in a Sainsbury's uniform or.
Do you know what I mean,
that's not the person that I keep.
And I think that's where it goes wrong.
There's a lot of black people
that might actually want to swim
but because there's no one else
that actually does it with them,
what's the point?
We don't wanna swim alone,
that's not something you wanna do, you know what I mean.
- I don't know if it's
but maybe it's even historical.
When you read the things that,
you know the Black people in the slave boats
and they jumped off the sides and all that,
and they all drowned.
I mean, just Black people being an enemy of water
because it was over the waters we were transferred.
It's was like, minorities and like immigration crisis,
going on these boats and you hear the terrible things
that happen where, on the water.
- It's all water.
- And so maybe it's little things like this
that you see in the media and that like
that just get passed around on the internet and stuff
that it's just building up this thing of, yeah.
That's not where we belong.
- I think people, we always make jokes and we make remarks.
And to some extent, I'm definitely not one of those people
but I have seen Black people make fun of other Black people
for not being able to swim
and making it seem like something
they should be ashamed about
but that doesn't create an environment where we can learn.
Simon, Simon, Simon.
What are we to do with you?
Black swimming?
What a load of codswallop.
Don't waste your time.
Don't waste your time Simon.
- Every time I'm coming to see you right,
It's a process.
I have to go into my wardrobe and find something
'cause I know that you're one of the best dressed people
in West London and you always out shine me.
So I'll always have to go to my wardrobe
and try and find something
that will not make me look not too good.
I put this jacket on and you don't even have your jacket on.
- I was almost tempted to put on a fancy one
then I thought no, no, no.
I'll ease you up this time.
- So how's things anyway?
- Just steady, just steady,
trying to cope with this little, the little knockdown.
Getting myself prepared for when it opens up a little bit,
things are going fine.
- The book.
What's happening in the book?
- Well its going well.
The adventures of Professor Splash
or "The Swimming Lesson" which is.
It's going well.
I'm working on a character,
which is Rose Marolda, swimming teacher
that shouts and screams
and Professors Splash, sings and dance.
- This is gonna be big you know,
because people have waited
for something since "Rasta Mouse".
- I've revisited it.
And my plan and my thoughts are to get it out
at some point by let's just say March 2021.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Talking about swimming.
I've been mentoring these two kids.
I wouldn't say kids, but young adults.
And part of the programme that they're on
says that they have to swim.
And they just don't to get in the water.
They just try any excuse.
I thought I was a master of excuses
before I started learning how to swim
but that's how, they top me.
They did just not wanna get into the water
and I just don't know what to do.
But you been doing this for years.
You've been teaching for years.
Do you have any tips?
- The way I would look at it is that,
motivation it's like anything else.
You have to find a way to motivate.
If they say that could swim
well, then you'd say, well, let me see what you can do.
Let me see exactly what you can do in the water.
So you just go and because in actual fact,
I dunno what interest they've got
but you could transfer any interest into water.
- Yeah.
- Always, always have we need to deal with things
and do with swimming.
Always have it is a motivational incentive
because in actual fact, no matter what they do
they do think don't always benefit.
There's no payback or such.
There's only benefit.
So it's a world where you can be in that water
you can be free, is really, really liberating.
And especially with a young imagination,
it's amazing what you can get out of them really.
- Oh yeah.
- So I think if you could encourage them into the water,
they'll benefit.
- I'll definitely try and I'll speak to them about that.
So trying to use some kind of incentive,
I don't wanna say bribery.
I guess incentivize them into, get into the water.
- And when you do get them in.
Then you give them something that's gonna excite
and that's gonna stimulate them, motivate them.
But say, look, anyone could say they could swim
but the proof of the pudding, get in the river.
- Yeah.
Children are, they're challenging.
- It's difficult because as earlier mentioned
we've got things like football, basketball,
American football, all these sports
where it's more endurance spaced.
Well, swimming is an endurance sport
but Black people,
we don't tend to swim like competitive as well.
And if people want to pursue stuff like that
if a Black person wants to pursue a swimming career
they can, it's just how many of them are there
to actually say they're willing to do that,
to learn and to actually go out there
and do it and chase a career in it.
- Yes, I definitely feel like
if there was like more advertisement towards swimming
and like Black people swimming
and that people would do it more
and it would be like an enforcement.
So yeah, for like a really important.
I feel like they should be advertising on swimming
so that we see and watching inclined to want to do it.
Because you don't see it,
it's not something you worry about.
We worry about or feel like at some point.
- Yeah, I think it is like the same thing like football,
but like football,
everyone like wants to do it from like straight up
when you're in school, like when you're going to activities,
you always wanna play football, kickball and all of that.
It's like, that's what England is like.
Us British people are like, known for.
So like, it's a bit different for like,
when it comes to swimming,
'cause like not everyone wants to just go and swim.
Like it's like, it's a good activity.
Like it's good for like burning fat,
like losing weight and all of that.
But like I just don't see people like wanting
to take part in it.
- And the way to maybe do it
is just to make it look more cool
and more advertising to young people.
And even not just promoting it but installing it
into like our curriculum.
So I was lucky enough to go to a school
that a primary school,
that brought us to a swimming pool.
But even secondary schools now,
are they bringing people to learn how to swim?
'Cause as I just said, it's a life skill.
- You see like, I don't know, Michael Phelps,
like, I don't know that,
I don't know any Black freaking swimmer.
You see what I mean?
So you need one of them
like to be like a high level and then adverts and stuff
so kids can see it.
- Maybe it's one of them ones
where we just leave one superstar on the sport as well.
Maybe we need like the Usain Bolt of the track, in the pool.
You know what I mean?
We need one guy just to pop up out of nowhere
and just start slapping gold medals
and just doing his thing.
Do you know what I mean?
And kids be like, oh, I wanna be like him.
- I don't even know if it needs to be marketed
but more so just normalised.
It's kind of like, how you have that problem.
You bring a white person to the cookout
and you make such a fun fair about it.
Now it becomes a thing when really embracing our culture
shouldn't really be a thing in the first place.
It's just equality for all.
- I feel like swimming and sports overall
but swimming as well, it frees your mind.
Start you're in water, just you know what I mean?
You're, intact to the earth to a certain extent
but on a deeper level.
And it goes for people that jog as well.
That people like to jog and go through parks on purpose
'cause it's nature.
Do you know what I mean, it makes them feel a bit better.
I feel like it's a distraction
but it's a better destruction.
For example, I've actually recently been listening
to music only recent, but I stopped for months.
And the reason why I stopped was my mental health
was a bit up and down.
And everything I listened to just sounds like
steel pans in my ears that it's not soothing,
do you know what I mean.
Certain music, certain films we watch have an impact
to our emotions and what we're going through
and it can trigger it.
Swimming can't trigger it.
Going to the gym can't trigger it.
And neither is jogging gonna trigger it.
Do you know what I mean?
'Cause it's all life skills.
It's all free spirit, do you know what I mean?
That part of it plays a big impact on it.
- Swimming, unlike for other sports,
can become a life and death situation.
Whereas the other sports that are constantly promoted
are just for leisurely purposes.
- Oh Layla.
It's your friend Mr Society.
We don't want to let no one know
about our little secret, do we?
It's just between you and I.
Forget about swimming.
Swimming is no good.
It's not for you.
It's not for Blacks.
Remember, Blacks can't swim.
- Layla.
Layla.
Are you all right there girl?
What you daydreaming?
- Yes.
Sorry, a lot in my mind, don't mind me.
Never seen this number before.
Answer it for me please.
- Hello, who's calling?
- Hi, Layla this is Frank.
- It's that Frank guy you spoke to the other day.
Do you want to speak to him?
- Yeah.
Hello?
- Yeah this is Frank.
Yeah.
So yeah, so I wanted to speak to you
about the swimming programme.
Are you free?
Are you free to chat?
- No, not really.
And to be honest, I don't wanna waste your time.
- Okay.
Well basically I wanted to just talk to you about
the swimming programme with Ettiene,
but also wanted to talk about your interest in travelling.
- Oh really?
- 'Cause I know someone who will be,
I can introduce you to him.
They organise these packages
and these travel programmes all around the world.
Let's meet at a more convenient time
so that we could have a conversation about that.
- Okay, then I'll speak to you tomorrow.
- Great, great, great.
Let's do that.
- Okay, thanks for the call.
- Okay, speak to you later.
Bye.
- Okay, bye.
- What was that about?
You changed your tune pretty quick.
- Well, he wasn't being rude or anything.
And like he said, he wanted us to speak to me
about some other stuff.
So I said, I'll speak to him tomorrow.
- Okay.
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ What's my name ♪
♪ Smokey Boy baby ♪
♪ I've been on the come up ♪
♪ I'm the man ♪
♪ If you wanna know me check my ways ♪
♪ I've been running so much no delay ♪
♪ Smokey Boy baby ♪
♪ We all heading in a different way ♪
♪ So much pain ♪
♪ Pick up messes on the way ♪
♪ Sometimes stuck up in my ways ♪
- Fam, this is sounding cold fam.
Mo, what are you telling me fam?
The bars is cold ain't it?
- That one there, that's the one fam.
- K, add your bits to it.
Do your magic and there
and when this thing hits the streets it's done fam.
That's it
- No, don't worry bro, I got you in it.
Just that I'll add that to the beat later.
- Whoa.
What'd you mean later fam?
Yor moving mad bro, finish the beat now fam.
- Fam, why you always onto me man?
Man needs inspiration, in it?
- What you mean, finish the beat now fam.
- Man need inspiration in it,
it just doesn't come like that.
- It's not even that fam.
How much more inspiration do you need fam?
Finish the beat now fam.
- Fresh.
- Hello.
- Hello, is this Simon, I mean K Frost?
- Who's this?
- Yeah, yeah.
This is Frank.
Can you speak?
- No, right now is not a good time.
I'm in the studio.
- Okay, I wanna speak to you about this the swim programme
with Etienne and also about music.
- Is it?
Yeah, yeah, give me one second, yeah.
- Hey Sayso, where's he going fam?
- That man is never involved fam.
- Chat to your boy, fam.
Come on, man.
- Hello, sorry you were saying bro?
- So like I was saying,
I wanna speak to you about the programme around with Etienne
to get you in the pool and all that.
And also as you're a musician,
have you done any music videos?
- No, just getting some tracks done.
- You certainly have to.
It's part and parcel of it nowadays,
it's very, very important, 'cause everything's visual now.
And I know this award-winning film director
and he does music videos.
I can introduce you to him.
- What, for real?
- Yeah, yeah, seriously yeah, I can.
- I'm gas.
- I tell you what yeah.
Let's link up.
Let's link up somewhere we can sit down
and have a conversation about both the swimming
and the music and I can actually introduce you to him
so that we could all sit and have a conversation.
- No, but listen,
ring me tomorrow so that we link, in it.
- Yeah. Yeah.
Okay, all right.
Yeah, we'll do that.
Yeah, all right.
All right.
Speak to them by later, bye.
- All right, in a little bit.
Yes.
♪ What's my name ♪
♪ Smokey Boy baby ♪
Hey, what's going on here man, that's my beat.
- What?
Your not serious though fam.
I need this thing finished fam.
You're going on like its a call center, bro.
- Bro, I was on the phone for five minutes, five minutes.
And that time you let that waste man take my beat fam.
- Fam, fam take it easy fam.
Frost you can't be saying that fam.
You've been on the phone for like five, 10 minutes.
Mo is paying for the session fam.
You're taking too long fam.
What, are you gonna come and finish the beat or not?
- Nah mans, you mans have been sneaky fam.
You mans have been sneaky fam.
- Fam, no one has been sneaky fam
just come finish it fam.
- You know what, further more, keep the beat fam.
Mans out fam.
- Man's moving emotion and now fam.
Yow Frost.
Yow come man.
- See, that's what I'm telling you fam.
He's not serious fam.
He's on this swimming thing bro.
- Fam you always getting on to him fam.
Just make him finish the beat fam.
Grimz, that's his beat and he needs to finish it.
So we go let him finish it.
So I'll go chat to him anyways.
- Whatever, man.
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ What's my name ♪
- So Layla, you know this exhibition
I've been talking to you about.
If you apply it you probably actually,
matter of fact you actually will get in
and I'll put in a good word for you.
You fit that criteria perfectly.
- That sounds really good.
- I've always wanted to go to the Amazon or Africa
and experience different cultures.
But one thing I must let you know
there's a level of swimming involved so.
I was wondering when this swimming part was going to happen
- I promised Ettiene
that I will have a conversation with you
and actually try and convince you to start swimming
cause you just tried to avoid swimming as much as possible.
Because he said you can swim,
but you just don't wanna get into the water.
Can you swim?
- Yes, I can.
- Like swim properly or are you now learning?
Did something happen?
- No, nothing happened.
I can actually swim.
I like to swim.
I don't mind it.
- So what is the problem?
- Is private, I told you.
- So you know, the swimming's event
that's happening in a couple of weeks.
What can I do to encourage you to swim?
You know, swimming is very, very important
and I'm pretty sure, you know that,
it's that the life safety part of it,
the drowning prevention part of it.
Just the wellbeing.
And you know, just the recreational part of it.
The mental health part of it,
it's a very important thing to do.
And I just don't get it.
I don't understand why you don't don't do wanna do it.
And the worst thing is that you're prepared
to sacrifice the expedition just to not swim.
- I just don't wanna swim, it's private.
- But yeah, that's the thing that confuses me.
You don't mind it, but you won't do it.
There doesn't seem to be any logic there.
Unless there something that you're not telling me.
There's something that you're hiding
and I'm pretty sure it's hidden under the private.
I just don't get it.
I really don't get it.
I'll help you.
- I ain't doing no stupid swimming.
- So literally did our parents talk to us
about swimming or encourage?
I feel like only because it was like we said, it was,
- In school.
- In school, you had to do it.
It was compulsory to swim in school.
- But at the end, it's not like they pushed us too.
That was just like another thing in school.
School was the main thing.
- It's like PE.
You have to do it.
- So, but it wasn't their focus.
- Yeah.
- And even outside of school,
like I never saw them swimming either.
So it's not like,
- That's true.
- We went on swimming trips together as a family.
- When it's family time at the beach and stuff,
it's like, you sit take pictures near,
like the kind of shallow ends.
That's it, that's as far as like our uncles
and aunties were.
But I've never actually seen
any of them swim properly before.
I don't know about you.
- I don't know.
I think dad can swim or I've heard him say he can.
- He can't swim.
- Yeah.
- He lying.
- It's not like something I've seen.
- I think that's the natural thing of parenthood, isn't it?
You're always pushing your kid to do things
that are best for them in the long run
that they're gonna get annoyed at
but they still need to do them.
And then hopefully in time,
they will look back actually
and appreciate the way you pushed them.
- I think if your parents,
if my parents never swam, then I wouldn't swim.
And I just think it's to do with that.
If you don't, if you never do it
then you'll never know what it's like.
And it's not something, if it's not something
that doesn't concern you to do
if you don't feel the need to do it
then I feel like it just gets passed down.
It's just like, swimming's a lot of concern.
- I don't have children,
but if I did I would say I'll be worried.
I feel like everyone should know how to swim.
Like for safety, number one.
And like being in water,
like as a child I feel like you need to know how to swim
for like for yourself literally, you know safety.
- So in the future with my kids,
I'm definitely gonna encourage swimming.
I'll get them started,
like how nowadays
people are starting their toddlers into swimming
just so in case they fall into the pools,
they can survive and like float for a couple of minutes.
- I think I would try and teach them.
So just to have the extra skill, like coming up,
I don't think like my dad did the same thing with me.
I heard like some stories and like in Scotland
of how people learn how to swim.
They're just like, yeah we just toss the kid in the water
and then just like start teaching them
at a really young age.
My dad never done that.
- I think it's a necessary skill to have.
Do you know what I mean?
So obviously in Britain
we don't need to worry about as much,
but I just feel like one day
your little youth is gonna end up going to school
and then secondary school and not some schools
and not they do swimming as like
like part of your like PE and all that.
Do you know what I mean?
So if he's going there,
last thing I want my kid to get there
and everyone else is diving and doing their thing.
And he's sitting there being like,
oh yeah, I dunno how to swim.
Do you know what I mean?
- So, it's a blessing if they start young
'cause every time like I start learning
a new language in it, once you start young,
like it's more easier to learn it while you're young.
And like it goes on
and like you can continue learning
and learning and learning.
- Come in.
Simon, wasn't expecting you.
- Yeah.
I just came in from quick chat.
- Yeah, sure, take a seat.
What's up?
- You know I spoke to that Frank guy.
He sounds cool though.
- Did you get anything meaningful out of it?
- He seems cool.
He was but gassing me up
telling me he's got this music video director link for us.
What I really need to find out is
you still need me to do
that swimming thing next week, ain't it?
- Are you gonna actually turn up this time?
- Do I really need to do it?
- Listen Simon, I've got this whole programme funded
and it wasn't easy, but I need numbers to justify it.
And this talk that you keep saying that Blacks don't swim,
I don't know where you get this from.
Swimming is extremely good for your health and wellbeing.
And they're looking for more ethnic minorities
to join the aquatic industry.
There are so many opportunities for you
to train as a lifeguard or swimming instructor
were almost a guaranteed job at the end of it.
- All right.
All right, I'll do it.
I'll do it.
- Listen, I know your confidence is low
but this is why I want you to link with Frank.
He's had to deal with a few things himself
and he knows what it's like.
So keep in contact with him, all right.
- All right.
Thank you.
- All right.
- Hello, Layla.
It's Frank.
Layla.
- Hello?
- Oh, okay.
Listen.
So I'm gonna use this as an opportunity
to say sorry for what happened last time.
And like I said,
I should'nt have pushed you.
I should have known and me of all people
'cause I've been through the situation
so I should have known.
So yeah.
You there.
- Hello.
- Okay, all right.
So this is what it is.
I'll just say sorry for, yeah.
For what happened last time.
- Okay, bye.
That was awkward.
Okay.
- What about last night?
- Mel, oh my gosh.
That's so embarrassing.
- I know, when she stood up at the cinema,
it was just, oh my gosh it was so cringy.
- Bet that was so awkward.
- She'll never ever leave that down.
I just remind her about it all the time.
She's really sheepish about it
So funny.
Yes, lots.
- How did that call go?
- Not too well, not too well.
It was kind of awkward actually.
- Oh really?
- I'm not so sure she was even listening
to half the thing I was saying.
- Dick said that you were meeting some kids
that you'd been asked to mentor.
- Yes.
So I've been asked to mentor these two young adults
and the part of a programme for disadvantaged children.
And one of the, one of the elements of the programme
is that they swim and the girl in particular
she just doesn't wanna get into the water.
- Can she actually swim?
- Yeah, yeah.
She said she can but,
- Will she not tell you why.
- When I, every time I tried speaking to her about it
it just doesn't go too well.
- She might not wanna tell you because you're a man
and it's related to being a woman.
- Why, like what?
- It could be her body or something to do with their hair,
or maybe it's a time of a month.
- It's time of the month.
Well, if it's the time of the month
I suggest she sees a doctor
because I didn't think they last that long.
- It could be something
that's psychologically affecting her.
A bit like you, before you learned to swim
maybe something emotionally or physically
that's giving her low self confidence
when she has to swim.
- Why are women so complicated?
- They're not, you're just an idiot.
- Coming from an African background.
My mom can't swim, at all.
My dad's can swim,
but when I'm looking at properly
my dad's background of growing up was a bit different.
So he grew up in Uganda and he was quite exposed to beaches.
And you know what I mean, those type of things.
And my dad is quite active.
But when I look at it,
It's like, if the parent doesn't know how to do it
and they don't necessarily see it as a life skill,
why is it important for them to reflect on their kids,
to teach their kids?
However, if it was cooking though,
parents would be teaching their kids, do you get it?
- Early on in life, you'll see it as insignificant,
this, that and the third you think,
oh when am I gonna get into a pool anyway?
Or when am I gonna be around water willingly
to have to be in that situation?
But then when you're actually thrust into the midst of
can I swim or can I not swim?
Those are the moments that you would wish that somebody
had had the foresight prior to like get you into it.
- Yeah.
I think the climate has a big factor to do with it.
I know a lot of people they'd rather gone
in the swimming pool abroad and stuff 'cause it's warmer
and stuff like that.
But like even in summer,
I don't see a lot of people run into the swimming pools.
And I don't see a lot of my friends saying,
let's go swimming.
You know, I know there's the light
it's like an open kind of thing
like I know some people do that,
but I just don't see a lot of people
from the culture run into swimming pools, ever.
♪ I ain't into the ride and stuff ♪
♪ I'm just on the writing stuff ♪
♪ Every track man touch turn gold ♪
♪ Come like I got the Midas Touch ♪
♪ Small buzz ♪
♪ Light it up I will light a man up ♪
♪ If he tries this husk get shot ♪
♪ By the pen he sent from my friend ♪
♪ Or the knife and stuff ♪
♪ I ain't into the ride and stuff ♪
♪ I'm just on the writing stuff ♪
♪ Every track man touch turn gold ♪
♪ Come like I got the Midas Touch ♪
♪ Small buzz ♪
♪ Light it up and I light a man up ♪
♪ If he tries this husk get shot ♪
♪ By the sent from a friend ♪
♪ On the night from stuff ♪
♪ I find it tough to befriend these vegas ♪
♪ That's why my circle is small ♪
♪ Focus on dough man come like bakers ♪
♪ Me and bro bro be making noise ♪
♪ But the CB is sleeping so we gonna wake us ♪
♪ Wake up, wake up. ♪
♪ Your baby loves Jay Blaze... ♪
♪ And the trainers stainless ♪
♪ So I steal that lifestyle from pay less ♪
♪ Back in the day when the kid was aimless ♪
♪ Man as in Tesco Lidl or Savers ♪
♪ Now I get papers lots ♪
♪ I don't leave songs but I'm on this trading ♪
♪ Man stay catching these pips and ting ♪
♪ No way I'm catching no cases ♪
♪ Can't do I'm dirty with Bummy cause she got high expectations ♪
♪ It's straining but I embrace it ♪
♪ I was raised well what can I expect ♪
♪ It could have gone left ___ ♪
♪ I see is mans growing up in packs ♪
♪ But I'm a me so I'm trying to do things right ♪
♪ And keep writing and I won't rest ♪
♪ No, no ♪
♪ Till the day I accept I'm the best ♪
♪ They respect when I say it with chest ♪
♪ Believe ♪
♪ I ain't in the ride and stuff ♪
♪ I'm just in the writing stuff ♪
♪ Every track man touch turn gold ♪
♪ Come like I got the Midas Touch ♪
♪ Small buzz ♪
♪ Light it up, I will light a man up ♪
♪ If he tries this husk get shot ♪
♪ By the pen he sent from a friend ♪
♪ On the night and stuff ♪
- Yow GG.
Yow my G, jump on the car fam.
- I'm in a rush in it.
- Hey come out your feelings bro, get in the car man.
♪ None of that violence got life ♪
♪ It's like youth don't care about lives ♪
♪ And I when them man dem gonna just pattern ♪
♪ And stop stabbing them and putting these lives down. ♪
♪ We've all lost bros to the road ♪
♪ Is enough their mothers can't cuddle ♪
- Yow G, you always got something to say you know.
And we go way back fam.
- Exactly fam man.
Relax fam.
This tune here, this tune here will make us blow fam.
- That's what I'm saying fam.
And listen, the beat is still there for you in there
if you want it.
Now stop acting up fam.
Come on let's do this thing fam.
- Yeah safe, safe, safe.
But I'm actually in a rush though.
We're meant to meet Frank.
He's saying he's got a music video director for us.
- For real?
- Yeah, I'm not even joking.
You might as much as a ride with me.
Fam if I'm having anything to do with music,
I'm down fam.
Come on lets roll out for me.
You down?
- I don't even know, you know fam.
- Fam what are you telling me fam.
Come on man it's music related, ain't it?
So let's try and get this thing pattern.
- Yeah, I hear that, still say no more man, roll still.
- Fam, Frost we're rolling with you still.
♪ I'm a me so I'm trying doing things right ♪
♪ And keep writing and I won't rest ♪
♪ Nope, Nope. ♪
♪ Till the day I accept I'm the best ♪
♪ They respect when I say with chest. ♪
♪ Believe ♪
♪ I ain't in the ride and stuff ♪
♪ I'm just in the writing stuff ♪
♪ Every track man turn to gold ♪
♪ Come like I got the Milas touch ♪
♪ Small buzz ♪
♪ Light it up I will light a man up ♪
♪ If he tries this husk get shot ♪
♪ By sent from a friend or the knife and stuff ♪
♪ I ain't into the ride and stuff ♪
♪ I'm just on the writing stuff ♪
♪ Every track man touch turn gold ♪
♪ Come like I got the Midas touch ♪
♪ Small buzz ♪
♪ Light it up I will light a man up ♪
♪ If he tries this husk get shot ♪
♪ By the sent from a friend ♪
♪ On the knife and staff ♪
♪ None of that violence that life ♪
♪ It's like youths don't care about lives ♪
♪ When the man dem gonna just pattern ♪
♪ And stop stabbing and putting these lives down ♪
♪ We've all lost bros to the road ♪
♪ It's enough their mothers can't cuddle their child now ♪
♪ Everyone is fixed in revenging ends ♪
♪ And I'm worried about my town ♪
♪ No way my child being raised in the London ♪
♪ Breaking down boxes like AJ ♪
♪ Pattern a wage and wait till pay day ♪
♪ Get it ♪
♪ If you need P or you want them G's make it work ♪
♪ Culture is harmful set an example ♪
♪ To the youth that made them learn ♪
- Hi, hello.
What can I offer you to drink?
- Just water please.
Three waters please.
- No problem.
- Thank you.
Well thank you for coming, thank you for coming down.
That's my boy Sayso and Mo.
- Don't I see you somewhere.
I think I've seen you somewhere before.
- I swear your the same brother fam.
- Yeah, I remember you a while back wearing
that life jacket.
I remember yeah.
Those days, I've tried to put those days behind me.
Those are the days whereby I used to wear
the life jacket everywhere I go.
- So you all know each other, yeah.
- Yeah, yeah we've met.
We've had a chat, we've had a chat yeah.
I used to go everywhere,
I used to wear a life jacket everywhere I go.
- Hold on, are you the same brother
that's gonna teach my man how to swim?
- I'm not teaching him how to swim,
I'm just trying to encourage him to swim.
- Well like a mentor thing.
- That's right, yeah.
And that's, what's makes me a great mentor
because I am only now after all these years
I have now learning how to swim.
- So what's this all about?
Is it just the swimming?
- But basically I promise Ettiene
that I'll speak with you about the gala,
getting into the water but there's an issue.
There seem to be a bigger issue about you,
- All right, before you go further,
yow Frost can you tell my man what your situation is though?
- Tell him fam, come on.
- Come on.
- I can't say.
- Tell him fam.
- No man, don't be acting up man,
just show him, it's nothing man,
you're worried over nothing fam, come on.
- I'm clearly missing something.
- Show it bro.
- It's my feet, ain't it.
Why are you guys laughing for man?
- No, no, no.
I'm not laughing at you.
Now when you say feet, 'cause I have a similar problem.
Look at my feet.
It's like a boat.
- Frank, why do Black people need swimming?
- It's such an important thing.
You know, swimming is such an important thing
from a life safety perspective,
from a recreational perspective and the mental health.
It's such, it's one of the best formal exercise out there.
You have to do it.
And every excuse you could possibly give
for not wanting to learn how not to swim
or wanted to swim, I've done it.
And we've got this gala thing,
this thing happening and in a couple of weeks time
and Ettiene is expecting you to be there.
And are you guys coming, any of you coming?
- I'm just about the music right now though.
- I think we spoke about music.
And then I'll tell you about this music director,
this award winning music director.
- I'm sold fam I'm coming, Frost, you down?
- Yeah, mans on it.
- Mo, down?
- Don't know man.
- Mo, come on.
- For the music.
- Now let's talk about the music.
Let's talk about this
♪ Represent just like ♪
♪ Disproportionately Black ♪
♪ Run me off the track ♪
♪ My Black friends don't swim ♪
♪ My White friends too keen ♪
- You know what, it does the number surprises me,
but like I'm not surprised that Black people
like that much Black people don't swim.
But the number is like a lot.
Like that's high.
I can't believe that.
- I didn't know first of all.
- I didn't know.
Like I've always heard the thing you know,
blacks can't swim, Black people aren't good at swimming
or don't want to swim.
But when you're talking about the percent,
the actual stats, I never knew that.
- So yeah, after hearing those figures,
it's always, you know the running joke
of Black people who can't swim.
I was always aware of that
but it's really shocking and surprising
to know that it's that many Black people
who do not swim at all.
- It's such a high figure.
And I, you know what, I'm not surprised.
I'm not honestly surprised.
I am surprised it is so high
but I'm just not surprised
because like there's something where black people
and water and like swimming, it just doesn't go together,
do you know what I mean?
- I'm not gonna lie to you.
It doesn't, it doesn't, none of us really liked swimming.
But they're strong swimmers like Black swimmers out there.
But like, like not all of them.
Like if you're looking at majority,
if you're looking at those numbers,
it's like different to how you would see
like white, Caucasians, I mean, Latinos, Asians,
like we just don't.
We ain't got the numbers on our side on our side.
- Thinking about it now like the friends
that we've went swimming with I'd say are similar to us.
We've got friends that have fun in water.
You know, there's kind of difference of having fun in water
than actually swimming, you know.
Like if we were in a situation where we had to swim,
I'd be like we wouldn't be able to do that.
- A small number.
- Yeah, yeah a small number.
- Or a confident team.
And that kind of matches up with this statistic then.
'Cause when you think of all how big our group is
and then maybe it's just two man
- Yeah, It's actually weird water.
- It's about 80% of a group.
- Yeah.
- That's weird how that actually works out.
- Hey Layla.
I was just passing.
- Hey come in.
- Thank you.
- I was just passing, you know, normally I'd phone.
I don't like anybody passing when they don't phone.
But I was just in the area
so I thought I come and say hey.
- Sure, nice to see you.
I haven't seen you in ages.
- I know.
Ooh, let's see the nails.
Very nice.
What's that?
Is that?
What colour is that?
- Sherlock.
- Oh shelloc, it's expensive.
- Its worth it.
- Don't even look at my nails.
I've been trying to do some gardening but is all good.
Oh, I saw Fiona the other day.
Did you?
- We spoke about hair for ages.
She was just like, what products should I use?
My hair is getting dry.
You know, the kind of stuff we talk about.
In fact talking about hair,
like I need to talk to you about mine as well.
It's getting long.
- It is.
Let me see, turn around.
It is, it's looking healthy as well,
you're looking after it.
- I'm trying.
I'm thinking of getting locs.
- But?
- It's just the maintaining part of it like,
I feel like I should do it in due time.
- So how's swimming.
You've been for awhile.
- I haven't been in awhile.
- I thought you like swimming.
I do but,
- But
- Hmm, it's just I have stretch marks.
- Oh, stretch marks.
Yeah, it's nothing bad to worry about in front of that.
- None of my friends have it though.
- You think none of your friends has got them,
trust me, every girl in some point
that you ask her she's gonna get stretch marks.
So she's got stretch marks.
Maybe you just can't see them.
Sometimes it's on your chest, it's on your bum,
wherever you start filing out.
So many of things that us women have to go through sometimes
but it's nothing bad.
There's nothing to really worry about.
- I don't know.
Do you have them?
- Layla?
My gosh.
Yes I do.
Trust me.
I'm just laughing
because it just totally reminds me of when I was younger.
I was just like you.
I used to go swimming all the time
and then just out of no where
I just started getting stretch marks on my bum and my thighs
and I was like ahh.
And there was like no Black girls around.
So can you even, you know, go and confide in them
or ask their advice.
But eventually I got over it.
And one of the major things was
I went out and I found this swimsuit.
I still remember it had stripes on it.
It was navy blue, but it had shorts on it.
And I covered all the stretch marks,
I was that was me.
I was back in the pool.
I was just like, yeah.
So once I took care of that, that was it.
Nothing was holding me back.
I was just straight back in there.
- Oh my days.
A bodysuit.
- You can get anything these days.
Trust me, there's so many options out there now
and there's like two pieces.
You can get shorts, so you can get three quarter length.
You can even get full body suits.
Cause there's people who go swimming
and they don't want to show any of their body.
So you can actually get a full covering.
- Oh my days, I've got to get one.
- You need to.
I mean, they're a bit more expensive,
but yeah it's totally worth it.
- Yeah.
In fact, I've got something coming up.
I'm glad we had this conversation.
- I'm glad to hear it.
But you know, like on a more serious note though,
just never let society dictate to you
where it is that you wanna do.
Don't let society dictate what's right and what's wrong.
Everybody's got to do what it is, you know what I mean?
But you're a really good swimmer
so you should never let things hold you back.
You know, you've got things that you wanna do.
There's things that you wanna achieve
so make sure that nothing holds you back from that.
And you'll be good.
- Thanks Julia.
You always say the right things to me.
- You know I've been through so much stuff,
but you know what?
I can not stop for long, but I'm glad we had this chat.
I'm gonna get to get going.
Give me a hug.
Right, make sure you call me if there's anything
you wanna speak about, okay?
- Okay.
Thank you.
- No problem.
- Hey Julia, how you doing?
- Yeah, so I've just spoken to Layla.
We sat down, we had a really good chat actually.
- Oh, whoa, awesome.
That is awesome.
- She told me about her issue.
I gave her some advice,
so she's feeling much better about it.
So I think everything will be all right.
- I just can't wait to speak to her.
- But listen, Frank, don't say anything to her yet.
Just let her come to you.
- Yeah I get it.
I understand, I understand.
- Okay, cool.
All right, yeah say hi to Jigs for me
and I'll catch you guys soon, all right?
- Yeah, I'll send my love.
Cheers, bye.
All right.
Okay.
Speak to you later.
Bye-bye
- See, it's actually quite proven
that periods just kind of,
your body kind of stops when you're in water.
Like it doesn't flow as heavy.
Yeah, I didn't know that until recently.
But your body doesn't flow as heavily,
people don't know that.
And people think, oh no, my periods come out.
I don't wanna go swimming.
But then it's like, if it's not your period, it's your hair.
If it's not your hair, it's your gut.
If it's not your gut, it's your stretch marks.
If it's not your stretch marks it's something else.
And I feel like there's always a but.
- Yes, I definitely feel like,
what is stopping Black girls from swimming
is things like body appreciation
things like stretch marks
and how they view themselves and maybe how society makes them feel about themselves.
And like from a young age you're like what's going on around you
and on your body.
So I feel like all black girls like avoid it
or even if they do go swimming or like go to the beach
or like covered up maybe,
and like didn't want to like show too much and.
- I don't wanna go in the water and got my hair wet.
And I suffered from eczema myself.
So when I go in the water and I come out,
all my cream that I've put on in the morning,
all comes up in the pool.
Sometimes that can be a bit embarrassing.
Cause you're just seeing like a cloud.
It looks like I'm dirty, but it's not.
It's just my cream coming off.
Cause quite thick in it.
Cause I go eczema.
So my cream will come off
and I've come out now my skin is great.
It looks like I've never creamed in a month.
Do you know what I mean?
So if I ain't got the right cream with me at the time,
it's just, it's a lot of work just for us
to go in that water sometimes.
So especially that when I'm on holiday,
if it's not for my partner, I'm not bothering.
I'm looking nice.
I feel good.
I'm happy.
I get in the water.
And now I've got to be thinking about my hair.
I've got to be thinking about coming out, creaming my skin.
Sometimes you can't even just creamy skin.
You need to have actual shower.
Do you know what I mean,
to wash off the chlorine, all the chemicals.
All the other dirty stuff that's in the water.
So sometimes it can really be a lot of hustle
more than what people think.
- Yeah, 'cause you feel like mainly like the White girls
they're very like slim, the really skinny.
So you look and you think, okay, I don't look like that.
So I guess it's kind of different.
But still I don't personally think
that should stop you from swimming
because everyone's different obviously.
Not everyone's gonna be like really skinny.
- Doesn't matter what other people look like.
It doesn't matter what other people say.
You are beautiful.
These beauty standards, it doesn't matter
because whoever made them is ridiculous anyway.
And no one said that that was the body to have.
And you just need to love yourself
and you need to be confident in your own body,
in your own skin.
And then you start to realise
that what people say doesn't matter
because you know you love yourself
and you know that your opinion is the one that matters.
No one else's opinion matters.
- You guys saying, anyone want pizza fam?
- No G.
- What, no one fam?
- What's in it though?
- This is chicken, beef, sweet corn fam.
- I don't eat beef, I don't eat beef.
- Since when?
- The other day still, I don't eat beef.
Told you fam.
Mans been watching the news
and watching what's going on fam,
do your research fam.
- Yeah, what's that got to do with my pizza fam?
- Fam, what'd you think?
Whatever they eat, you eat.
- Meat is meat.
Food is food.
- Yeah but, I hear you.
You can offer my man then.
Say no more, you're looking hungry you still.
- I won't say no.
- Man then hungry.
That looks nice though.
- That's what your missing out on.
- Man is gassed you now.
Fam, when this tape drops, it's gonna be fire.
Frost is on his job today.
Fam is been on it.
- Fam, trust I got to say bro
hard fam, hard fam.
- This shit is gonna be done fam.
Once you link up with the producer with the film director.
- Wait, wait.
What film director?
- Frank is linking us up for this film director.
He said, if we do this swimming thing,
he's gonna hook us up with the nice film director.
- Boy hold on, hold on.
What are you talking about?
What film director is this?
And since then, could you swim?
- Don't watch that, it's only for the swimmers
One, two, three, the swimmers fam
Are you down to swim?
- Yeah, swimming is long man.
I'm not trying to swim.
You might as well just bring me into the music thing.
- We can't bring you in fam.
Everyone go into the swim thing only bro.
- That's what I'm telling you fam.
- But I can't swim though.
- You can still get involved fam for non-swimmers as well.
Are you down?
Fam you should be down man, come on G.
- We can do the swimming thing.
- That's what I'm saying.
Fam your always honest, all the time.
- ain't nothing man.
- I just say, you know, get in the pool, see how you feel.
But the one thing I say, when we're someone
who doesn't know how to do something,
I say get comfortable with what you're doing
and then I'll give them tips.
Like maybe you got to do this when you're swimming
and they do it.
And I'm like, okay, this is cool.
If you can't do it, you can't do it.
If you could do it, that you try
and push yourself a little bit harder every single time.
- One thing like feeling free in the water is like,
every day you wake up I feel like you have something to do.
You have something to prove,
but when in water there's no one to tell you,
you have to do this.
You literally just explore.
- It's once you get to a certain age
once someone tells you something
like it gives you an option to do something
you don't wanna do, you're just not gonna do it.
Like it's like trying teach someone to eat vegetables at 16.
It's just not gonna happen.
But if they've eaten it from the age of six or even just 10,
like they're gonna just naturally, yeah like that,
that's fine, it's not an issue.
But you try and teach a 16 year old to eat vegetables,
it's just not gonna work.
So you just got promoted from young
and try and bring them to the fun places
where they can learn how to swim
or you need to learn how to swim
so you can go to these fun places.
- You know, we're in a generation
for we have so much opportunity
and so much access to so many resources.
And if that's something you're interested in and it's there,
take it while you have it.
And you know, kind of feel your way through that water.
And in future,
you might be giving yourself more opportunities
just in life in general having learned something.
I didn't know, another way by doing something
that people said you could never, you never could do.
It encourages you in other places and other aspects of life
that as Black people, places we were never meant to be
- Most people like,
especially now like there's hardly any jobs out there
like being a lifeguard, like even like, what's it called?
Like, if you want to like work on planes and stuff like that
like air hostess or anything like that.
Like you need swimming as part of your like skills
like to have those jobs.
So it would, it's always a blessing.
You never know.
- I've have actually tried to look
into being a lifeguard in the past when I was a bit younger.
And then I saw in the description,
you have to know how to dive and hold your breath
and all of that.
And I just said, no, no, no, no, no.
It's not that I would never take a career in it.
But the feeling that I get in the water,
it's just I know it's never gonna change.
'Cause it's never changed from when I was younger.
- If I'm speaking to someone that doesn't know how to swim
or it's not like a thing in their life
I would like pass on a lot of like the facts
you just told me that this could save your life one day.
So like, you need to like try and look into at least
because like 85% of us don't swim and you can like,
you can just, you can die from it not knowing,
like it's a big deal man, like.
- I be like, bro, if you got a learner you got to do it
because the end of the day, like your gonna travel
and like do these things.
I think in the UK, we get lucky
because obviously like if you're Caribbean
or something like that or even African and that.
Like that's what surprising with these stats as well.
And even abroad is probably the same,
where it's like you're gonna be going into the sea.
You gonna be swimming in the sea.
You gonna be on boats.
It's gonna be crossing to other bits.
You know what I mean?
Like the last thing I'll be bricking myself
if I was on that boat crossing these bits
and I didn't know how to swim.
- It's never too late.
It's never too late.
You know what?
You might wanna swim now.
And you might not be able to.
Kids are very much at the mercy of their circumstances
and their environment.
And even though I'm not a parent yet,
I feel so much for your kid wanting to do things
then having dreams and not being able to give that to them.
I can only imagine how heartbreaking that must be.
So I'm not gonna say now that
you know the best thing you would do is to go
and nag your parents and say yeah,
I wanna swim, I wanna swim, make it happen for me.
If I'm sure if they could make it happen they would.
- But if anyone asked me like, is it worth doing
or is it worth trying to be an Olympic swimmer
and stuff like that?
I would push them to do it.
♪ Blacks Can't swim ♪
♪ Straight to the deep end ♪
♪ I've given my details ♪
♪ Everyone needs help ♪
♪ Everyone needs friends ♪
♪ But be careful who you play around ♪
♪ Get you lost, then get you found ♪
♪ I'm the King ♪
- Honestly Frank, I don't know what to say.
But thank you so much.
I mean there all there waiting to get in.
I mean, I don't know how you did it but somehow,
- I was determined to make it happen.
And then although it was a journey
and shall I say it's been a challenge,
but I was determined to make it happen.
And I was prepared to pull out every stops
to get them in there.
But yeah, I knew it was gonna happen anyway.
So 'cause I've been through it.
So I've been through it.
So I knew what they were feeling
and knew what they were going to throw.
And, but yeah, I'm so happy
that they're actually decided to get into the water
and yeah.
But, hold on.
Something I need to speak to you about.
There's a huge career potential
within their particular path.
- You really think so.
- Yeah, there's huge, you know,
but we'll talk about that one,
we'll have a proper conversation about that one.
- Yes sure.
- Okay.
Right now, I need to get in there and sort things out.
But yeah, but we'll chat.
- All right.
♪ Straight into the deep end ♪
♪ I've give my details ♪
♪ Everyone needs help ♪
♪ Everyone needs friends ♪
♪ But be careful who you play around ♪
♪ Get you lost then get you found ♪
- I'm so glad you came.
Really, really glad.
- Thank you.
- I'm very proud you.
- Thank you.
I'm sorry about last time as well.
- No, no, don't worry about it, don't worry.
It's all part of the journey.
I'll see you soon.
See you in a minute.
♪ Straight to the deep end ♪
♪ I'll give my details ♪
♪ Everyone needs help ♪
♪ Everyone needs friends ♪
♪ But be careful who you play around ♪
♪ Straight to the deep end ♪
So thank you very, very, very much for coming
to the second edition of the Swim Ting Workshop.
I'm really pleased to see all your faces.
See some new faces as well.
Yeah, really, really, thank you.
It's been a journey.
A bit of a challenging journey in some cases
but it's something I wanted to do
and Ettiene is gonna be very, very, proud of you guys
for making this.
So for those that don't know my story,
I only now just learn how to swim.
I only started learning how to swim a couple of years ago.
So I was brought up in an environment
whereby water safety meant stay away from the water
and you will not drown.
But we all know that that's not possible
in this current day and age
but we all go on holidays and stuff.
And yeah so it's water safety is very, very, important.
It got to a point whereby I couldn't do it anymore.
So I decided to confront my fears,
address the stereotypes and dispel the myths
and hence learn how to swim.
And it's glad because I could use my journey and my story
to encourage other people to learn how to swim as well.
There's also the recreational part of it,
the enjoyment part of it, the pleasurable part of it.
And also there's so much career potential in aquatics.
And this is something they should really, really consider.
More importantly, the enjoyment part of it.
So we're here to enjoy ourselves.
So let's get in the pool and splash around
and have some fun.
♪ The sequel ♪
♪ Ed Accura in the house ♪
♪ So I made a film called "Black Can't Swim" ♪
♪ Highlighting the generation-long issue ♪
♪ Due to a disproportionate amount of black people ♪
♪ That do not swim ♪
♪ Made it possible for the whole world ♪
♪ To talk about the issue ♪
♪ Which previously was uncomfortable to talk about ♪
♪ A generation that has continuously ♪
♪ been precluded from aquatics ♪
♪ 95% of black adults ♪
♪ And 80% of black children in England do not swim ♪
♪ And I'm guessing the figures are not much better globally ♪
♪ We've heard the reasons and excuses ♪
♪ As to why we do not swim ♪
♪ I used most of them myself ♪
♪ And also created a few additions in the process. ♪
♪ How many people living all their life without swimming ♪
♪ Would actually learn how to swim later in life ♪
♪ So how do we break the cycle ♪
♪ Create role models ♪
♪ Highlight their aquatic career pathway ♪
♪ Make swimming more relatable ♪
♪ The sequence to Black Can't Swim ♪
♪ Baby I'll splash, splash for you ♪
♪ Baby I'll splash splash for you ♪
♪ Sitting by the pool feeling so cool ♪
♪ Splash splash splash ♪
♪ They say blacks can't swim ♪
♪ That's okay take my time when I splash, splash, splash ♪
♪ They say Blacks can't swim ♪
♪ Siting by the pool ♪
♪ Feeling so cool ♪
♪ Splash, splash, splash ♪
♪ They say Blacks can't swim ♪
♪ That's okay take my time when I splash splash splash ♪
♪ They say Blacks can't swim ♪
♪ Straight to the deep end ♪
♪ I'll give my details ♪
♪ Everyone needs help ♪
♪ Everyone needs friends ♪
♪ But be careful who you play around ♪
♪ Get you lost and get you find ♪
♪ I'm the king ♪
♪ You know I'm holding the crown ♪
♪ Baby I'll splash splash for you ♪
♪ In the pool, feeling cool ♪
♪ Be strong, be you, play safe ♪
♪ Be yourself, be calm, be true ♪
♪ Straight to the deep end ♪
♪ I'll give my details ♪
♪ Everyone need help ♪
♪ Everyone needs friends ♪
♪ But be careful of who ♪
- So you said you won't swim because of your hair.
Would you at least think about?
♪ Thought about it, thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ I thought about it, thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ No, no, no, no ♪
♪ I thought about it, thought about it, thought about it ♪
♪ No, no, no, no ♪