Spare Time

Hip-hop and rap culture may sometimes be blamed for youth crime, but a group from Brazil is delivering a unique anti-gun message through drums, rap and dance.

AfroReggae has become famous for working in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, stopping drug and gun use among young people.

Members of the group gave a three-day workshop at the Rich Mix arts centre in Bethnal Green, showing youth workers and teachers how they could achieve the same results in East London.

Paul Heritage, Director of the People's Palace Projects, which works with AfroReggae, told BBC London: "AfroReggae works 24 hours a day for 7 days a week because that's when drug traffickers work.

"When young people are at risk, that's when their cultural centres are open, and that's when they're offering opportunities.

"The purpose of their visit is to help us look at what we're doing in this country."

As well as the workshops, AfroReggae are appearing at the Barbican Theatre in a performance called, 'Favela to the World', in June 2007.

Click on the link at the top right to watch AfroReggae’s teaching session in Bethnal Green.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk