Changing The Game
Listen whilst reading - or come back later if you prefer!
Footballing rappers 2Tone and Jah Digga and local footballer Jermaine Hollis are recreating Unity – a project that turned their lives around.
Matt Benton-Smith finds out how Football Is Life is rewriting the narrative for young adults falling into gang culture.
In the bustling heart of Nottingham, a city known for its lace trade, landscapes and the legend of Robin Hood, Football Is Life is a team set up to tackle the gang culture.
2Tone and Jah Digga are local luminaries who understand the pulse of the city better than most.
Unity was a football team set up in 2005 to tackle gang crime across the city and was a major factor in what was envisioned for Football Is Life, as 2Tone revealed: “Myself, Jah Digga and Jermaine Hollis all came through Unity. We’re where we are now because of it. Unity brought us closer with people we may not have got along with without it”
The project saved them, admits 2Tone, adding that “it's only right now that we’re in a position now where we can do something similar.” With the support of Jermaine and Community Recording Studios, 2Tone and Digga, who come from St Anns – one of the areas more heavily affected by gang crime – want to recreate a similar scheme to help teens. Gang crime is on the rise here and the crime rate in Nottingham is, according to crimerate, 30% higher than the national average.
Image Matthew Benton-Smith
Image Matthew Benton-Smith
Digga's commitment to his community goes deeper and is also rooted in personal loss. "I lost my brother and cousin young to knife crime and street activities,” says the singer, who admits this had a massive impact on his life. In 2002, his brother Remmie was just 18 when he was stabbed to death at the Westminster Pub on Wells Street, St Anns. Having heard his brother was injured, Jah walked to the pub to find his brother dead.
This was the turning point when Digga decided that he wanted to take a positive path. He added: "Having major losses in the community, going to more funerals than weddings, it’s crazy."
"Going to more funerals than weddings, it's crazy" - Jah Digga
Fast forward 22 years to an overcast Friday morning in Basford when Jah and his management team oversaw a draw against Cardinal Newman from South Carolina, who were touring England.
The black metal stands of Basford United's ground rattled in the wind as English and American families watched on, their accents blended to create an electric atmosphere.
Charting artist Bru-C also turned out to support his local peers.
Football Is Life sees football as more than just a game. It's a catalyst for community change, rewriting narratives, and already, some of their players are catching the attention of professional academies.
“You come up from an area and things have been handed down, not necessarily all good things,” reflects 2Tone laying bare some harsh realities woven into their upbringing.
Jah explained the need to help young people who are growing up around gang activities, adding: “We need to set a mindset, show them a positive narrative instead of a negative one.
“I’m Nottingham born and bred. I represent Notts everywhere I go.”
"You come from an area and things have been handed down, not necessarily all good things"
2Tone
2Tone revealed how gang culture is still a massive problem across the city he grew up in, saying: “There’s a lot of gang rivalry between St Anns, The Meadows and different areas.”
He believes it is all too easy for young people to fall into this trap which is why he is determined to make an influence in his community, adding: “I’m glad that I come from the place I did because it allows me to have that understanding of what the young people are going through now.
"By having a game today we might have saved a life," he emphasises, "or stopped somebody from doing something really problematic.
Digga also spoke about the wider impact of violence in the community; “It affects families and communities, not just the victim. That’s why it’s so important to show these young lads to strive for something better."
He disclosed that Notts County player David McGoldrick had been in to show them what their work can achieve as he explained: “We also had a guy speak to them who’s just done a life sentence, to show them the ugly side of things."
Jah recognises the significance of uniting areas in the city often divided by postcode wars. "We’re assembling a team where a youth from St Anns can play alongside one from Radford," he explained, "and then they can team up with a youth from The Meadows."
"By having a game today we might have saved a life."
2Tone
Although 2Tone acknowledges the organisations working on similar issues, he is taking personal responsibility for change. “There’s so many negative options," he explained, "So to add one more positive output, it’s on us.
“If you’re able to help and you’ve got a platform or a skill set, if you don’t it's a bit of an injustice.”
Jah also added: “We’re not waiting for anybody just to knock on the door. We’ve got to build ourselves otherwise we’re just waiting forever.”
Both 2Tone and Jah Digga, entrenched in the music industry, spoke on the impact music and media can have on the community they're working in. Jah feels the need to manage his output, saying: “It’s about building our community and not destroying it.
“You’ve got fans and you’re influencing young people so if I tell you to murder and kill, I’m influencing you to do negative. It’s about speaking positively.”
2Tone highlighted the delicate balance between creativity and responsibility: “I think it works both ways, you can’t stunt someone’s creativity because that’s harsh but at the same time you have got a responsibility to people.
“Because I'm an artist I understand metaphors, so it’s all down to perspective but I do believe we’ve all got a responsibility for our output.”
Funding for Football Is Life will be key for their survival and 2Tone elaborated: “I think support for organisations like ourselves needs to be improved.
“Obviously we’re self sufficient at the minute in sort of funding everything ourselves which is not easy at times.” He also acknowledged the struggles the cost of living crisis brings with setting up community projects: “With the current climate you just have to want to do something. We love football and love our community, that’s the thing that we’ve got in common with these young people.”
The pair also hope the inspiration of Football Is Life can spread into different areas facing similar problems, Jah Digga said: “To see young talented individuals get together and build a community of striving young lads pushing themselves, I feel like that’s going to have a knock on effect.
“They’ve played against a side from America, you don’t get to do that every day!”
2Tone also added: “I’m sure that especially with social media now, the more exposure we get the more people will contact us to play a game.
Their desire for a bright future in this project shows optimism. “The sky isn’t the limit with it, the potential is endless,” says 2Tone. “We’ve had players already being looked at by professional academies.
“You don’t realise what you’re doing is saving lives, relationships or the community but that is literally what is happening with each game we play.”
Words: Matthew Benton-Smith
Built with Shorthand