Lack of Afro

Lack of Afro

Lack of Afro is the recording name of Adam Gibbons, a UK-based artist originally from Exeter, Devon and now based in London. He works across funk, jazz, soul, broken beat, electronic, brass band, breakbeat, downtempo and R&B styles.

Background and musicianship

Gibbons comes from a musical family. He starts piano lessons with his grandmother at the age of seven, begins alto saxophone at eleven and reaches Grade 8 by seventeen. His early listening is shaped by Motown, soul, jazz and other 1960s music from his father’s record collection. At fifteen, his uncle shows him basic drum-kit patterns, and he develops that further by playing along to records during school lunch breaks. By the time he leaves school at eighteen, he also learns guitar.

Recording career

In late 2003, Gibbons writes the funk track “Wait A Minute”. It later comes to the attention of Tru Thoughts producer and DJ Flevans in July 2005, and is played at The Big Chill to a strong response. Through the help of his friend Heavy Stylus, the track is heard by Freestyle Records manager Jon Sheppard in January 2006, and Lack of Afro signs to Freestyle Records shortly afterwards.

“Wait A Minute” becomes his first single for Freestyle Records and sells more than 1,000 copies. It is played on Annie Mac’s Mash Up on BBC Radio 1 and receives airplay on many other radio stations across the country.

Collaborations and remixes

Gibbons performs alongside or supports Maceo Parker, Quantic, Breakestra, The Rebirth, Flevans, The Baker Brothers and Jon Kennedy. He also completes remixes for Eddie Roberts on One Note, Tim Wood on Socialbeats, and Flevans on Tru Thoughts/Jack To Phono, and works on remixes for The New Mastersounds and Flevans.

Other work

Outside music, Gibbons works for Sky Television.