Launch of 1Xtra

Image: DJ Ace and DJ Invisible, aka The Troublemakers of Radio

On 16 August 2002 the BBC launched a brand new radio station, 1Xtra. The new channel was a digital sister to Radio 1 and was aimed squarely at fans of contemporary black music. Previously, pirate radio catered for this audience, but reception was inevitably poor and focussed on the cities. With the start of 1Xtra, hip-hop, R'n'B, UK garage and ragga could be heard in crystal clear digital across the nation, and British black music got a tremendous boost.

1Xtra opened with a brand new track – Dangerous - by Rodney P and Skitz, featuring Beverley Knight and Blak Twang. A five hour showcase followed, hosted by Rampage and KC, featuring link-ups with DJs in London, Glasgow, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bristol. Experienced DJs like Westwood and Trevor Nelson joined the station with others recruited from pirate radio. Some - such as Ace and Vis – had no previous broadcasting experience, but helped keep 1Xtra fresh and exciting.

After 15 years on air as the UK's only black music radio station, much of the music - particularly grime - championed by 1Xtra has passed into the mainstream. The station has continued to reach out with live events up and down the country, like Radio 1Xtra Live, Xtra Bass and from the Notting Hill Carnival.