El Negro Inglés is the creative outcome of Amfo having spent 2 years living and working in Spain. Its graphic design inspired by iconography that he saw everyday in the streets of Barcelona.
'Since I moved to Spain I was interested in researching the notion of the Black British expat and found grace in the story of Laurie Cunningham, the first English player to sign for Real Madrid. The name itself came from a broken Spanglish conversation I had with a taxi driver.'
'Having agreed to an overpriced 50 euros to take me and a load of furniture back home form Ikea, my new amigo and I were struggling to understand each other, navigating directions was going to be difficult.
“No Entiendo el negro inglés” proclaimed the van driver to a guy across the road trying to get some help translating.
I didn’t know much Spanish at this point but I knew what that meant. I looked directly at him and repeated his words “el negro inglés?” he reacted defensively, I guess with no intent to offend “no..no you amigo!”
El negro inglés = translating as The Black English, something or other..
It depends who’s asking, but I tend to identify as a British born Ghanaian. A rather blunt Spanish translating racial profile that I’ll always remember, all part of the Black British expat experience.
'My favourite T-shirt is by a discontinued brand called Tonite by Fergus “Fergadelic” Purcell best known for his work with Palace and Aries. In signature Fergadelic typeface The front reads “WEEEEEEEEED” and the back “BEEEEEEEEER”. I first bought this T-shirt when I was about 16 from an independent skate shop called Natterjacks in Kingston I somehow lost it and was able to get another one about 10 years later from a good friend.'
And finally, what are you doing reading right now?
I recently finished reading Afropean by Johny Pitts which I recommend.
