Cheryl announced the podcast last week You, me and R&B For submission to BBC Sounds. She said that she has always had a love and passion for this type of music. Under this post, Yasmine Evans, BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ and DJ Ace, said she found her role on the podcast absolutely amazing. The latter clarified his opinion with a short response. “Lol,” he wrote on Twitter.
Pop Culture podcast host Ora Zulu said in an interview on BBC Radio 1, she had questions about the singer’s choice to host the R&B podcast. “I honestly believe that if you give a platform about R&B music to a woman, and the platform is BBC, then she should be a black musician,” she said.
“There are a lot of black British female artists who are constantly overlooked in the UK. These women are talented, know-how and experts in their field.” She cited Micah Paris and Beverly Knight as examples. “I feel once again that the voice and talent of blacks are being brushed aside and ignored. Once again a white woman is being rewarded.” Uhura received support from Cheryl Noso, president of the Black Music Alliance, among others.
The BBC responded to the criticism in a statement. We have allowed us to hear a wide range of sounds within the different types of music we are interested in. Many of our shows are led by DJs who are experts in their field, and others are hosted by people who are passionate about their topic.”
