​How to make the most of Notting Hill Carnival 2024

Linett Kamala, AKA ‘Soundsystem Queen’, is a DJ, artist, academic and founding director of LIN KAM ART. She is credited with being the very first female DJ to perform on a soundsystem at Notting Hill Carnival in the mid 1980s and now serves as its Board Director. Today, she continues to champion inclusion and diversity within soundsystem culture by amplifying the presence of women. We talked to her about where to find the best soundsystems this weekend:

“Soundsystem culture originated in Jamaica and was introduced to the UK in the late 1950s by Jamaicans such as Vincent ‘Duke Vin’ Forbes and Sonny Roberts, who set-up the first Black-owned recording studio Planetone in Kilburn and custom-built a soundsystem named Lavender.

“Mr Leslie ‘Teacher’ Palmer formally introduced soundsystems into Notting Hill Carnival when he was the Director back in 1973. Until then, despite Jamaican culture being hugely influential in the UK, it wasn’t represented at the event. The soundsystems at Notting Hill Carnival play a broad range of music genres that are rooted in Black culture.

Read this next: 28 photos of soundsystems through the ages

“Definitely check out my soundsystem, Trojan 7 x LIN KAM ART on Powis Square. LIN KAM ART is one of the most exciting new soundsystems in the UK, centring underrepresented groups such as young people and women. We will be serving up a healthy dose of deep dubstep, electro, bass music and future beats.

“The legendary Channel One soundsystem at Leamington Road Villas are global ambassadors for the culture with Mikey Dread on the decks playing dub, roots and reggae music. The design of their soundsystem stacks have inspired copies all around the world. Aba Shanti-I is an icon in the soundsystem world and has been playing at Notting Hill Carnival since the 1990s. His Earthshaker Soundsystem stacks will be in full effect at the junction between East Row and Southern Row.

“Make sure you wear earplugs. Two million people combined with amplified music makes for a sonic experience like no other!”

Linett’s essential Notting Hill Carnival kit: whistle, Jamaica flag, water bottle, pocket rain mac (it’s the UK, so you never know), debit card, vegan hand sanitiser and lip balm.

Another music option is the Red Bull Selector stage at Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park, headlined byShy One and Lil Silva on Sunday. This brand new, non-ticketed event will put control of the set in the hands of the crowd as dancers will be given a voting tool allowing them to choose between musical cues that appear on the screen behind the DJs (e.g. Original or Remix, Soca or Dancehall, Old School or New School).

Hosted by Faceinthenews and Fatz, the Red Bull Selector stage will also see sets from dancehall queen Alicaì Harley, Jordss B2B p-rallel, Izzy Bossy, Heartless Crew, MC Frisco & DJ Oblig, and more.