| Type | Privately held |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Music |
| Genre | Grime, British hip hop, acoustic |
| Founded | 2 November 2006 (active from 25 August 2010 onwards)[1] |
| Founder(s) | Jamal Edwards |
| Headquarters | 145-157 St John Street, London, United Kingdom |
| Area served | United Kingdom |
| Key people | Jamal Edwards, Liam Tootill, Rick Tank, Paris Zarcilla |
| Services | F64 and A64 series |
| Owner(s) | Jamal Edwards |
| Employees | 10 |
| Website | sbtv.co.uk |
SB.TV Global Ltd, also known as SB.TV or SmokeyBarz, is a multi-faceted company run by a small team of amateur young people who work on web-based viral content at different music-based events. The media platform has its origins and roots in urban music. Most of its content can be seen on its own YouTube channel which was created on November 2, 2006 or the official SB.TV website. Much of the content includes poorly filmed, or 'street-shot' freestyle raps and music videos. However, even though its earlier uploaded videos contained entirely amateur footage, the channel's latest uploads contains some semi-professional recordings.
The company's success has led to columns in RWD, The Observer, The Guardian, The Independent, Dazed & Confused, the Sunday Times Style magazine as well as assistant production credits with the BBC, Tiger Aspect Productions and joining the young persons panel at The Guardian’s new technology conference activate summit alongside Martha Lane Fox and others.[2] Today, its YouTube channel has gained over 70 million views and thousands of subscribers, as well as Facebook fans and Twitter followers.[3]
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SB.TV was founded in 2006, when a teenage Jamal Edwards (son of The X Factor series 2 contestant Brenda Edwards) began filming rap freestyles with a handycam, which he would then upload to his YouTube account. For the first three years Edwards acted alone to provide amateur footage regarding many British grime[4] artists, such as Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Chipmunk and Tinchy Stryder, with the first SB.TV video being uploaded in February 2007.[5] As the channel began to attract more attention, it also began offering lifestyle interviews and event coverage, and a production team of ten was established.
Recently, the company has cited its aim to become a more 'diverse youth lifestyle broadcaster,' incorporating more genres of music.[6] This has been seen in the inclusion of acoustic artists such as Ed Sheeran and other popular artists such as Jessie J, Nicki Minaj, The Wanted and Pixie Lott.[7][8] In February 2011, SB.TV launched their own music label Just Jam (an imprint of Sony RCA) and recently announced their first signing as east London MC, Maxsta.[9] In March 2011 it had been suggested that the company are expected to go into business with restaurant chain Nandos.[10]
In August 2011, the company's founder was seen starring in a Google Chrome advertisement, which tracked the emergence of SB.TV as one of the UK's rising youth broadcasters.[11] The SB.TV site subsequently crashed as close to a million people googled "Jamal Edwards."[12] The advert was revealed to be the most watched YouTube video advertisements in 2011.[13] Such has been the success of SB.TV that Edwards has been credited with helping to 'reinvigorating' the UK Rap and Grime scene.[14]
The SB.TV channel has two main series, F64 and A64, (which exist as rap freestyles and acoustic sessions, respectively,) and also a Warm-Up Sessions series which is similar to F64 but usually incorporates old lyrics.[15] The channel also has interviews, music videos, ad virals and bespoke commissions, with some recognisable artists, brands and charities. Some of the company's media partners include Spirit of London, Virgin Unite, Urban Development and vinspired.[16] These initiatives aim to provide opportunities and events which SB.TV supports. Following the August 2011 riots, SB.TV, Channel 4 Education and Battlefront.com worked together to create an online forum and discussion board called DB8. The forum, which is held at Portcullis House in the Houses of Parliament, acts as a platform for young people to respond and provide opinions through print and video blogs on topical issues.[17][18]