Don't Assume: Lisa Maffia

This is a radio edit of the Don’t Assume podcast series which was broadcast on podcast platforms in 2023. For this edit music has been added that directly reflects or relates to the conversation. Lisa Maffia came to prominence in the early 2000s as the only woman in So Solid Crew, the platinum selling UK Garage act from South London that took over the UK mainstream. Lisa joins Zakia in the NTS studio in London to reflect on Lisa’s younger years and the early days of So Solid Crew, through to Lisa’s solo career. Lisa and Zakia discuss the highs and lows of So Solid’s journey, which took them from DIY pirate radio to the Brit Awards and countless other accolades. Along the way they drew criticism from the British press, and they fell victim to the Metropolitan Police’s punitive 696 form, which all but shut down their scene. In this Don’t Assume interview, Zakia and Lisa celebrate the lasting legacy of UK Garage and its celebration of Black Britishness.