A TikTok influencer has angered parts of the Brixton community after her video tour of the south London district was accused of “erasing any semblance of her black and Caribbean culture”.
Karen Chave, who posts under the username Karen.akc, was branded part of the ‘white bag mafia’ by locals, who accused her video of failing to capture the cultural diversity that is synonymous with the area.
The UCL engineering student told MailOnline today that she ‘didn’t want to offend’ the people of Brixton, adding that she ‘just shot and filmed where I was eating, like I would anywhere else’.
Her 19-second clip invites her 27,000 followers to ‘come to Brixton with me’ as she and a friend visit the Village Market, where they are seen enjoying burgers with brioche buns and fries slathered in cheese, while caption reads: ‘Yums for my abs.’
They then visit Lost in Brixton, a cocktail bar based in the same market, as the video declares: ‘Good vibes only’.
The short clip trended on Twitter after being widely shared by locals who said it did not show ‘the Brixton I love’, while others said it highlighted the negative effects of ‘gentrification’ in the area.
Brixton Village was bought by Hondo Enterprises – owned by Texan socialite and DJ Taylor McWilliams – for £37.25 million in 2018.
It is home to a number of bars and restaurants serving cuisine from around the world, but locals have in the past called it another example of ‘gentrification on steroids’ which is turning the area into a ‘hipster haven’.
A UCL engineering student, known only by her username Karen.akc, was branded part of the ‘handbag mafia’ by Brixton locals who accused her video (pictured) of failing to to capture the cultural diversity that is synonymous with the area.
Her 19-second clip invites her 27,000 followers to ‘come to Brixton with me’ as she and a friend visit Brixton Village Market, where they are seen enjoying burgers with brioche buns and cheesy fries, while the caption reads: ‘Yums for my bellies’
They then visit Lost in Brixton, a cocktail bar based in the same market, as the video declares: ‘Good vibes only’
BBC Radio DJ Edward Adoo called the TikTok video from inside the market ‘shocking’, adding: ‘This is profound, this is not the Brixton I love and adore.
“No mention of aunt, uncle, rice and peas, okra – Moreley’s – market traders… clearly produced by someone who has no idea about Brixton.”
Lorraine King, a presenter on Colorful Radio, said the market featured in the video is ‘the result of a once diverse retail space being handed over to a private developer.’
She added: “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with gentrification because it can benefit everyone, but when it results in ‘ethnic cleansing’ like this, it’s wrong.”
Others accused the clip of ‘wiping out the diversity’ of the area by not visiting other nearby landmarks, including the Electric Avenue Market made famous by classic Eddy Grant.
They also accused the creator of deliberately not including black people in the video.
One wrote: ‘This takes gentrification to a new level because, call me crazy, but it looks like the person who did this deliberately avoided having black people on set.’
The short clip trended on Twitter after being widely shared by locals who said it did not show ‘the Brixton I love’, while others said it highlighted the negative effects of ‘gentrification’ in the area.
Another said: ‘Editing to avoid any semblance of black/Caribbean culture in Brixton is insane.’
Others said the video suggested the area was turning into Camden or Shoreditch, while another said: ‘When they start saying ‘come with me to Peckham’ it’s over.’
Another joked: ‘Come to Brixton used to be a threat, now it’s an invitation to brunch.’
Clip creator Ms Chave told MailOnline: ‘I’m a student and part-time content creator who likes to share restaurant recommendations and experiences I’ve enjoyed.
“I discovered Brixton recently and the video I posted was not intended to cause any offense to the people of Brixton, its diverse culture and history. I just shot and filmed where I was eating like anywhere else.
“Apart from a few comments, the overall response to the video has been very positive and I believe most people understand the intent and context in which the video was shot.”
Comedian Munya Chawawa has already responded with a parody video of a stylish man visiting ‘Bricky Wicky’ and the Village Market with his ‘gluten-free girlfriend’.
Referring to gentrification, the character sips a coffee at the end of the clip and says, ‘Honestly, a white dot really makes everything better… I mean,’ while gesturing to the market behind him.
Hundreds of immigrants from the Caribbean – mainly from Jamaica – arrived in Brixton in 1948 to help combat the UK’s severe labor shortage after the end of World War II.
They were called the Windrush Generation – named after the first ship they arrived on – and nearly half a million had arrived in Britain by 1970, creating cultural melting pots in the areas they inhabited.
A small number of people supported the content of the video, saying it ‘looked nice’, while one complained: ‘People are actually complaining about it getting better’
But for years Brixton residents have feared that the area’s Afro-Caribbean identity is at risk from an influx of wealthy – and mostly white – residents buying and renting properties at ever-increasing prices.
They believe this costs poorer residents while attracting investors who ‘gentle’ the area with bars, restaurants and businesses that do not reflect the diverse cultures of the local community.
Reacting to the viral video, social housing activist Kwajo Tweneboa, 23, said he grew up in Brixton and went to the market every weekend with his father.
He added: “It has changed so much in the last 10 years and its culture is slowly disappearing.”
Another declared: ‘This video is horrible. The gentrification of Brixton has turned it from a thriving community into a bland commercial nightmare.’
A number of people supported the content of the video, saying it ‘looked nice’, while one complained: ‘People are actually complaining that it’s getting better.’
MailOnline has contacted the creator of the TikTok video and Brixton Village Market for comment.
