Brixton

Brixton is a town in northern Surrey that lies within the Greater London conurbation. It has a population of approximately 80,000.

It lends its name to Brixton hundred, the north-easternmost hundred in Surrey. For modern local government purposes, it forms a part of and is the administrative centre for the London Borough of Lambeth. The local culture, especially Brixton Market, is heavily influenced by Afro-Caribbean immigrants. It is also well known for some impressive examples of Victorian-era architecture. In the 21st century especially, Brixton has been dubbed the "drugs capital of London", owing to the prominent illegal drug trade in the area.

Popular culture

Music

English singer-songwriter David Bowie (1947-2016) was born in Brixton.

"The Guns of Brixton" was a song by punk rock band The Clash, appearing on their 1979 album London Calling. The song, noted for its strong reggae influences, features lyrics condemning police brutality.

"Candy" by Robbie Williams, which reached No. 1 in the UK in 2012, referenced the illegal drug culture in Brixton in the lines "mother was a victim, father beat the system; by moving bricks to Brixton, and learning how to fix them" ('bricks' being slang for a kilo of cocaine and 'fix' meaning to inject a substance into a vein).