Chuka’s latest choon for the Sounds of Streatham feature is an old skool classic.

“Gypsy Woman” (She’s Homeless) by Crystal Waters

Chuka: “A totally superb track in every way – instantly recognisable and timeless”.

As Chuka continues his rapid rise through the ranks of the Labour Party, Streatham Pulse continues to amass a comprehensive collection of the favorite music of one of British Politics’ busiest men.

This week the new Shadow Minister for Small Business & Enterprise has once again found a moment to let us know how he winds down, with his latest choice for ‘Sounds of Streatham’.

“Believe” (original mix) by Soldiers of Twilight

Chuka: “A beautiful deep soulful house track – perfect to kick back to after a long, busy week”.

Chuka will be back soon with more Sounds of Streatham.

Chuka’s back with more Sounds of Streatham, showing us once again how he’s putting the HOUSE in the House of Commons.

Timmy Vegas ft Jennifer Wallace – ‘Can’t Make It Through Another Day’ – Grant Nelson Mix

Chuka: “Cracking mix of this soulful house track by the remixer/producer extraordinaire, Grant Nelson.”

Chuka will be back again soon with more ‘Sounds of Streatham‘.

Chuka’s back this week after a bit of a break from Streatham Pulse with “a three track “US House & Garage special”

First up is…

Chris Herbert presents Asaph Womack, “Shelter Me”
Chuka: “A typically gospel inspired track”.

You can listen to the track in full here on You Tube, or you can buy the track here on

Next up is….

Monique Bingham, “You Me World” (Jon Cutler’s Distant Music Mix)
Chuka: “A mix from the man responsible for the classic track “It’s Yours””.

You can listen to this track in full here on You Tube.

And finally…

Masters At Work feat. India, “I Can’t Get No Sleep” (Copyright re-edit)
Chuka: “An awesome track from my favourite DJ producer house duo”.

You can listen to the track in full here on You Tube or you can buy the track here on

That’s all for now but Chuka will be back again with  more Sounds of Streatham.

To be fair to Chuka, it could’ve been worse. Who can forget the amusing session of Prime Ministers Questions toward the end of last year, when David Cameron, who had recently chosen the Smiths song This Charming Man as one of his Desert Island Discs’ was mocked by Labour MP, Kerry McCarthy, after Johnny Marr was quoted saying “David Cameron, stop saying that you like The Smiths, no you don’t. I forbid you to like it”. Marr’s quote also led Morrissey to make a statement critisizing Cameron for his support for fox hunting in which he said “It was not for such people that either ‘Meat is Murder’ or ‘The Queen is Dead’ were recorded”. Another of Cameron’s favorite bands is apparently Keane, who had previously expressed sadness when the Tories had used one of their songs in their election campaign. A bit of an embarrassing situation all round really.

However, it didn’t stop Nick Clegg offering up is choices to the Radio 4 show recently, despite the fact that Johnny Marr had continued the debate about Cameron’s choices by saying “Nick Clegg. hand over your iPod”. Nick Clegg looked to be walking the safe but incredibly dull path walked so many times before by politicians with no real depth of knowledge or interest in music written in the past hundred years. He chose a selection of classical music interspersed with classic guitar/rock tracks including Life on Mars by David Bowie, Street Spirit by Radiohead and Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash. But just when you were snoozing off he launched himself whole heartedly in to the trap with his final choice, Waka Waka by Shakira. I shit you not.

And of course there was the interview that Gordon Brown gave to New Woman magazine in May 2006 in which he expressed his love for Arctic Monkeys, saying “they really wake you up in the morning”. When later challenged by GQ magazine to name some songs by the band, he failed to name a single one, saying only “they are very loud”. He then went on to praise Coldplay instead.

And of course we can’t let Ed Miliband off the hook. He gave his choices to Labour Un-cut website. They included Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Angels by Robbie Williams. Is it possible to have any respect for a man who would choose to spend the rest of his days on a desert island with Angels by Robbie Williams? No. No it’s not.

Below is the full article from The Spectator. You can read the original here, and you can download the Spectator’s mixtape of Chuka’s Choons here.

Chuka’s Choons by Chuka Umunna MP

Music has always been a big part of my life.  My late father was obsessed with it, particularly funk and jazz, and I have inherited his obsession.  I have gone through various phases when the obsession focussed on a particular genre: ‘R n’B’ in my early secondary school years; moving on to ‘ragga’ (a form of reggae with a harder edge); through to ‘jungle’ (which morphed into ‘drum and bass’ in later years); and then on to ‘US house’ and ‘UK garage’ at university.  I acquired some decks, a mixer and an amp at uni and started to play out at parties there. I still do very, very occasionally.  I also wrote on occasion for the now defunct music magazine Touch whilst a student. Today, music is still as important to me as ever.

Funky President – James Brown
A James Brown classic – funky but politically aware, too.

Funkin’ for Jamaica – Tom Browne
If you play this track at a party, the dance floor will be jumping regardless of the generation of people shaking a leg: it’s so upbeat and feel-good.

I Feel For You – Chaka Khan
For a period when we were little, my sister and I used to watch the video of a Chaka Khan live concert my Dad had bought whilst we waited for our parents to wake up on a Saturday morning – and we’ve been fans of her ever since.  Incidentally, when people (usually Southerners) mispronounce my first name, they call me Chaka. (It’s Chuka!)

Find a Way – Tribe Called Quest
Like so many who grew up in my area, I listened to gangsta rap, though I would never condone the lyrics.  Groups like TCQ have always offered something different: intelligent rap that does not rely on misogyny, swearing and bling to make a point.

Me Myself and I – De La Soul
These guys were revolutionary, and were criticised because they refused to follow the gangsta rap play book (much like TCQ).  They fused poetry, quirky lines, jazz and natty samples throughout their music.  They now have a cult following as a result – and it’s richly deserved!

Good Life – Inner City
Even if this group have US roots, their sound encapsulates what London is all about for me: a fusion of cultures.  I loved the video for this 1988 track: it was so budget, but so classy too: the main vocalist was followed round the streets of our great capital city, singing as she went.  Awesome.

Too Young To Die – Jamiroquai (Grant Nelson Remix)
When I play out, if the dance floor is not really up to much, I drop this remix and everyone starts to party. I got to know Grant Nelson back in the late 1990s and very briefly met Jamiroquai around the same period. The pairing led to a smashing dance floor tune.

To Be in Love – Masters at Work feat. India
This is my favourite US house track of all time.  Little Louie Vega and Kenny Dope Gonzalez who make up the DJ / producer duo ‘Masters At Work’ have knocked out tune after tune over the years and I’ve heard them play in Miami, Ibiza and London – and they never disappoint.

Too Late – MJ Cole feat. Carroll Thompson
The UK garage scene killed itself in the early Noughties because it allowed MCs to take over, which produced a more aggressive, less melodic sound and violence on the dance floor. Most of us who were there at the start of the UK garage scene in the mid-1990s (when it was frequented by a mature, happy, party crowd) have moved onto funky house nowadays. This MJ Cole track encapsulates the best of the scene from that happier time.

Beautiful Day – U2
A slightly oddball track given the rest of my playlist but I have always had a soft spot for it: it’s inspiring and uplifting. Best played on a Monday morning when you are maybe not so keen to head off to work: listen to this and you’ll have a spring in your step.  It’s also kinda handy when you’ve just won your seat – it reflects the way you feel perfectly!

Your parliamentary representative for funk, soul, house & hip hop returns this week with some dance music to get you warmed up this Christmas.

‘aNYway’ by (Armand Van Heldon & A TRAK present) Duck Sauce
Chuka: “Uplifting disco house. Definitely one for your Christmas dance floor”.

You can listen to the song in full and watch the video here on You Tube.

You can buy ‘aNYway by (Armand Van Heldon & A-TRAK presents) Duck Sauce here from

Chuka will back soon with more Sounds of Streatham.

More hip hop this week from Chuka.

‘The Light’ by Common
Chuka: “A nice, melodic, soulful track from an incredibly talented artist/actor extraordinaire”.

You can listen to the song in full and watch the video here on You Tube.

You can buy ‘The Light’ by Common here from

Chuka will be back with more ‘Sounds of Streatham’ in a couple of weeks.

After a busy month in Westminster, which has seen our MP and in-house DJ, Chuka Umunna, appointed as Ed Miliband’s Parliamentary Private Secretary, he’s finally found time to get back to the important business of choosing some tunes for his “Sounds of Streatham” feature. He’s a very busy man these days but when he occasionally gets a chance to wind down, this is what he listens to. How many other MP’s can convince us that they’re hip hop fans?

“Find A Way” by A Tribe Called Quest
Chuka: “Classic, intelligent, thoughtful hip hop. It doesn’t get better than this”.

You can listen to the song in full and watch the video here on You Tube.

You can buy “Find A Way” by A Tribe Called Quest here from

Coming soon to Streatham Pulse will be a feature interview with Chuka where he talks frankly about his experiences over the last five months as an MP, as a member of the Treasury select committee and as one of the new Labour Leader’s closest confidants. He’ll also explain how these roles are helping him to fight hard for the interests of Streatham and its residents.

Chuka will be back in a couple of weeks with more “Sounds of Streatham”.

This week Chuka brings us another one of his favorite tracks from “the hardest working man in showbusiness”, James Brown.

“Talkin’ Loud & Sayin’ Nothing” by James Brown

Chuka: “Defiance from the big man with this socially and politically conscious track”.

You can listen to the song in full here on You Tube

You can buy “Talkin’ Loud & Sayin’ Nothing” by James Brown here from

Chuka will be back with more ‘Sounds of Streatham’ in a couple of weeks time.

Following on from the double installment a few weeks ago and after a short break, Streatham’s soul aficionado and MP, Chuka Umunna, is back with another classic ‘choon’ to take you in to the weekend.

“Get on The Good Foot” by James Brown

Chuka: “My father worshipped the Godfather of Soul; no one can funk like JB”.

You can listen to the song in full here on You Tube.

You can buy “Get on The Good Foot” by James Brown here from

Chuka will be back in a couple of weeks time with more ‘Sounds of Streatham’.

While parliament is taking its summer recess, Streatham’s MP, Chuka Umunna has taken the time to give us two tracks for this weeks Sounds of Streatham feature. The first…

“Got 2 Have Your Love” by Mantronix
Chuka: “Clasic 80’s soul. The type I was brought up on.

You can listen to the song in full and watch the video here on You Tube.

You can buy “Got 2 Have Your Love” by Mantronix here from

And the second winds the clock back a couple more years.

“Got To Be Real” by Chery Lynn

You can buy “Got To Be Real” by Cheryl Lynn here from

Chuka will be back with more “Sounds of Streatham” in a couple of weeks time.

“The Shame” by The Jinks & Michelle Weeks (Groove Assassin’s Vocal Mix)

Chuka: What I thought of England’s performance during the World Cup this summer (and a classic funky house track!)

You can listen to the original mix in full here on You Tube.

You can buy “Shame” by The Jinks & Michelle Weeks (Groove Assasin Mix) here from

Chuka will be back with more Sounds of Streatham in a couple of weeks time.

“Grateful” by Dennis Ferrer feat. Kenny Bobien

Chuka: “…what I think when I meet all the amazing volunteers who keep our community and voluntary groups going (and a great gospel inspired track!)”

You can listen to the song in full here on You Tube.

You can buy “Grateful” by Dennis Ferrer feat. Kenny Bobien here from

“What Happened To Us” by The Jinks feat. Carla Prather

Chuka: “A tough funky house track likely to be one of the main tunes coming out of Ibiza this year”.

You can listen to the song in full here on You Tube.

Chuka will be back with more ‘Sounds of Streatham’ in a couple of weeks time.

Two weeks ago Streatham’s new MP, Chuka Umunna, gave us his first selection of tracks for our new ‘Sounds of Streatham’ feature. It caused a flurry of interest on Twitter. One twitterer ChrisMalvern70 responded by directing a tweet to DMiliband. “Take note” he said referring to the credibility of Chuka’s choices in comparison to David’s selection of choices (Elton John & Sting amongst others), which were published by labour-uncut.co.uk as part of their ‘desert island discs’ feature. David’s brother Ed, whom Chuka is backing for leader, has now also published his list; and although Labour-Uncut thinks they represent a cooler choice than the older Miliband brother, we’d have to question how Robbie Williams, Billy Bragg, A-Ha and Beethoven can possibly be considered ‘cool’. Perhaps Ed should consult Chuka next time.

Another tweet, this time from lexpretend, pointed out that the original version of the Erykah Badu track “Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)”, which Chuka wasn’t able to recall was “You Can’t Turn Me Away” by Sylvia Striplin. Thanks for spotting it. His friend danhancox wondered whether Chuka “would employ us as his parliamentary researchers with special responsibility for UK Garage and 21st C soul”?

We’re glad the new feature went down so well last time. Here’s the latest installment. Enjoy.

“I Can Sing” by Mr V.

Chuka: “I would describe this as a lovely New York-infused soulful house track perfect for a warm sunny afternoon”.

You can listen to the song in full here on You Tube.

Chuka will be back with more sounds of Streatham in a couple of weeks time.

Those who know Streatham’s new MP, Chuka Umunna, will know that, when he’s not consumed by politics, he is listening to music. His Twitter followers became used to his ‘track of the weekend’ tweets during the general election campaign. In the first of a new feature, exclusively for Streatham Pulse, Chuka will be giving us his tracks of the fortnight. Here’s his first installment. Enjoy.

“Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)” by Erykah Badu
Chuka: “Taken from her new album this is a modern take on an old soul track the name of which leaves me; but what I can say is that this is Nu Soul at its very best. Beautiful”.

You can listen to this song in full here on You Tube.

You can buy ‘Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)’ by Erykah Badu here from

“Sincere” by M J Cole
Chuka: “A classic underground dance track which defined the whole of the garage scene in London in the mid 1990s before MCs came to dominate and (in the end) destroy that happy scene we loved in those days”.

You can listen to this song in full and watch the video here on You Tube.

You can buy ‘Sincere’ by MJ Cole here from

“Summer Time” by Ella Fitzgerald
Chuka: “This track needs no introduction at all. It’s sunny and what better way to celebrate than listen to Ella at her best”.
SoS pt 1a by streathampulse

You can listen to this song in full here on You Tube.

You can buy ‘Summertime’ by Ella Fitzgerald here from

Chuka will be back with more sounds of Streatham in a couple of weeks time.