Private Party 4 Black and Asian Men only
Dead Strict Dress code: Leather, Rubber, Underwear or less
Strictly by invitation only

In the mid-90s, seminal photographer and activist Ajamu X started a private sex party in his Brixton flat. Running for three years, Black Pervert’s Network provided a space for black and Asain men to connect, experiment and “come together to play and have fun without being judged.” 

“There was a club night in Brixton called Attitude on a Monday night and the handful of Black men there would get together in the corner, in effect creating their own space within the space,” Ajamu tells us. “I felt there was a need to create a space where Black and Asian men could come together, so those of us into Leather, Kink, etc. would feel less isolated around our sexual desires.”

The BPN takes centre stage as the focus of Stephen Isaac-Wilson’s new short film celebrating the life and career of Ajamu which premieres online today as part of Film4’s Random Acts series. “Making a film about the Black Pervert’s Network interested me as there is no footage or photos from the parties,” says Isaac-Wilson. “It has a mythological energy.”

Without original footage from the time, Ajamu: Joyful Insurrection is set against a dreamy backdrop of contemporary scenes featuring young black men as they wrestle, embrace and pose. Clad in leather, denim and underwear, Isaac-Wilson referenced 70s adult film and photography as well as the work of Rick Castro for the cast’s sartorial choices. “The hair and make-up were intentionally dreamy and soft,” he says. “We wanted to create a soft trade kind of sexy.”