With grassroots music platform Slambarz at its core, Slam City is a new documentary spotlighting Sheffield’s rising rappers, producers and lyricists. We spoke to Dom Heslop and Jack Godfrey about making the film and why telling these stories matters now more than ever.
Slambarz began as a small idea with big ambitions – a space where emerging voices could meet, collaborate and be heard. Founded by Dom Heslop, also known in creative circles as The 1Devotion, it started as a community-rooted music platform and quickly evolved into something much more expansive: a movement that offers mentorship, exposure and belonging to a new generation of artists across South Yorkshire.
Now, some of the people at the heart of Slambarz are stepping into the spotlight with Slam City, a documentary directed by award-winning local filmmaker Jack Godfrey and produced by Heslop himself. This grassroots film shines a light on the lives of six young artists who’ve grown through the event and its network, telling the stories that are all too often absent from mainstream narratives about Sheffield’s creative scene.
“From the start, [Slambarz] was about giving attention to people who don’t get showcased or heard enough,” Dom explains. “That’s where the doc comes in. But this is more than Slambarz; it’s a celebration of Sheffield and the culture we have here.”
The final cut, which premiered at Showroom Cinema two weeks ago, isn’t just a profile piece. It’s a multi-layered portrait of the city’s present – as seen through the eyes of young people finding their voices, often against the odds. It captures daily realities, personal spaces and moments of growth in the lives of these young artists.
Filming took place over a concentrated two-week burst, with Dom coordinating locations and artists while Jack took the lead behind the lens. “We’d meet at the office, chat for an hour, prep everything, then go – tram, taxi, whatever it took,” says Jack. “We did it all in day blocks, just immersing ourselves entirely in each story.”
Though originally timed for a Sheffield DocFest submission, the team made the conscious decision to step away from the pressure of deadlines. This allowed them to focus on telling the story their way – with care and clarity, rather than rushing to the finish line.
The narrative follows South Yorkshire artists Kid Blu3, AJE, NB, Balby, DNO and Harris Lih, who together represent a broad spectrum of experiences and perspectives. This diversity is key to the film’s power, helping it avoid the trap of reducing the life stories of rappers and grime artists to one of solely gritty origins. Instead, it presents a range of realities, challenging the idea that struggle is a prerequisite for authenticity. “You’ve got people from tough areas and upbringings, and others who’ve grown up with comfortable home lives,” says Jack. “But the music, the community – that’s what brings them together.”
Sheffield’s cultural storytelling often leans into nostalgia – and not without good reason. In recent years, the city’s influential role in the rise of noughties indie, bassline and eighties electronic music has been covered in multiple documentaries and across thousands of column inches. But Slam City pushes back against the tendency to look back instead of around. “Everyone knows how good those scenes were,” says Dom. “But if we’re always retelling those stories, we miss the ones happening right now.”
They explain that the film is, in many ways, a love letter to the city – not just in its subject matter, but in its making. Jack and Dom are both self-taught, products of the DIY, go-and-get-it ethos that has long defined Sheffield’s creative identity. “You don’t need a five-year film degree to tell real stories,” says Jack. “You just need a camera, some vision and the drive to keep going – even when the weather ruins your audio, as we found out!”
Something that sets Slambarz apart is how it gives equal weight to the talent behind the scenes. As much as it’s about music and performance, it’s also about the scaffolding – the organisers, producers, videographers, photographers and audiences – that makes it all possible.
The premiere itself reflected that community mentality, with a screening at Showroom Cinema on 16 May. It was a full experience – film, Q&A with the artists, a chilled space with DJs and a few surprise performances. “It was about letting the audience connect with the people who made this documentary possible,” Dom adds. “It’s bigger than us.”
And what next? More films. More stories. Jack and Dom are already in the process of developing future projects, including Move Dem, a global documentary exploring the role of music in healing trauma, filmed in three countries. There’s even talk of establishing a production company in Sheffield – one that could offer opportunities to other creatives and strengthen the city’s growing media landscape.
The message behind all this is simple: you don’t have to leave Sheffield to make something happen. If anything, staying rooted might be your greatest strength. “We’ve got the talent, we’ve got the stories – why should we lose people to London?” Dom asks. “We want to be part of something here. To build something that lasts.”
Slam City premiered at Showroom Cinema on 16 May. Follow @slambarzlive for further updates.
