+Liondub+ Interview (posted on (03/09/05)

From Reggae, Dancehall, Roots, Rocksteady and Dub to Hip Hop, Jungle,
Drum and Bass and way beyond, +Liondub+ has been holding it down in
New York City and abroad for 15 years. DJ, Producer, Record Label
Owner, Studio Engineer, Live Engineer, Mixtape Hustler, Event and
street Promoter, +Liondub+ has done it all and will do it again.

Originally influenced by Reggae and Hip-Hop sounds such as DJ Red Alert,
Chuck Chillout, Jah Love, Stur Gav, Volcano and Downbeat, +Liondub+ grew
up in on the streets of Manhattan, Yonkers, The Bronx, and Brooklyn.
Buying records at spots like Ruffhouse Records, Jah Life and Barry U
Records. +Liondub+ slowly made a name for himself due to his seamless,
conscious mixes and playing various spots in and out of town, learning
and working in studios and live situations.

All though music is often referred to as a universal language, there are
few artists who truly learn to speak more then one style or tongue to its
full extent. In this regard +Liondub+ has shown promise for a long time and
shows more and more promise on a daily basis.

Striving to embrace and fuse as many style of music as possible; +Liondub+
manages to always maintain a basic roots reggae vibe and conscious
feeling regardless of style or genre, yet he is capable of making the
most discerning crowds whistle and move. His music is intended to bring
harmony, positive teachings, and connection to all people.

Be it working in the studio, djing at the club or running the sound desk,
the aim is to always bring positive vibes.

+Liondub+'s extensive studio and live setting work with reggae artists such
as Johhny Osbourne, Terry Ganzie, Fragga Ranks, Paul Elliott, Norrissman
Kandiman, Sly and Robbie, Firehouse Crew and more has helped him develop
his strongest card and weapon, acceptance into the international reggae
community on a professional and friendship based level.

Luckily for us in the jungle community +Liondub+ has taken an interest in
this music and is bringing his extensive connections to the table, helping
numerous junglists voice reggae artists, release records with reggae
singers and setting us up to do stage shows with them!

It is for these reasons and more that I chose to do an interview with +Liondub+,
a man who deserves any opportunity he can be given to speak and share the
wisdom he has acquired over time...

Watch out for forthcoming reggae and jungle vinyl releases, 12's, 45's,
riddim series sets, collaborations with artists such as MC Navigator,
Bass Nacho, Johnny Osbourne, Sotto Bless, Fragga Ranks, JahDan,
Cassein, RCola and more...

1. Who do you represent, what labels and crews? what do you consider
your main achievements in jungle music.

At this point and time I am represented by the Stepup and Afrodisiac agencies,
and I represent Konkrete Jungle and Touch Clothing Company. I have recently
released music on Chopstick Dubplate (Chop007), Dubwize Recordings (DUB001)
and my own imprint +Liondub+ Recordings(LD001.) I'm working closely with RCola
on the JungleX project and will consistently rep JungleX in all my endeavors.

To date I consider my biggest achievements in jungle music to be my most recent
vinyl releases, including Dubwize 001 which received a solid review in XLR8R magazine
this month, and my residency at Konkrete Jungle. I also have had the honor of dropping
wax at many of the staple jungle nights in NYC including I Love Drum and Bass with
Paul C, Camoflauge with Christian Bruna, R.A.W. and TC Izlam and Reccess with Link.
Being able to play alongside Cassein of Legend and work with producers and vocalists
such as Bass Nacho, RCola, and Murda has been a fulfilling and educational experience,
and playing at The World of Drum and Bass in Miami at WMC last year was butterz.

2. How were you introduced to jungle music, what do you contribute to jungle music?

Back in 1996, I had a friend who used to go to Koncrete all the time, that was when
Delmar and Cassien and Co. were playing the party, he gave me some mixtapes of
them and I started checking it out, the reggae samples in jungle were ill and the
drums always intrigued my ear.

Around this time my brother started producing jungle and I was playing his records
and going to parties with him. However my love for the music didn�t really solidify
until I first hit London in 1999. Man, I never looked back, checked out Blackmarket
Records, visited Brixton and I was converted. I fell in love with the vibe, the
underground nature, the energy, no pretension, no bullshit, just people producing,
dancing, connecting, appreciating what was popping in that music.

I was like: YO, I really wanna play this music. I liked jungle & drum and bass before
but I had to check London and feel the full force in order to be moved into high gear
as far as performance and production was concerned. Those people were on some
serious levels, the music was just so underground, energetic and real, plenty
white labels, many unknown artists, gotta check the etching to really find out.
It was so detached from mainstream culture on so many levels, and yet embracing
the hits through remixing and reworking that sounded tough to my ears...amazing...

3. What do you contribute to Jungle Music?

I contribute connections, I connect jungle producers and promoters with reggae
artists, getting artists at studios, at shows, helping some of these artists who
have been sampled for over 10 years get involved in jungle music, letting these
promoters and producers connect with these artist and actually see them and
collaborate with them, building bridges between Jamaica and New York and the
rest of the world.

Sure I dj, sure I produce, hey I even have records out... But that's small change
compared to the connections I have brought to the table, it's these links that
are going to help legitimize jungle music and take it to a new level.

I want to see real reggae vocalists on stage at jungle events, jungle producers
recording real singers in the studio, vinyl and cd releases etc...

3. How do you feel about the current state of jungle music?

From what I see in New York City well, the production aspects excite me, there
are a lot of great emerging new talents, I think the music is growing and evolving
in a way that it never has before in America and abroad. However in the live
scene, the support just isn't there, attendance is low, and the numbers are weak,
but I will say that those who do show up support the music fully. The people who
actually support Jungle and D&B in NYC are die-hard for real. Respects to them.

I can't make a blunt call on the state of the scene, it's like the music is there,
but the support is lacking, maybe it's different elsewhere, you got to remember this
is my point of view as a New Yorker, I wonder what will happen?, I love the music,
my artists love jungle music and we are going to keep moving forward, keep on
pushing until it finally busts. People need to remember, if they put in energy
they will get energy back. You can only go unrewarded for so long before people
start to see what you are really doing, feel its impact and contribute in return.

Maybe if I had traveled more I would be singing a different tune, maybe if I had
seen jungle in other parts of the states, been to Europe...All maybes, but this is
where I am and how I live now...

4. Where would you like to see jungle music go, develop towards etc?

Hard Question, hard hard question... I can't make that call.
It will go wherever it needs to go. I want jungle to progress out of the dark,
sparsely populated spots into arenas where it can be fully appreciated like radio
and some of the bigger clubs; jungle has this unique individuality that almost no
other music has. Take these crazy hard mashup kids, I can't play that music, I
don't make that music, but I respect it. They take that sound and turn it into
this crazy new sound, they totally exercise their musical freedom of speech and
tear those drums to pieces, they follow their heart and do what they feel.
For this I really respect the new school Junglists. They have heart.

At this point in time, jungle has this freedom of expression, junglists can follow
their hearts and do what they want while remaining free from commercial constraints
etc. That's what is beautiful about this music, it's still real, and it's still music, and it
hasn't been corrupted by the mainstream companies and demands of the masses.

5. Final thoughts?

Big up the producers, djs and supporters of reggae music, jungle music...
Keep doing what you are doing, don't loose faith because of dwindling dollars or
numbers, stay on the grind and eventually it will all come around. Your hard work
will be rewarded, keep building together, keep making things happen. Junglists
should unite and bring together their energies to create a powerful scene rather
than remaining fragmented. I would say the same thing about Jungle and D&B
heads, we can't go on as separate entities, we need to accept each other's
tastes and build on the level. The whole world is bridging between countries
and junglists, the gap is being blown up.

It's not just about the UK anymore, jungle music is a worldwide thing and it's time
for Junglists to take responsibility for taking samples from Jamaicans for the last
12 years and start paying these people and helping them eat, working in the studio
with them, and voicing dubplates with them. The music can move beyond a sample
based aesthetic and move towards live tracking like reggae has always been. Big up
to RCola and Jacky Murda for really doing it, they took the risk, did it and really
inspired me to follow a similar path through jungle music.

Big up all the reggae artists I work with, artists willing to work on the levels
with reggae, hip-hop and jungle and are willing to bring something new and original
to jungle music. DJ's, producers, artists who wish to help develop jungle music and
see a future in it, artists who are down on the family level.

+Liondub+ would like thank:

Fragga "The Dagga" Ranks, Johnny "Dancehall Godfather" Osbourne,
Terry "The Outlaw" Ganzie, Bass "Natch" Nacho, Sotto "Bam Spoo" Bless,
Devon "Bobo Saw" Clark, Kandiman aka King Kandi and Kronik Records,
General Pecos, Sammy Dreadlocks, Paul "Chosen One" Elliott,
Raggamuffin CB, Terry "Jah Fyah" Kohn and Higher Ground Sounds,
Leith of Life, Ras I Saunders, Leopard, Hiyah Rems, I Kushna,
Lutan Fyah, Sluggy ranks, King Dainjah, JahDan, Lars at HomeStyle
Studios, Tove, Melvin, RCola, Julian "JMP", JungleX, Touch Crew
(esp. Amadeus!), Krinjah, Debaser, The Big Bad Don Daka,
Mr. "Cause and Effect" Lex, Alias, Cassein of Legend, Tuffist,
Leo, Mykey, All Konkrete Junglists, TC Izlam, Christian Bruna,
Paul C., Rockit, Kompakt, Junglette, Aasha, Link, Foodstamps,
Big Ears, NakedSlice, The Bassbot Crew, DJ Clever, Laphalot,
AJ "One Stealth", Koko, Allison, KGB Kid, Archangel, Survival Crew,
Human?, Tykal, Tacosphere, Euclid, Cush Culture, Jesse Jackson,
Jesse Roman, Kyle at Afrodisiac, Jeffrey Angulo and
Ruffneck Souljah Sound. Bigup Souljah Sensi!

Interview by Martyn Pepperell



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