The Zulu Nation Rap Show - Echo

I started out in the music business back in 1982 as a young teenage DJ doing outdoor and indoor jams with 2 other DJs - DJ Ribs and DJ Chin (from Faze One). At that time the Hip Hop scene was very select and you would have to listen to pirate radio stations to get to hear tunes like Planet Rock, Body Mechanic or Numbers. Everyone was saying that it was just a fad that would pass however we had been listening to this music for a couple of years anyway so to us this just wasn’t the case. We metamorphosed from there into the crew called Imperial Rock circa 1983 and did little shows just to show off our talent. While Michael (DJ Chin) was dancing sometimes I would provide the beat on my mouth much to the amazement of onlookers who couldn’t believe what they were watching and hearing. Imperial Rock was short lived and in 1985 myself and Junior Jay, another member of the crew teamed up to form our own group.

We did some shows at the Ideal Home Exhibition to show off our skill and were met with a thunderous applause continuously. To my knowledge this was the first time Human Beatboxing was exposed on a large scale to the British general public as only a few people had really heard of the Fat Boys and Doug E. Fresh was a virtual unknown, as it wasn’t for at least another year that he was a household name over here with the record “The Show”. Junior Jay went off to Germany to live and that left DJ Chin and myself to figure out what we were to do next. The Hip Hop scene by now had gone back underground and clubs like “Spats” were showcasing British artists while promoters like Ricky Reynolds and Music mogul Morgan Khan (Street Sounds) were starting to capitalise on the homegrown talent.

DJ Chin had started to get a few gigs and along with myself we were making a bigger name for ourselves on the British Hip Hop scene. Many of todays DJs were making big names for themselves also with much early success, people like Pogo, Bizniz, DJ Undercover, DJ Loose, and Bunny Bread to name a few were regulars at all of the original jams and aer part of the foundation to British Hip Hop. As we got more dedicated in our field our styles grew and we would be supporting acts for many different artists. However our big break came in 1986 when DJ Chins’ cousin Stepski made contact one evening and came around. He was part of an upcoming group called Faze One who had just won a rap and beatboxing competition. We had listened to the highlights on the radio and had vowed to take part in the next competition. It had transpired that the main member of Faze One, Sipho (part of the original London Posse) had left them to embark on a remarkable solo career and so I was to take his place. We did a few gigs around London however and Faze One were signed to Street Sounds record label. There was no room for a beatbox however and I started my solo career from there.

I joined forces with The Crew from Laylow Labdroke Grove and performed with Sir Drew, Rapski, Mel O Dee, Flexski, A la Mode aka Rockwell (Rasheid) and the list goes on. We were heavily affiliated with one the best B-boy crews of all time - Break Jam and the seed of my career in music started to be nurtured. I performed with artists like Sugar Bear of “Don’t Scandalise Mine” fame, DJ Cheese, Melle Mel, Jungle Brothers, Mc Merlin, Tim Westwood, Chris Nat, Stezo, Just Ice, Soul II Soul, De La Soul, Afrika Islam and Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force and supported many others. I even performed for Winnie Mandela at the Nelson Mandela freedom party and for part of The Royal Family.

In 1986 I met the Godfather of Hip Hop, The Legendary Afrika Bambaataa. From there I was given the honour of being a member of the Zulu Nation and I was encouraged to read and study the foundation of all things in existence - Knowledge, because it is stated that “The Fool Who Sleeps Is Already Dead”. I have made it my lifes’ ambition to teach the youth of this knowledge and have found music to be the best medium to carry this knowledge.

Throughout the coming years I fluctuated between performing and teaching and have had cameo appearances on a few records. Although it has been many years in the business it still brings a smile to my face to see all the new talent out there and to know that we have been part of the history of Hip Hop in the United Kingdom.

The Zulu Nation is not colour specific, it is not a gang, it is not a religion however it is an organisation that lives and loves Hip Hop and holds the honour of being the driving force for the foundations for this way of life that we call Hip Hop. Peace.