Just over 25 years ago, Ragga Jungle went mainstream with M-Beat ft General Levy and my favourite Shy FX and UK Apachi’s Original Nuttah. It was a sound that was unapologetically British and mostly London-based, and it was an eclectic mix of soul, reggae, jazz, ragga, West and East, all in one bass-heavy C-Lab Akai package!
Back in 1994 the BBC captured this early scene with interviews with ShyFX, General Levy, DJ Rap, Fabio and Grooverider and others…amazing to see Shy, Gunsmoke and UK Apachi at work in their bedroom studio. BRAP! BRAP! BRAP! All Our Junglists Represent!
Weird to hear the arguments about not going ‘overground’ and I remember the strangeness around ‘Incredible’ which seems rather petty as although it wasn’t the best I probably would not have heard about jungle or not til many years later if it wasn’t for that track. It is the track that made me sit up and take notice, as a breakbeat rave kid after hearing those early proto dark rave tracks it made a lot of sense. (Via Andy Churchill).
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