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Issue104

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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Producer Dan Vinci is a man on a mission, inspired by reggae's message of unity & peace he created The Dandadda, a Brixton act to bring people from all walks of life together. Now back with their latest single 'Last Man Standing' featuring The Ragga Twins, Vinci lets us know what makes the legendary duo tick, future projects & the iconic names to be fea- tured on The Dandadda's upcoming album. 2017 / ISSUE 104 REGGAE 53 What was it like growing up in Brixton? Brixton is pretty much the entire catalyst for this whole project. I don't think you ever realise at the time, but the area you grow up in has so much impact on the rest of your life. My grandfather started a bakery there and that's where my parents both met too. I have distinct memories of a thriving market full of worldly foods and smells, Rasta's selling reggae cas- sette tapes and selling incense on the corner. I just thought that was what all of London was like, really. I've seen lots of crime and gang activity but you could see that in other parts of London too, I didn't like the fact that it seemed to overshadow the great community spirit. It was never boring and the big sound system coming from the old Red Records shop on the high street always had such a buzz. Now there's a Foxtons… So what inspired you to get into Reggae? Brixton was a big hub for reggae music so it was only natural to be intrigued by that sound. I have been drumming since the age of 10 and am a total bass junkie but it was only when I started getting a bit older that I started appreciating the bass line being at the forefront of the music rather than the west- ern culture of guitars being the main rhythm. But even then you can't help but gravitate towards the music that makes your head nod. For me, reg- gae has that undeniable sense of rhythm that can just flow through your body at around a conve- nient 70bpm, which can feel both fast and slow at the same time depending on what instrument you're listening to. It's like surfing a wave, getting a buzz each time. But The Dandadda isn't actually reggae music, it's just inspired by its message and feeling. There are so many great reggae records out there, I wanted to try something new and help the scene move for- ward in an interesting direction. When did the idea for The Dan- dadda come about? There's so much good music in each genre when you know where to look. You just have to be willing to be shown or go searching for it. My previous managers loved my production style and told me to give them anything I felt like mak- ing. Around that same time, I had already started having a vision for the Dandadda project and already had quite a few beats prepared, so the timing made sense and I finally had a deadline to get something done. So I went into the studio and recorded 4 tracks in a day with a whole load of Rasta musician friends and one of the tracks was 'Heart Attack'. It instantly seemed like the perfect song to get The Dandadda ball rolling! I have read that The Dandadda stands for unity & peace, why do you think that is so important in today's current world? If you listen to The Dandadda music, it's actually more rebellious than peaceful, but that's because the aim is to lift people off their chairs and out their beds and be inspired by the world around them.There's time for resting, then there's time for doing. I'm trying to unify people in one big get to- gether to celebrate world cultures rather than build barriers as what is seemingly going on in much of the world. It's, of course, more a mental change rather than physi- cal. When you can open your mind and experience different ways of life, the world suddenly starts to be so much more enjoyable. I think people tend to dislike what they don't know, so I'm trying to get all types of people to our show and see how powerful it is when different cultures and people unite. What a feeling it is to be human! Now, let's get to the music, tell us about your latest single 'Last Man Standing'? 'Last Man Standing' still gets me excited every time we play it. It's one of the best tracks live, gets the crowd going and I usu- ally jump right in there for those drops. The Ragga Twins are per- sonal heroes of mine and it is a to- tal honour to have them on there. I honestly don't know how they can continuously bring such quality bars to each track over so many years. I am probably biased but I reckon those bars are some of the best they've ever spat on a tune. Gets me gassed every time! They are absolute fire both in the studio, out of the studio and on stage. So what's next? Using The Dandadda as a platform to really inspire and open minds, promoting unity and a voice of the people via music. We are finish- ing shooting more videos, exciting remixes and a whole load of crazy events and shows with incredible features, musicians and breathtak- ing visuals. Expect the Dandadda train to get bigger, stronger and a whole lot more crazy. We have big plans for 2018 and beyond. We are just trying to find the right live agent to take the show on the road and get the message out there far and wide. Just know that what is out there online is just a tiny snip- pet of what's to come…and man are we all excited! " I'M TRYING TO UNIFY PEOPLE IN ONE BIG GET TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE WORLD CULTURES RATHER THAN BUILD BARRIERS AS WHAT IS SEEMINGLY GOING ON IN MUCH OF THE WORLD. '' Patience Takyuka | Guestlist follow @TheDandadda INTERVIEW: THE DANDADDA

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