Erik Weiss (born 12 November 1973), better known by his stage name Liondub, is an American DJ, producer, and record label owner who specializes in

jungle A jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past recent century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅ ...

drum and bass Drum and bass (also written as drum & bass or drum'n'bass and commonly abbreviated as D&B, DnB, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-ba ...

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...

, hip hop and

dubstep Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...

Career

1991–2003

Liondub began his music career in 1991, playing

and

dub music Dub is an electronic musical style that grew out of reggae in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is commonly considered a subgenre of reggae, though it has developed to extend beyond that style.Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican re ...

in New York City. He was introduced to

jungle music Jungle is a genre of dance music that developed out of the UK rave scene and sound system culture in the 1990s. Emerging from breakbeat hardcore, the style is characterised by rapid breakbeats, heavily syncopated percussive loops, samples, and ...

in 1995, and after a trip to London in 1998 he started playing jungle in his sets. Known for a unique blend of American hip hop, UK jungle and Jamaican reggae/dancehall, Liondub quickly became renowned for his exclusive dubplate driven sets. Voicing

dubplate A dubplate is an acetate disc usually of 10 inches diameter, traditionally used by studios to test recordings prior to mastering for the subsequent pressing of a vinyl record, but pioneered by reggae sound systems as a way to play exclusive music ...

s has played a large in Liondub's success as he travels to

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...

regularly to record dubplates at studios such as Anchor,

Tuff Gong Tuff Gong is the brand name associated with a number of businesses started by Bob Marley and the Marley family. 'Tuff Gong' comes from Marley's nickname, which was in turn an echo of that given to founder of the Rastafari movement, Leonard " ...

, Exodus, Rooftop, and Mixing Lab for sound systems and producers worldwide. The success from his sets enabled Liondub to tour Europe and the United Kingdom extensively, including radio sets and interviews on

Kiss 100 Kiss is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Kiss Network. It is primarily aimed at the 15-34 age group and broadcasts nationally to the UK on DAB Digital Radio, as well as on FM in London, Bristol and ...

Kool FM Kool London, also known as Kool FM, is a former London pirate radio station that now broadcasts as an internet radio station, playing jungle, drum and bass, and old skool. Kool is generally regarded as being instrumental in the development ...

Rinse FM Rinse FM is a London-based community radio station, licensed for "young people living and/or working within the central, east and south London areas". It plays garage, grime, dubstep, house, jungle, UK funky and other dance music genres popula ...

and Origin UK. He has played at numerous

drum & bass Drum and bass (also written as drum & bass or drum'n'bass and commonly abbreviated as D&B, DnB, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-ba ...

festivals and events including Playaz at

Fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

, Sub Dub in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

Boomtown A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...

, Innovation in the Sun, Hospitality Bristol, Jungle Fever and

Outlook Festival Outlook Festival is a musical event, started as a subsidiary of Leeds event SubDub, hosting all kinds of bass music. Previously, the festival was held just outside the city of Pula, Croatia. However, the coming of a new era for the festival has app ...

in Croatia. Liondub has performed alongside artists and DJs such as

Sly & Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separat ...

Steel Pulse Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ron ...

Black Uhuru Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru ( Swahili for 'freedom'). The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Derrick "Duckie" Simpson as the mainstay. They had their most successful per ...

Sister Nancy Ophlin Russell (born on 2 January 1962), better known as Sister Nancy (or Muma Nancy), is a Jamaicans, Jamaican dancehall Deejay (Jamaican), DJ and singer. She is known to the world as the first female dancehall DJ and was described as being a ...

Sizzla Miguel Orlando Collins (born 17 April 1976), known by his stage name Sizzla Kalonji or Sizzla, is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is noted for his high num ...

Capleton Clifton George Bailey III (born 13 April 1967),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 67–69 better known by his stage name Capleton, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician. He is also referred to as Kin ...

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be one of the most ...

Morgan Heritage Morgan Heritage is a Grammy-winning Jamaican reggae band formed in 1994 by five children of reggae artist Denroy Morgan, namely Peter "Peetah" Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy "Gramps" Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan, and Memmalatel "Mr. Mojo" Morgan. ...

Damian Marley Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards. Early life, education and family Damian Marley is the youngest son of reggae musician Bob Marle ...

, Afrika Baambaata,

Fugees Fugees (; sometimes The Fugees) is an American hip hop group formed in the early 1990s. Deriving its name from a shortening of the word "refugees", the group consists of Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill. The group rose to fame with its ...

DJ Krush , better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature and extensive use of jazz and soul samples. Early life Ishi was born i ...

DJ Hype Kevin Ford (born 1968), better known as DJ Hype, is a British jungle and drum and bass producer and DJ. Biography Hype first became involved in music as a teenager in 1982, assisting PJ and Smiley with their sound system Heatwave in East Lo ...

Andy C Andrew John Clarke (born 7 April 1976) is a British DJ and record producer and is co-founder of RAM Records, a pioneering label in the drum and bass genre. Music career Early years Andy C was a DJ in his own right but gained a strong reputa ...

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in th ...

, and more. In New York, Liondub has held residencies at venues such as The Box, Tao Downtown, The Skylark, Miss Lilys, and the James Hotel, and is known for his Reggae Brunch parties at Cafe Noir in the Soho region of Manhattan from 2006 to 2012. He was a founding member and first DJ of the Everyday people brunch party alongside host Chef Roble and DJ Moma, and also worked at Halcyon the shop in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

where he curated the "Bless Up" Internet radio program that hosted international dubstep and drum & bass artists including

Loefah Peter Livingston (born 8 September 1980), known professionally as Loefah, is one of the pioneering founders of dubstep most notable for his releases on one of the genre's founding labels, DMZ. Loefah started off collaborating with the Digital Mysti ...

, Pinch, Benny Page and various local acts. In 2003, he became a member of Chopstick Dubplate with founders Jacky Murda & RCola, and in 2008 he started his own record label Liondub International, with Marcus Visionary, one of Toronto Canada's leading drum and bass DJs. During the years 2010–2012, Liondub remixed official tracks for various labels and artists including

Johnny Osbourne Johnny Osbourne (born Errol Osbourne, 1948) is one of the most popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall singers of all time, who rose to success in the late 1970s and mid-1980s. His album '' Truths and Rights'' was a roots reggae success, and featu ...

Elephant Man Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890), often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "the Elephant Man" and then wen ...

, Top Cat,

Stevie Hyper D Stevie Hyper D (born Stephen Austin, 20 September 1966 – 5 July 1998) was a British drum and bass MC. Early life Stephen Austin was born in London, England on 20 September 1966, to a Spanish mother and Barbadian father. Career Austin was ...

Tenor Fly Jonathan Sutter (7 July 1967 – 17 June 2016), better known by his stage name Tenor Fly, was a British singer and rapper. He rose to prominence in the ragga movement of the early 1990s. Sutter was a solo artist and later a member of Freestyle ...

and Brother Culture. In 2013, Liondub was signed by

to Playaz recordings with his track “Lift It Up” being released on ''The Flavours 6 EP''. In 2014, Liondub was signed by Billy Daniel Bunter to the Music Mondays label and released the two-disc LP ''New York to London Link Up'' featuring tracks by

Sugar Minott Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott (25 May 1956 – 10 July 2010)Campbell, Howard (2010)Reggae singer Sugar Minott dies at 54, Associated Press, 11 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010Peru, Yasmine (2010)Godfather of Dancehall, Sugar Minott, dead at ...

Daddy Freddy S. Frederick Small (born 1965), better known as Daddy Freddy, is a Jamaican ragga vocalist. Early life Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district.Huey, SteveDaddy Freddy Biography", Allmusic, retrieved ...

and Blackout JA.

2013–present

In 2013, Liondub was selected to be the first international radio presenter for

Kool London Kool London, also known as Kool FM, is a former London pirate radio station that now broadcasts as an internet radio station, playing jungle, drum and bass, and old skool. Kool is generally regarded as being instrumental in the development ...

, the longest-running jungle/drum and bass radio station in the world, a station which ''Billboard'' magazine referred to as the "leading jungle station" in a 1995 article about jungle music. In 2015, Liondub won the We Love Jungle Award for "Best Jungle Radio Show", and was nominated again in 2016 and 2017, while his label Liondub International was nominated for "Best Jungle Label" in 2016 and 2017 respectively. From 2015 to 2017, Liondub collaborated with

Marcus Visionary Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobâr ...

to release the ''Jungle to the World'' series featuring a wide variety of jungle/drum & bass and reggae artists from around the world. On volume 2, Liondub and Bluntskull remixed the 1993 classic "Put It On", originally released by Jamalski and Rocker-T on

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

. On volume 3, Liondub released the song "Smugglers", featuring vocals performed by Rubi Dan as well as the collaborative work with Switzerland's Jungle Raiders and London based artist Deadly Hunta entitled "Cali". Also in 2016, Liondub presented and released MC Navigator's first full-length LP on the Liondub International label and Navigator subsequently won the Best Jungle MC award at the UK's national Drum & Bass awards. In 2017, Liondub and Marcus Visionary created the music group Rumble, whose fifth release and full-length LP entitled ''Printa Riddim'' featured a remix of

Steely & Clevie Steely & Clevie was a Jamaican dancehall reggae production duo that was composed of members Wycliffe Johnson and Cleveland Browne. The duo worked with artists such as the Specials, Gregory Peck ("Poco Man Jam," 1990), Bounty Killer, Elephant Man ...

's seminal dancehall rhythm "Lion Attack". The LP featured vocal performances from artists such as I Octane, Demarco,

, Ninja Kidd, Powerman and Suku Ward and the LP received a review in an article published in Jamaica's national entertainment tabloid ''

The Jamaica Star The ''Jamaica Star'' is a newspaper often cited as a resource for happenings in Jamaica. According to an advertisement in ''Editor & Publisher'' in 1965, the ''Star'' was one of the first papers to carry the King Features Syndicate King Features ...

''. A single off the LP, "Uncontrollable" by Red Fox was premiered by

David Rodigan David Michael "Ram Jam" Rodigan MBE OD (born 24 June 1951) is a British radio DJ who also performs as a disc jockey. Known for his selections of reggae and dancehall music, he has played on stations including Radio London, Capital 95.8, Kiss ...

on his

BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B and is a sister station to Radio 1. Launching at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been cod ...

show in December 2017.

References

External links

Liondub
at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

Liondub International
at RollDaBeats
We Love Jungle Awards Winner
feat. Liondub
Liondub Interview
at Dubspot Radio *

MusicBrainz MusicBrainz is a MetaBrainz project that aims to create a collaborative music database that is similar to the freedb project. MusicBrainz was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the Compact Disc Database (CDDB), a database for sof ...

Liondub Profile https://musicbrainz.org/artist/518e4c87-92a8-480c-8963-a4f4c40cebc2
Liondub
at

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio o ...

Liondub
AllMusic Discography {{DEFAULTSORT:Liondub American DJs Dubstep musicians Breakbeat musicians American drum and bass musicians Remixers 1973 births Living people 21st-century American musicians Electronic dance music DJs