GET FAMILIAR: MADBWOY
Not only is Madbwoy one of Holland’s most appreciated dancehall/reggae DJs for his ongoing series of mixtapes and sets in clubs/festivals, his face is also well known as a reggae drummer on countless festivals and music halls. In anticipation of his set on our Patta Soundsystem stage during this years Appelsap Festival we asked him a few questions. Read on, get familiar with Madbwoy.
Who is Madbwoy and what does the name stand for?
I am a lover of music, a lover of culture and a party starter! I’ve been representing reggae/dancehall culture for 10 years now. I stand for realness, rawness, open-mindedness and escaping reality when it comes to partying.
How would you describe the current dancehall landscape?
The dancehall landscape in The Netherlands is getting bigger, especially the dancehall dancing scene. The dancehall landscape in The Netherlands was build years ago. Around 2005 – 2010, I’ve heard those were the best years when I speak to deejays like Waxfiend and Spitfire. I was too young to experience everything, so I followed everything through the internet.
So what it's like now: This new generation of people who don’t know what dancehall really means, mixed with a few people who do know, makes the current dancehall landscape. It’s the challenge to give the unknowing people a portion of the real thing, this feeling, this energy. Because dancehall is all about the energy. Even when a track is not related to the dancehall genre, it can still be brought to you by a DJ inna dancehall style! Slowly but surely this scene has been growing in the past few years. A small amount of deejays and a bigger amount of dancehall dancers are helping a lot with this
So what it's like now: This new generation of people who don’t know what dancehall really means, mixed with a few people who do know, makes the current dancehall landscape. It’s the challenge to give the unknowing people a portion of the real thing, this feeling, this energy. Because dancehall is all about the energy. Even when a track is not related to the dancehall genre, it can still be brought to you by a DJ inna dancehall style! Slowly but surely this scene has been growing in the past few years. A small amount of deejays and a bigger amount of dancehall dancers are helping a lot with this
You're a DJ and Reggae drummer. Do you think these two disciplines influence each other?
No, but yes, in a way. I’ve heard some deejays saying they got the hang of deejaying easier, because they started out drumming. You don’t need to be a drummer to have rhythm. I was born with rhythm, that’s for sure.
But the fact that I’m a reggae drummer benefits my way of playing reggae music. I can play reggae drumrolls myself and that makes me understand reggae drumrolls. So I can mix reggae music seamlessly from the drumrolls instead of hitting it on count 1 for example.
So yes, in a way. But why I said “no” is because I don’t count when doing music, I just feel and let feelings flow.
But the fact that I’m a reggae drummer benefits my way of playing reggae music. I can play reggae drumrolls myself and that makes me understand reggae drumrolls. So I can mix reggae music seamlessly from the drumrolls instead of hitting it on count 1 for example.
So yes, in a way. But why I said “no” is because I don’t count when doing music, I just feel and let feelings flow.
What can we expect from Madbwoy at the Patta Soundsystem stage?
Expect energy, come and join this frequency trip with me.
What does the future hold for Madbwoy?
I don’t like questions like these, cause I’m not a clairvoyant. I also believe that words have power, so how should I answer this? Expect the unexpected. That’s my motto.
Appelsap 2019 takes place in Flevopark, Amsterdam on Saturday August 10th. More info and tickets here.
