- The ups and downs of a dubstep superstar.
- Between 2004 and 2014, Adegbenga Adejumo, the artist known as Benga, was untouchable. He was part of dubstep's golden generation, a scrappy gang of DJs and producers that transformed the genre from a local concern into a global phenomenon. Benga and his partner in crime Skream became the scene's poster boys, their boisterous DJ style, countless club hits and fearless attitude fuelling their sharp ascent to stardom. By age 28, Benga had toured the world several times over, made beats for Katy B, Kano and Eve, and signed a major label record deal as one-third of Magnetic Man.
So you can imagine the public's shock when, in February 2014, Benga suddenly retired from the industry. 18 months later, the truth behind the decision emerged in a candid interview with The Guardian, where Benga detailed the full extent of his battle with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He's since returned to music, playing shows and releasing records for the first time in more than two years. Now felt like the right time to catch up with Benga, so we invited him to our London office for a bares-all chat with staff writer Carlos Hawthorn.
If you're in London on the weekend of June 4th, you can catch Benga at Rinse I Born & Bred festival in Haggerston Park.
TracklistBenga - 26 Basslines
Benga - Future Funk