MC Shabba is a name which has become legendary amongst the livelier, more dancefloor orientated D&B scene. From humble beginnings on the now defunct ‘Rush FM’ with DJ’s such as Funky Flirt, Rusher and Red Ant alongside MC Shockin’, 14 year old Shabba worked his way through the ranks, becoming increasingly popular with listeners and leading to his first booking in 1991, when Shabba first MCed at Outrage at Busbys in Charing Cross alongside the likes of DJ Rap, Hardcore General, Stevie Hyper D etc.
Quickly building a reputation for his versatile styles it wasn’t long before MC Shabba came to the attention of a major label producer. Little did Shabba know at the time that this studio session would lead to a number 1 single five years later when Zilch a live band working with the same producer released their debut single featuring Shabba’s vocal talents in 1998.
Around this time, having long since cemented his position in the scene as a Drum & Bass MC, Shabba began to take his lyrical abilities further afield, performing at events across the UK and Europe. By the age of 21 Shabba was touring Japan with some of the biggest artists in the world, amazing people with his lyrical and bringing Drum & Bass to the masses across the globe.
By 2001 Shabba joined forces with Skibadee aka SAS and started the now legendary MC Convention and High Blessed Records. This was a significant period in Drum & Bass history, especially for the MCs, taking the scene to a whole new level, aswell as putting on some of the biggest parties in Drum & Bass, working together with the best of the best promoters such as Yankee, Breakin Science, Paul Ibiza of Jungle Splash, Brett and Kenny of Telepathy, Trevor Sun City, Terry Turbo Accelerated Culture, Lloyd Innovation and Sam Pure Temptation to name a few. Since that time Shabba has toured the globe, playing events across the US, Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, Spain, Cyprus, Poland, Austria, Greece, Holland plus many more establishing himself as a top contender in the scene across the globe.
Always hungry for new oppurtunities, in 2008 Shabba started a brand new rave company presenting Sticky da Rave, Girls Don’t Pay and Masters of Ceremony along with a brand new record label and crew known as High3r L3v3l together with the likes of Modified Motion, Stormin MC, Terra Danjah, DJ Pleasure, Swifta, Yardie plus many more bringing a new element and energy into the raves up to the time. It wasn’t long before Sticky became one of the most popular raves in Drum & Bass proving the demand for Shabba and the Higher Level crew.
Now, after 10 years of promoting, touring the world and smashing up dancefloors across the UK Shabba is set to release his new forthcoming EP and long awaited album. Always in high demand, Shabba is once again set to take the world by storm as he returns to the studio to lay down his unique lyrical style collaborating with top producers from across the scene.
Shabba is one of the scene’s true veterans, having spent the best part of twenty years in the business. In many peoples opinion, one of the greatest lyricists and entertainers the scene has to offer. When you go out to see Shabba, it ain’t just about the lyrics, it’s the way he delivers and the way he hypes up the crowd like no other. Look out for Sticky, Higher Level and Shabba himself coming to a city near you.
