If there’s an official drum & bass calendar, rammed with all of the dates and anniversaries a true junglist should hold dear, the day we all remember the late drum & bass pioneer Stevie Hyper D would be one of the first added to the log.
Born Stephen Austin on September 20, 1967, the MC many would come to know and love as Stevie Hyper D is not only considered to be the greatest MC to ever do it, but Stevie’s also the man credited with creating the “double time flow” that has become a staple of what drum & bass emceeing is today.
Death is always a terrible subject, but it hits even worse when its someone as talented as Stevie Hyper D, who passed away from a heart attack on July 5, 1998, before he could’ve truly capitalized on the style and sound that he ushered in. It’s part of the reason many of us need an emcee in the dance; Stevie’s perfected the artform so much, you can’t imagine a proper jungle rave or dnb massive without an MC on-hand.
Today, as you should every year on July 5, we remember the life and legacy of Stevie Hyper D. Over on Twitter (follow us on Twitter), we’ve been sharing a few videos and posts about Stevie, including this spot-on breakdown of what jungle music is. We’d seen DJs like Benny V sharing past tribute shows to Stevie Hyper D, as well as just general remembrances of what Stevie’s work meant. I’m particularly partial to running this clip of Stevie Hyper D emceeing for DJ Rap at Dreamscape NYE, kicking rhymes from “Flexin Today” over Roni Size/Reprazent’s “Brown Paper Bag”. At least he got to experience this tune blowing up before his untimely passing.
Today, Lockdown TV is set to bring the world “MC Stevie Hyper D (Re)Live,” featuring Nicky Blackmarket, Uncle Dugs, MC Navigator, Fatman D, “and many special guests”. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza. Shouldn’t be missed!
Continue to rest in peace, Stevie Hyper D. Hopefully we’ve been able to properly recognize and pay tribute to what you have meant to this scene. Rest easy.
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