Skibadee & Bryan Gee | 1997 Jungle Drum & Bass Classics | Kool FM 94.5

Artwork by Take Me Back Pirate Radio Archives. Dedicating this set in the loving memory of MC Skibadee. His loss is still massively felt. MC Skibadee began his rise to the fame around 1993, firstly getting noticed by DJ Ash-A-Tack and getting booked for Thunder & Joy in 1994, he was becoming the ravers favourite. It was there he struck a partnership with DJ Wildchild who got him on to Kool FM and the duo started doing shows to together in 1995. Skibadee elevated his career and developed his style. Growing from strength to strength. He came up under the wing of the late and great MC Stevie Hyper D. In the 90s Kool FM became a playground for the best MCs already showcasing the likes of MC Navigator, MC Moose, MC 5ive-0, MC Det, The Ragga Twins, MC Stevie Hyper D, MC Co Gee and MC Remadee. 1996 was a pivotal year for Skiba, not only was the Jungle sound shifting but the role of the MC commanded more skills and gained respect. MCs were rhyming at greater speeds and were continuously writing lyrics. All in all it was now a different game and the landscape of the scene had changed. In the years that followed Skibadee was getting booked for all the big Jungle raves like One Nation, Club Telepathy, Jungle Fever, Kool Skool '96 (where Skiba first met MC Stormin (RIP)), Pure Science, Desire, Best Of British, Accelerated Culture, Heat, Designer Label Ball, Thunder & Joy, Breakin' Science, Innovation, Bass Odyssey, & many others. The likes of Shabba D and Shockin' B had left Weekend Rush FM 92.3 to join Kool FM and their presence was felt. Skibadee forged a partnership with them calling themselves the SASAS. Meanwhile his link up with MC Det was also turning heads and so the duo recorded and released their first UK Hip Hop Album 2x Times Freestyle with singles "Downdiggy", "Slowmo" and "New Style Avengers (1998). The success of these two profile MCs shot them to the top. With the sudden death of Hyper D there was now a vacuum left for competing MCs to challenge for the MC crown. Skibadee raised his game, writing catchy lyrics and increasing his speed. He was now one of the most devastating MCs on the mic in DNB and was idolised by other sub-genre MCs to the DNB scene like UK Garage, Grime and Dubstep. Inspiring the likes of MC Stormin, Harry Shotta, D Double E, Skepta, Durrty Goodz, Ghetts, Lethal B & others. Bryan Gee in the early 90s had set up V Recordings with Jumping Jack Frost releasing a lot of tracks from producers countrywide (UK). His roots lie in south London's Sound Systems which he was actively part of. In 1996, Bryan Gee began running the famous Drum & Bass night, Movement @Bar Rumba, in central London, which initially started off as industry night for a select few people. Where new producers and artists would schmooze and showcase their forthcoming projects under the guidance of Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack Frost. Bryan Gee would play a wide selection of Drum & Bass Jungle from hard stepping flavours, to Jungle Jazz, Intelligent Drum & Bass, to Atmospheric and Liquid Drum & Bass sounds. Interestingly, it was Intelligent Drum & Bass heads that liked using the term Drum & Bass instead of Jungle. A lot of the tracks would be played way in advance before their initial release sometimes up to two years before they were pressed onto promo. Bryan Gee played the most exclusive tracks and there was always a core part of his play list that was never released. Midlands and South East of the UK. He was the conduit between Bristol and London, creating deep ties with Roni Size & Reprazent crew/Full Cycle Records and signing them to V Recordings. Out to all the London FM pirates of the past. Here's a list of some of our most loved pirate radio stations in frequency order from 1989-2006: Flava FM 87.6 / Shine FM 87.9 / Rude FM 88.2 / Impact FM 88.2 / Centreforce FM 88.3 / Unity FM 88.4 / Conflict FM 88.4 / Ice FM 88.4 / London Underground FM 89.4 / Defection FM 89.4 / Raw FM 90.0 / Raw Mission 90.0 / Pure Magic FM 90.2 / Pulse FM 90.6 / Chicago FM 90.6 / Mission FM 90.6 / Y2K FM 90.6 / Rinse FM 91.8 / Passion FM 91.8 / Weekend Rush FM 92.3 / Kik FM 92.3 / Deja Vu FM 92.3 / Taste FM 92.5 / Mac FM 92.7 / Freeze FM 92.7 / Format FM 93.2 / Touchdown FM 94.1 / Stompin’ FM 94.2 / Kool FM 94.5 / Origin FM 95.2 / Entice FM 95.5 / Heat FM 96.6 / Rinse FM 97.6 / Flashback FM 97.6 / Cyndicut FM 97.8 / Shake FM 98.0 / Fantasy FM 98.1 / Fantasy FM 98.6 / Future FM 99.1 / Upfront FM 99.3 / Rinse FM 100.3 / Pressure FM 100.4 / Don FM 100.5 / Eruption FM 101.3 / Erotic FM 101.3 / Industry FM 101.3 / Freek FM 101.8 / Temptation FM 102.4 / Chillin’ FM 102.9 / Delight FM 103.0 / Flex FM 103.6 / Smoove FM 104.0 / Rude FM 104.3 / Ruud Awakening FM 104.3 / Girls FM 106.8 / Dream FM 107.0 / Risk FM 107.1 / Freedom FM 107.3 / Dream FM 107.6 / Don FM 107.9. #takemebackpirateradio #dnbmovementuk #skibadee #bryangee