Mr Benz
Nah Follow Dem is the first release (12.12.12) from Allow It Records it features the production skills of Dubble A Star featuring MC Killabenz and Dabridge .
Nah Follow Dem is an EP of unadulterated old skool slam jam of a rump shaker from the Public Enemy horn stabs too New Jack Chubb Rock beats. But the real hiatus of this track is the seamless coming together of the non compromising vocals of Killabenz and Dabridge.
You can hear a chop edit intro starting with Dubble A Stars 'Nah Follow Dem feat Mr Benz and Dabridge Into the politically charged 'So Many Lines' feat Piper Davis and Big Big Babba, then onto debut from Manchester production outfit Dolo called 'Invincible' followed by V&A fourth release 'Dee Jay".
Killabenz going in so hard "like a Yardie" that even Usain Bolt would find it hard to keep up but then comes the 'swingting' Dabridge who just traverses you back to those days of the hightop fades baggy jeans and super slick harmonised vocals of Blackstreet and Jodeci.
What Dubble A Star have achieved here is to reconnect that boisterous energy of old skool swingbeat with present day electro clash liken to Bauer and Diplos big bashy big beat dj sets.
Dubble A Star is yet another alias of Aniff Akinola underground Mancunian street producer of artist such as A Guy Called Geralds ‘Voodo Ray’ to Ian Brown, Backyard Dog, and dubstep outfit Boxbottom this guy is relentless in his output and willingness to invest in local Up and coming talent.
His productions are nearly always of the beaten track and is no more Evidential than his Ironweed Project which is delta blues and drum n bass, you’d have to Be a Guardian journalist to keep a tail on this guy because you just don’t know where he’s going to turn up next.
Mr Benz aka Killabenz hails from Moss Side Manchester and in his own words states 'since l was a youth l loved and followed sound systems me and my brothers first setup was called Stereo Media from there l went on to carry boxes for Bubblers Hi Quality sound system eventually graduating to the Emcee which was where the music ting bit me hard.
My first major break was working with UK super hip hop producer Dominic Owen whom had worked with Biggie Smalls, Lil Kim and JayZ culminating in the 'Its Just Music" album. After working with Dominic l felt that l had to learn how to produce tracks so l set up my own home studio and have been creating my own beats whilst still jumping on collaborations and features with other producers. Whilst doing the "Made In Manchester' mixtape l met and did co-writes with David Dawood and Jodie Conner whom wrote and produced Rolldeeps #1 ?Good Times'
That time was a 'madness' preceded by me doing a track with BBC 1XTRA Charlie Sloth and more recently feature collaborations have seen me working with Manchesters Zed Bias and rising grime star Riomusic10 on the tracks 'Cant Stop We' and 'Summa Flex' which have gained great support from National and Urban Radio DJs such as Tim Westwood, Semtex, Djtarget and Mistajam.