World-class DJ, producer, radio titan, and celebrated author – DJ Semtex wears many hats. To fans, he is a trusted authority, to peers, he is a creative force advancing the culture. 

He first cut his teeth as a DJ in his hometown, Manchester. In the years since, he has become one of the premier DJs in hip hop, touring, opening, and performing onstage with the likes of Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Rick Ross, Travis Scott, Dave, Skepta, Migos, and Dizzee Rascal.

Producing and releasing his own music under his label Seminal Sound. With recent work featuring Vic Mensa, Backroad Gee, Kwesi Arthur, and Afro B. Semtex is constantly inspired by the crowds he plays for to craft tracks that could shut down any show. 

On-air, he made his mark as a thought-provoking interviewer, turning his 15-year-strong slot on BBC 1Xtra and then a show on Capital Xtra into must-visits for artists. Anchored by an impulse to share hip-hop’s story, as a radio personality he is known to coax unusual realness out of closed-off megastars like Kanye West, Drake, Jay-Z, and Eminem. 

A dedicated, knowledgeable hip-hop head, DJ Semtex certified himself as one of the most potent voices in the scene when he penned the pioneering book, 2016’s Hip Hop Raised Me. Then, in 2020, he turned the critically-lauded memoir-cum-definitive history into his own interview series, the Hip Hop Raised Me Podcast. 

And with more international collaborations and creative moments in the pipeline, DJ Semtex continues pushing the culture forward. 

Follow / Listen

Slowe is a Bristol-based music producer and artist signed to Tru Thoughts Records. Influenced by a range of genres like Soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop, and producers including J Dilla, Q-Tip and Tyler, The Creator, her sound blends soulful grooves, vintage textures and introspective songwriting. She released her self-produced debut album Where The Mind Wanders in 2023, earning support from Giles Peterson, BBC Introducing, BBC 6 Music, KCRW and more, as well as releasing several remixes for other artists.

With new music on the way next year, Slowe continues to carve out her space as a non-performing artist, creating music built for headphones, quiet moments and deep listening.

Follow / Listen

Producer, beat-maker and multi-instrumentalist edbl (Ed Black) is one of the UK’s most prolific collaborators, having independently released original tracks with over 100 artists, spotlighting the most exciting up-and-coming UK artists in the scene.

His free-flowing beats have amassed upwards of 130 million streams and have garnered support from BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Jamz Supernova, BBC Radio 2’s Jo Whiley, Jazz FM, BBC 6 Music’s Don Letts, BBC Introducing, Reprezent, Wordplay & Notion Magazines, and a coveted Maida Vale session, as well as a spot on many of your favourite jazz/R&B playlists.

With his roots as a session musician, Ed strives to keep his sound as live as possible. Aside from the drums, everything you hear on a track - from the keys and the guitar to the trumpet - will be live instruments. The result is a free-flowing pool of textured sounds, each collaboration teeming with natural synergy.

Follow / Listen

Vice Beats is a Bristol-based music producer, educator, and podcast host known for blending soulful, jazz-laced samples with a heavy dose of Boom Bap. He gained widespread recognition for Dilla: The Timeless Tribute, the UK’s only officially endorsed J Dilla tribute album. His 2023 project Aspects explores themes of identity, mental health, and connection, with features from Blu, Napoleon Da Legend, and more. Through EQ Music, Vice Beats fuses creativity and community, using music as a tool for social impact. His work is supported by tastemakers including Gilles Peterson, DJ Koco, DJ Premier, KRS One and many more

Follow / Listen