Ly Da Buddah
Ly Da Buddah is a known name of his hometown in Braunschweig, he's a 25 year strong veteran with releases on Serial Killaz, Dope Ammo, Kartoons and more. He has crossed the globe several times and is known for his brilliant parties and an ear for talent. We take a moment to celebrate his moments for 2019 as we go into an even bigger 2020 for him and his friends.
Thanks for taking the time out to speak to me, it's about time I said hi! I apologise it's taken so long but, hi hi!! Tell us about your hometown, how you got into music and growing up for you.
Hi. Braunschweig is a beautiful city with 250.000 people, very familiar and I call our hometown the German capital of drum and bass. We have the wildest, strongest and most constant scene. I started dancing to drum and bass in the early 90´s and will never stop.
What were the first vinyl records you bought?
I bought a lot of Trip Hop from labels like Jazz Fudge and Asphodel, Reggae and Funk, everything by Aphex Twin, Detroit Techno, Chicago House,…my first Jungle records were by Congo Natty and Moving Shadow. In the 90´s I bought the black gold in a record shop called Sweat records in Braunschweig. Later on I had my own record shop for about ten years.
Tell us about Brain, how long you have been there for now and the relationship you have with the club.
I run different monthly resident nights in the Brain Klub since 25 years now. I started with really experimental music and visuals, then we had some mixed Reggae / Jungle parties as Motagen Soundsystem. I also run the Drum and Bass Bundesliga, where the best DnB artists from Germany clash against each other and there is a winner in the end of each season (it’s season 18 now). I did the Liquid Sunshine and invited nearly all Hospital Records artists, also BCee, DRS, and many more. The champions league is for big artists like Black Sun Empire, Netsky, Phace, Aphrodite,… Nicky Blackmarket and The Prototypes have basically become residents here, who love to play four hours sets. After 25 years and countless events I booked more than 600 artists. In 2020 I’ll have 25 events starting with A.M.C..
That is a wonderful achievement and thank you for all your hard work for our music scene. What do you love about promoting?
I like to have a regular slot in my hometown to go crazy with my friends.
I love that answer! I also love your outlook on life and your respect about bootlegs and playing them to the original artists first. Can you explain to our newer younger generations why being respectful with music is so important?
The originators spend lots of time and energy in their work. If you like their creations and use them for yourself it is a natural process to let them know.
You work closely with Void producing and have some quite successful releases. Tell us about Void and some of your bigger releases.
Void is a good friend from Cologne. We just started producing together about one year ago. We know each other for a longer time, but we never thought that it is so much fun turning the knobs together. Our styles and ways of working are matching in a funny way. We had support from top players, nearly everybody played Rub A Dub, Aphrodite asked us if he can release „Sound Of The Streets“ and „Havana“. We are very happy about the feedback.
Which has been your favourite release to date?
There is so much good music and it depends on the setting.
You have played all over the world. Tell us about some of your favourite places to play.
First things first: Brain Klub.
I love the Fusion Festival, it is full of interesting music, freaky people, art, and necessary politic movements. Sun and Bass is a family thing for me. Of course Colombia. I have to big up my friend Jairo from Bogota, Radikal Styles is wicked!
You run "Headliner Mag" which is a really successful blog. How long has that been running for and who's been your most memorable artist feature?
We started as a print mag. We did 17 issues full of bass music and street art. It is hard to decide between Dizzee Rascal (it was a funny interview in the Universal Records building in Berlin, where I had to give away my phone and they checked all my belongings before they played the new album to me and I had the possibility to speak 15 minutes to Dizzee. We just smoked a spliff and laughed all the time…later on he called me to do a good interview) and Oliver Koletzki (he is an old friend from my hometown, i played him a couple of DnB tracks and he told me his opinion). But in the end it is clear: The most interesting one was with The Prodigy.
If I gave you £10,000 what would you do with it?
Maybe i would change my blood in the end of 2020, with the Mexican doctor who did it for Keith Richards.
2019 has been a busy year for you, what's been your most notable achievement this year?
In the beginning of the year I had the honour to release the number 10 on Nicky Blackmarket´s Kartoons label. Mystic Dan and me released a big compilation with all our tunes on our own label Real Vibes.
What's planned for 2020?
I will do an international tour. Many dates are fixed, some are free. Promoters Hollah! 25 events at Brain Klub. Got lots of new productions. Some are already signed to heavy labels. In the beginning of the year I will release an EP with Dutta. Void and me are just working on a new track.
What DAW are you on and any favourite VSTs?
I am using Logic at the moment. I studied audio engineering and worked with many different DAW´s, like I used much stuff to DJ. It is more important to know what you are doing.
Do you have any favourite vocalists or MCs?
Mystic Dan is my favourite MC and a very good friend. We have our label Real Vibes and I am very proud to work with him for more than 20 years now. DRS ist the best Vocalist for me in the drum and bass scene. Just listen to his lyrics.
I think as a creative person making music we all seem to tend to like to draw too! I checked out https://monkeejuice.com and it's really great. How's that all going?
Thanks. I started Monkeejuice with Dennis Gabbana. He is the don!
Do you have any motto's in life?
Living the moment, wild and free.
If I see you at the bar, what are you drinking?
Alcohol.
Thanks for your time, and all the best for 2020 and beyond :)
Thank you very much!
Interview by Missrepresent December 2019
