Explore the Sounds of Dubstep and Riddim Pioneer 12th Planet

Dubstep and Riddim wouldn’t be what they are today without the brilliant mind of 12th Planet, so dive into his discography and explore some sounds!

There are few artists in the dubstep scene that have been as influential as 12th Planet over the course of their career. Hailing from Los Angeles, John Dadzie spent his earliest days as a Drum & Bass DJ under the alias Infiltrata before he made the decision in 2006 to focus on dubstep, a fast-growing genre coming out of the UK that hadn’t truly landed across the pond yet.

Changing his artist name to 12th Planet, he quickly became one of the standard-bearers for the genre that would explode in popularity in the US in just a few short years. Taking the helm of LA-based SMOG Records in 2007, he helped transform the label to become one of the most first true homes for dubstep in the States while churning out some of his first releases including the Smokescreen, Ptera Patrick, and 68 / Be Blatant EPs in 2008.

As dubstep continued to find its footing, 12th Planet further solidified his place in the scene by helping foster its growth in Southern California. While his work with the genre’s most influential artists in the UK like Plastician, Skream, and Doctor P was prominent, he put the spotlight on bass artists from his home turf with Flinch, SPL (now, Champagne Drip), and Skrillex.

In 2017, 12th Planet shifted his focus to Myro and Dodge & Fuski’s Disciple Recordings and led their sub-label Disciple Round Table. The first release on the label Knights of the Round Table, Vol. 1, included everyone from Oolacile and SampliFire to Graphyt and Phiso, along with “Send It” a track that saw him collaborate with PhaseOne and Barely Alive. This placed Dadzie at the forefront of yet another emerging style, riddim, which has since become one of the most dominating sounds in the bass music realm.

Beyond his releases, 12th Planet has also infected the masses with sets at some of the most iconic festivals in the scene including Coachella, the Electric Daisy Carnival in LA and subsequent editions in Las Vegas, and Electric Forest. Additionally, his sets at bass-centric festivals like Rampage and Lost Lands have become sought after while he also dominates with Swamplex Radio that airs weekly on a variety of platforms.

If you’re new to the scene and just now diving into the history of bass music or are a longtime fan looking to “memba” some of the tunes that helped solidify its place, we’ve compiled a playlist of essential 12th Planet’s tunes to get annihilated by. Stream the playlist below and let us know what your favorite memories are of one of bass music’s most influential artists!