REAPER: "I Owe Everything To Drum & Bass And Our Community"

REAPER swung by in the midst of his global tour to chat about his love for drum and bass, share his thoughts on the scene, and tell us where he thinks it’s going in the future.

You can’t really discuss the current era of the drum and bass scene in the US without mentioning REAPER. First making his break in 2018, this masked DnB DJ and producer has delivered earth-shattering releases and performed at festivals all over the planet. This year has seen him continue to dominate with releases on BEACON, Bassrush, High Tea, and Dark Machine Recs, and he’s also melted the minds of festival crowds.

REAPER has made appearances at festivals like Das Energi, Wobbleland, Lost Lands, Bass Canyon, and Elements Festival, bringing his signature drum and bass energy along with him. He also took the stage at Rampage Weekend, performing back-to-back with AC13 under their ALPHA:OMEGA alias, which will be put on display Stateside at Apocalypse Zombieland later this month. Now that he’s back in the US after a recent tour of Australia and New Zealand, we had the chance to catch up with him before his appearance in Long Beach—and he dropped off a mix for the Drum & Bass Devotions series, too.

When asked about what drum and bass and the community meant to him, REAPER responded by saying, “Simply, everything.” After all, he’s been a force to be reckoned with in the American DnB community for years, becoming one of the movement’s figureheads who has helped push the genre forward.

I owe everything to Drum & Bass and our community. I have met some of my best friends, the most incredibly passionate fans, and, in general, such kind and wonderful people in the DNB scene. I’m very proud to represent this sound and community in my own way.
REAPER

REAPER has been at the forefront of the drum and bass movement in the US, bringing its sounds to a wide array of stages across the country and hopping to international hubs like the UK and Australia along the way. Stateside, he pointed out a few specific aspects that helped the genre reach the place it is now.

“First and foremost, the scene has welcomed it, so the openness fans have shown to faster music has been a considerable factor,” he said. “With that openness, we’ve seen acts like Chase & Status, Sub Focus, Dimension, etc. grow from beloved names in the DNB scene to selling thousands of tickets to a diverse crowd of dance music fans.”

Yet those major artists aren’t the only factor, as there’s been a surge of newer artists shaking things up. “Newcomers like myself, Hedex, and others have given a new generation of bass music listeners a fresh perspective on Drum & Bass that hasn’t been seen in the scene in decades,” he continued. “When you have fans willing to participate and a wealth of contributors on the artist side, you can prime a really successful movement.”

Now that the community has embraced the sound of drum and bass with fairly open arms, REAPER said that the future of the genre in America is “where it gets interesting.” While he feels we’re in one of the most positive places for DnB we’ve been in decades, American artists need to keep pushing the sound forward.

If you look at the scene in the UK or EU, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of DNB artists. If our scene is going to keep growing, it needs to be a healthy mix of both national and international artists, each bringing their own sounds, inspirations, and brands to keep it growing. I have great hope and confidence that we will continue to grow, and I will always do my part!
REAPER

As an artist who is deeply involved in the movement, he stated his vision “hasn’t changed much” since digging his heels in. “I’ve always felt we needed more homegrown talent, and I’ve been hopeful and confident about our growth since the beginning of my journey,” he shared. “I think my view of things has changed a little bit from the first time I tweeted #DNB2020,” he continued with a laugh. “But in the best way, because I believe we’ve arrived.”

I believe DNB has once again planted its flag in America. Now it’s more about where we take it, and who’s in line to help us continue telling the story.
REAPER

To close out the chat, REAPER shone a light on the artists he feels will help shape the genre’s future, first mentioning Crumb Pit. “They’ve been crushing it on tour with me, and are releasing a lot of really cool music,” he shared before listing off a second, samisosa. “[She] brings such a fun and fresh perspective. She’s only 23, but rips the nastiest Jungle, Rollers, and heavy DNB as if she’s been doing this for 15 years. I believe in both of these acts a lot.”

Give this exclusive guest mix from REAPER a spin to get a dose of his drum and bass style, and don’t forget to catch him when he takes the stage at Apocalypse Zombieland later this month!