Benga — Dubstep Pioneer & Producer

Benga, born Adegbenga Otomayomi Adejumo on 1 September 1986 in Croydon, England, is a British DJ and producer of Yoruba Nigerian descent who is recognized as an early pioneer of dubstep. Inspired by UK garage producer Wookie, he began making tunes on a PlayStation and then FruityLoops as a teenager, frequenting the Big Apple record shop in Croydon where he met fellow producer Skream and came to the attention of DJ Hatcha, who worked there; by age 15 Benga had released his first record, Skank, on the shop's own label in 2002. He self-released his debut album Newstep in 2006, followed by Diary of an Afro Warrior in 2008, which Resident Advisor called one of the most anticipated dubstep LPs of that period. In 2007 Benga formed the dubstep supergroup Magnetic Man with Skream and Artwork, releasing an EP in 2009 and a self-titled album in 2010, and he produced Katy B's debut single Katy on a Mission, which reached number five on the UK Singles Chart in 2010. From January 2011 he co-hosted a weekly Friday night show with Skream on BBC Radio 1 as part of the In New DJs We Trust strand, and the pair performed together at Sydney's Field Day festival on New Year's Day 2012.