Dplanet_
Born and raised in London UK, Dplanet, real name Damian Stephens, grew up around a wide variety of musical influences; everything from Studio One, Dub and Dancehall to Rare Groove, Soul, Funk and even Rock music.
When Stephens first heard Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa in 1981 it awakened something deep in his soul. From that moment on he was a dedicated disciple of the pioneering sounds of Hip Hop and Electro. Luckily the UK had a thriving pirate radio, underground club and mixtape culture so Stephens could regularly get his fix of this new music.
In 1986, inspired by the release of KRS1's album Criminal Minded, and by the thriving 'blues' party scene in London, Stephens started collecting vinyl and DJing. In 1987 (the so-called 'Summer of Love') House music from New York and Chicago swept through the UK. This musical invasion opened the door to the harder, more minimalist electronic sound of Detroit. Derrik May's, The Dance, and the more militant sound of Underground Resistance resonated deeply with Stephens and formed a natural connection to the original electro sound.
In 1991, whilst studying in Brighton, UK, Stephens formed a partnership with fellow Detroit head, Simon Atkinson. Overcoming a never-ending series of technical and financial problems, Stephens and Atkinson signed a 3 EP deal with cult Dutch Techno label DJAX-UP-BEATS based in Eindhoven, under the name China White. The duo released their first EP, Theme from the Underground in 1991 to great critical acclaim. Unfortunately the financial and technical problems eventually prevented China White from fulfilling their contract, despite resorting to selling Atkinson's beloved Roland 909 to Label owner Saskia 'Ms Djax' Slegers.
In 1993, surviving by DJing and hustling, Stephens and Atkinson finally managed to release the Tuned In EP through Aura Surround Sounds Records under the name Dark Llama.
A series of computer crashes, financial problems and record deals that failed to materialise finally split Stephens and Atkinson. Motivated by his pioneering spirit and inspired by South Africa's newly won freedom from Apartheid, Stephens decided to move south in 1996.
Having spent many years out of the music industry in South Africa, a chance meeting with South African rapper Trusenz in 2004 inspired Stephens to form production and publishing company Pioneer Unit to release Trusenz's debut album, Nomadsland. Pioneer Unit has since signed Ben Sharpa, KONFAB, Rattex, The Realist, Driemanskap and Jaak and Stephens has produced over 80 tracks.
The UK has always been a place where pioneering music is accepted, adopted and mutated into something unique. Stephens' production epitomises this aesthetic, fusing classic East Coast Hip Hop, Detroit Techno, Dancehall, Dub and Electro into his own unique Hip Hop sound. Stephens is passionate about creating proudly African hip hop that is at home anywhere in the world.
