If you look back through the history books and contemporary magazine articles and interviews from the earliest days of rave culture, you'll find that many of the producers that paved the way for jungle and drum and bass came from a UK hip-hop background, particularly the likes of The Prodigy's Liam Howlett, T-Power, SHUT UP AND DANCE!!!!!!!! and artists from labels like Suburban Base and Moving Shadow.
Not surprising when you hear the way they were manipulating breakbeats back then. Many of the instrumental versions could have easily slipped into hardcore DJ sets, and vice versa.
While America came into its own in the early 90s with that ruff, tuff breakbeat sound (and clearly used lots of breaks), the UK was definitely already on the ball with it, especially in the Britcore arena, as you'll hear as we travel through the late 80s and early 90s.
The melding of Britcore and breakbeat hardcore was clearly always going to happen, and this is evident in much of the hardcore music from 1990/91/92.
As producers from both creative areas switched from style to style, with them went the breaks and the bass. As Britcore in particular was generally high tempo, or at least at a tempo similar to many breakbeat tracks of the same era, the similarities are incredibly close on many of these tracks, so this opens up yet another highly influential avenue in the story of the birth of jungle.
Let's take a look at some of the key sounds that were developing across the bedroom studios and recording spots of the UK at this pinnacle point in time for the underground rave movement.
1. 1987 - Derek B - Rock The Beat
2. 1987 - Asher D & Daddy Freddy – Ragamuffin Hip-Hop
3. 1987 - London Posse - London Posse
4. 1987 - Triple Element (MC CONRAD!) - What's Dat Sound?
5. 1988 - Cut 2 Kill - Tempo Trooping
6. 1988 - Derek B - Bullet From A Gun
7. 1988 - Cut 2 Kill - Illegal Beats
8. 1988 - The rebel MC - Cockney Rhythm
9. 1988 - Demon Boyz - Vibes
10. 1989 - Silver Bullet - 20 Seconds To Comply
11. 1989 - Shut Up And Dance - 5,6,7,8
12. 1989 - Demon Boyz - Recognition
13. 1990 - Katch 22 - Hip Hop Pocrisy
14. 1990 - Severe Carnage - The Struggle Continues
15. 1990 - The Criminal Minds - Urban Warfare
16. 1990 - The Rebel MC - Culture
17. 1990 - Blade - The Mind Of An Ordinary Citizen
18. 1990 - Krispy 3 – Destroy All The Stereotypes
19. 1990 - Caveman – Fry You Like Fish
20. 1990 - S.L. Troopers – Knowledge ...I'm Gonna Get Me Some
21. 1990 - The 3 Knights– Burial Proceedings In The Coarse Of Three Knights
22. 1990 - Cause 'N' Effect – Hype
22. 1990 - MC Duke & DJ Leader One – The Final Conflict
23. 1990 - Rude Boy Business – Chasing Competition
24. 1990 - Overlord X – You Ought To Get Rushed
25. 1990 - First Down – Jaw Warfare
26. 1990 - The Sindecut – Live The Life
27. 1990 - W.B.I. Red Ninja – Danger Zone
28. 1990 - Hardnoise -Untitled
29. 1990 - The Ragga Twins - Illegal Gunshot
30. 1990 - Gunshot - Battle Creek Brawl (Apocalypse Bass)
1991 - Caveman - I'm Ready
31 .1991 - Hardnoise - Serve Tea, Then Murder
