JAMES MASSIAH (UK)

Arriving in Australia for the first time, legendary London-based Dub Poet, Dancehall Selector, Rapper, Producer and NTS Resident James Massiah makes his Brisbane debut at Black Bear Lodge this September. Drawing on over a decade as one of London's most respected selectors as a legacy NTS Radio resident, he'll traverse dub, dancehall, grime, UK rap, acid house and countless sounds beyond. Interwoven throughout the set will be live performances of material from his acclaimed EP’s True Romance, Bounty Law and Contact High, alongside collaborations including tracks with Lord Tusk, Massive Attack, Phil Asher and other selections across his catalogue. James Massiah's latest EP, Contact High, was released in collaboration with DJ GAWAD via Jordanian label Drowned By Locals. The project sees James move further towards the UK underground club sound he has helped shape over the last decade, pushing rap closer to the dancefloor through a fusion of grime, dancehall and jerk production. It follows his biggest release to date, Bounty Law, which features collaborations with acclaimed UK producers Cajm, 3o and Cold (best known for their work on Jawnino's 40). Across the project, James explores hedonism through a grime, dancehall and trance-infused lens. Prior to that, he released the aptly titled and entirely self-produced True Romance EP in 2024, examining modern romance and intimacy while challenging relationship conventions. As a self described dub poet and creator of celebrated Adult Entertainment poetry nights, James has dissolved the boundaries between spoken word, nightlife and underground music, cultivating a literary scene where poetry and partying exist in the same room. Beyond his solo work, James is widely recognised as DJ Escrow in Dean Blunt’s Babyfather project and for collaborations including a feature on Jawnino’s acclaimed debut ‘40’. Presale tickets available now. Supports TBA.