At 15 David Rodigan started DJing at school dances and youth clubs, and more than 40 years later he doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Whether it's collecting soundboy scalps on the clash circuit, juggling dubplates other selectors would sell their grandmas for, or edutaining entire generations of dancehall revellers worldwide with his legendary sets and speeches, the "Gentleman Rudeboy" is a true reggae rocker for life. Even when he started studying economics and drama, and went on to pursue a serious acting career in the 70s, Roddy always kept his passion for music alive as a record salesman and, of course, DJ. And when he finally obtained a resident slot on Capitol Radio in 1979, the fiyah was fully ignited: since then Rodigan has become a true legend in the reggae world, a respected father figure to many an aspiring soundboy, and a dreaded dominator in countless dubplate battles. He still hosts a Monday night slot on Kiss FM, while constantly touring the globe without even a suggestion of fatigue. This back-to-back set sees him cut the plates alongside Sheffield Steel City boy Toddla T. Weaned on the teat of bashment from a young age Toddla T rolled through his early years with ears glued to the speakers of his folks' hi-fi. Making beats, bass, blunts, and girls filled his adolescence until he was crowned as inhouse studio boff at Sheffield's Kenwood Studios at the grand old age of 19. Working on material for DJ Cash Money, Roots Manuva and Steve Edwards, amongst others, let him polish his craft until the studio shut, and he dived headfirst into distilling his own bass heavy wonk until it was ripe for dissemination. One half of digi duo Small Arms Fiya (along with fellow beat doctor/loafer Monkz), Toddla is contantly bringing the ruckus to the deadly dancehall table with a series of killer plates demolishing dimly lit basement boogies.
Listen:
Part 1 &
Part 2
@
'Red Bull Music Academy'
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