Drum ‘n’ bass pioneer MC Conrad, who was 52 years old, has apparently died. In a series of tributes posted on social media today (April 30), members of the MC Conrad’s family and friends confirmed the news. Conrad Thompson was the musical name of the artist. There has been no confirmation of the cause of death as of yet.
MC Conrad, who is widely recognized as a driving force behind drum ‘n’ bass and as one of the most prominent vocalists in the genre, initially became ingrained in the rave culture in the early 1990s, which brought him from his hometown of Northampton to London.
MC Conrad would combine the music of his Black Caribbean roots with the hip hop and electro sounds that were making their way through the club scene in the United Kingdom. He was inspired by his father’s record collection, which included ska, rocksteady, bluebeat, and reggae.
- ltj bukem
Thompson started his Speed residency at London’s Mars Bar in 1994. During his time there, he would offer vocals over sets that were performed by LTJ Bukem and Fabio. The residency contributed to the growth of the venue’s reputation, as well as the prominence of drum ‘n’ bass, and it established MC Conrad as a seminal voice in the genre, as well as one of the most prominent MCs in the United Kingdom.
Alongside Bukem, he performed at a variety of events, including the Ministry of Sound in London, Coachella in California, Space in Ibiza, and others. He also shared the stage with Carl Cox, Snoop Dogg, Grandmaster Flash, and Jeff Mills.
During his tenure as head of the label, Conrad tried to improve the drum ‘n’ bass genre. The first release was by Bukem on Good Looking Records, which was founded in 1991 and contributed to the widespread popularity of the intellectual drum ‘n’ bass sound. The imprint also hosted albums by Photek, Source Direct, Seba, and other artists.
Resonance, the first digital-first drum ‘n’ bass label, was founded by him in the year 2020 with the mission statement of providing a platform for forward-thinking drum ‘n’ bass music for audiences to enjoy. There have been thirteen releases on the label so far, some of which were produced by Conrad himself under the identity Con*Natural, which is his actual production name.