The Role Of The Drum and Bass MC
The Drum and Bass MC has become a vital and key part of any rave in today’s scene. As the name suggests they are the master of ceremonies which means they take a leading role in how the night goes.
We have become so used to having a Drum and Bass MC that going to a rave seems incomplete without one, so we decided to take a look at what makes a killer MC. So, what does the MC do at a rave?
They take on several roles. Most nights are considered to be hosted by an MC, however, they aren’t the main attraction. We all know that you can go to a rave without one, but a Drum and Bass MC will add an extra dimension to the party. The first and foremost aspect of an MC is that they will be the hype man. Giving a dialogue between the dj and the crowd. A conduit, if you will, that reflects the atmosphere. The dj will always have their set, but the MC will be able to help make small directional changes. For example, if a particular track has caused a big reaction, a reload may be called for.
Visually they give another option for the crowd. As much as we love seeing the dj ply his trade, there is actually very little to see. Often they are high up behind the decks meaning the crowd don’t get to see much. The light show is a given these days which of course adds to the spectacle, but seeing a person on stage brings the whole performance together.
A Drum and Bass MC will also be able to add an element of musicality and lyricism to a rave. Their ability to freestyle and rhyme over tracks allows for a heightened experience that only live shows can bring. The hallmark of a great live show is that unique events take place that are not scripted that bring a new vibe. The offer a once only experience that can only be created at that very moment in time.
Why Do We Have Drum and Bass MC’s?
We think of the Drum and Bass MC as a staple of a rave. To be honest, they have been there since the get go. Jungle and DNB evolved out of many different styles of music and one of those heavy influences was that of dancehall. Dancehall is very MC heavy. WIth no MC there would no song, no vibe and scene. It’s common in Dancehall for artists to not only perform but to provide a spectacle and show for those in attendance. Traditionally they were from the community and served a purpose of interacting with those they knew and to talk about the issues within said community.
As the scene grew and changed, the concept of the MC did so too. There can be long periods in the music with no vocals and the objective was to break that up and keep the crowd engaged. Not that they really needed all that much encouragement to do so, but as with any event, a certain level of direction in regards to the line up and order of events was needed.
For some, it would appear that a drum and bass rave is not complete unless there is an MC, however, this eagerness from promoters, and to some extent, the MC’s themselves, this can lead to a negative impact on the night. There have been plenty of times when a DJ has walked off or has had their set ruined by an MC that just doesn’t know how to play the crowd and respect the set.
What Makes A Shitty Drum and Bass MC?
- Being too loud
- Incomprehensible lyrics and nonsensical noises being shouted down the mic
- Asking for constant rewinds
- Giving to many, ‘hands in the air,’ demands
- Trying to rhyme over a track that already has lyrics
- Not knowing when to shut up and let the music flow
There are so many reasons that people dislike MC’s that it makes you wonder why people persist with an MC at all. A bad Drum and Bass MC can totally kill the vibe of the night and potentially damage the reportuation of the night and possibly even the dj.
Most people see the MC as secondary to the dj, rightly or wrongly, so when a bad MC is making a mess of things, it creates a negative perception of MC’s in general. This is, of course, an issue for those MC’s who actually know what they are doing and how to enhance the rave.
The Rise Of The Drum and Bass MC
There have always been big names in the field of MCing. Going back the days of legends such as Stevie Hyper-D, GQ, Dynamite MC, Moose and Five-O to name but a few, the coupling of dj and MC has been there, but it was never as prevalent as it appears to be today. You would expect there to be an MC at some of the larger events, but the smaller gigs may not have had one.
Recently, the Drum and Bass MC seems to be taking on a more prevalent role within the performance setup and quite rightly, becoming a larger part of the attraction. Modern day big names like Inja, Harry Shotta, Eksman and DRS are all playing their part to bring a more lyrical and seamless integration into the rave experience (We know that the MC’s mention have been doing this for about 20 years apiece but in the context of how long the scene has been going, they are relative newcomers).
So, why have Drum and Bass MC’s all of a sudden shot to stardom? Well, fundamentally there has been a shift within the industry. Drum and Bass has become a lot more mainstream, at least in British culture, and with the ever increasing interconnectivity and speed of communication thanks to the internet, we are able to connect and share a lot faster than ever before. This means record labels are able to shift more music to more people, giving bigger budgets for larger events. With bigger budgets, newer and more artists can be signed to labels giving them the opportunity to be more visible within the scene.
We’ve already seen that Drum and Bass festivals are not only springing up all across Europe, but well established events as part of the summer festival scene. Who’s paying for all of this? Well, mostly the labels. Labels put on events and want to showcase their artists. What better way than to put on a massive event and get all your talent up there?
It’s important to remember that record labels are signing only the top talent. I can’t think of a single label that has a bad MC on their books, so perhaps the opinion of DNB MC’s will change as the experience gets better. MC’s are also getting more opportunities to showcase their lyricism with albums of their own. Inja’s Blank Pages is one such modern masterpiece. Collaborations with other artists, coupled with the speed at which labels can disseminate music and their own social media channels (Inja alone has almost 26k followers in Instagram), it’s no wonder that MC’s who have actual skills are getting recognised more.
The Traits Of A Killer Drum and Bass MC
Now that we have taken a brief look at the history and rise of the DNB MC, it’s about time we took a look at what actually makes for a killer Drum and Bass MC. Being able to spit bars a lightning speed is not enough to get you by in the game today. You need to have a bit more than that.
Lyricism
As an MC, people are expecting you to have the ability to have something to say. Bygone are the days of people expecting incomprehensible noises shouted down the mic. Sound quality has gone up and we can actually hear what you’re saying. As a result, we want some originality and perspective. The old, ‘badda badda badda,’ cliche is dead.
Personality
It’s important that a Drum and Bass MC has character. They need to inject their own style and flavour to the proceedings. This goes hand in hand with the lyrical part of being a killer MC. Knowing what you are passionate about and projecting that through your performance will have a huge impact on the audience. People will come to feel this a great deal more and a better connection is created.
Energy
Energy is a hugely important trait. The crowd is hyped as it is. They want to see the MC reflecting that and being as excited as you are when the dj drops that banger you’ve been waiting to hear all night. Movement across the stage and bring the different sections of the crowd into play will enhance their night. The ravers want to feel that you feel the same as them so if an MC isn’t all hyped and enjoying it, then what are they doing on the stage?
Understanding With The DJ.
A truly critical element. You can have all the mic skills in the world but if the MC isn’t listening to the set and communicating with the dj then a set can feel disjointed and under prepared. As stated before, a Drum and Bass MC needs to feel the music and channel that energy to the crowd. A perfect understand of when to be on the mic and when not to will make a world of difference for everyone.
Understanding With The Crowd
A Drum and Bass MC has to know that they are putting on a performance FOR the crowd. Everything the do must be to enhance everybody’s experience, including their own. Through having a great connection with the crowd, giving the right direction and building on the energy of the venue they can create and unforgettable experience for the holy trinity of raver, MC and dj.
Now you may be thinking, that’s not an exhaustive list. Surely there’s more to it than that? And yes, there is more to it than that, but you also have to assume that DNB MC’s are already putting in loads of work, writing constantly, working to get gigs, building their catalogue of tracks and trying to get themselves out there as much as possible.
It is often said that simple is best and the same is true here. There isn’t much to it, but to be good at it takes so much hard work.
An Underlying Issue For MC’s
Whilst the Drum and Bass MC seems to be enjoying a prolific rise in visibility there is still a huge disparity between the payment for dj’s and MC’s. Many artists are not getting the appreciation for the work they are putting in. Some may argue that they don’t do the same work and so shouldn’t be paid the same, or even that they are not necessary to the event, meaning that they should feel lucky to be booked.
You might say that this is part and parcel of being a music artist, but in reality, if people aren’t getting paid enough to make it worth their while, eventually they will stop. MC’s are still having to work regular day jobs on top of trying to nurture their craft. Getting paid to do it full time would mean that bills get paid and recognition is given at the same time. We recently wrote about the massive disparity between women in Drum and Bass and men. You can assume that the disparity between female MC’s and Men is even worse.
We no longer are part of a burgeoning scene. Drum and Bass is a highly funded, professional sector of music and those working within it are not just people who want to bosh some pills and have a rave in a warehouse. As such they need to be treated as professionals.
The Perfect Performance
Signing off on this article, we wanted to share a recent performance that we consider to be everything we spoke about in the article. It’s by Inja as part of the Kings Of The Rollers Performance at Rampage 2018.
We really hope that you enjoyed reading about this aspect of Drum and Bass. What are your opinions on MC’s? Let us know in the comments below.