12th Planet

John Dadzie, performing as 12th Planet (and formerly Infiltrata), is a pivotal figure in the Americanization of dubstep. Emerging from the Los Angeles jungle and drum and bass scene of the late 90s and early 2000s, he acted as a bridge between the UK's Med School/Renegade Hardware aesthetic and the burgeoning US 'brostep' movement.

His early work as Infiltrata established his technical bona fides in high-speed breakbeat production, which he later slowed down to create the heavy, half-time sound of 12th Planet. He is widely credited as one of the first US DJs to champion the dubstep sound domestically, earning him the nickname 'The Los Angeles Dubstep Godfather.' His sound identity is defined by high-production-value digital synthesis, extreme sub-bass compression, and a maximalist approach to layering. Critically, he is respected for maintaining a connection to the genre's roots while pushing it toward the aggressive, high-energy demands of the American EDM festival circuit. His influence is seen in the rise of labels like SMOG and his frequent collaborations with heavyweights like Skrillex and Excision.