DRS is the voice of the thinking person's drum and bass. While many MCs focus on crowd hype and rapid-fire energy, he operates in the spaces between the beats, offering a soulful, often melancholic perspective that feels more like a conversation than a performance. His music is characterized by warm, liquid production, deep sub-bass, and jazzy flourishes that provide a sophisticated backdrop for his gravelly, honest delivery.
What sets him apart is his ability to blend the rhythmic complexity of jungle and DnB with the narrative depth of conscious hip-hop. He doesn't just ride the rhythm; he inhabits it, using his baritone voice to explore themes of loss, resilience, and the grit of everyday life. It is music that feels lived-in, carrying the weight of the Manchester streets and the warmth of a classic soul record.
Start with 'The Blue Hour', his collaboration with LSB. It is a masterclass in atmospheric electronic music that perfectly captures his ability to turn a high-tempo genre into something deeply intimate and emotionally resonant. It is the ideal entry point for anyone who thinks they don't like drum and bass.
DRS (Dirty Rap Scallion) is a British rapper, born Delroy Pottinger. He was one third of UK hip hop trio, Broke 'n' £nglish, and has collaborated with the likes of Calibre, Marcus Intalex, Lynx, LTJ Bukem, Icicle and LSB and the late MC Conrad. In the 1990s, he landed a spot as the resident MC at Club Xtreme and came into contact with drum and bass artist LTJ Bukem and rapper MC Conrad. He was one of only a few rappers at the time who could keep up with the fast speed of drum and bass, and went on to appear on many of Bukem's tracks. He released his debut LP I Don't Usually Like MC's But... on Manchester drum n bass label Soul:R. The album featured production from a host of drum n bass names including dBridge, Lynx, Marcus Intalex, Genotype, Dub Phizix, S.P.Y and Enei. His second LP, Mid Mic Crisis (2015), was also released on Soul:R. In 2018 and 2020, he released two EP's for the label Space Cadet, titled Space Cadet and Space Cadet II, respectively. Both EP's feature drum and bass artists such as Mozey, Zero Tolerance, and Skeptical. In 2019, He collaborated with drum and bass DJ and producer LSB on the album The Blue Hour.
Shares drum and bass, conscious hip-hop, soul (subgenres); analog warmth, hi fi, layered dense (production style)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); urban night, rainy day, late night (atmosphere)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); urban night, late night, rainy day (atmosphere)
Shares contemplative, soulful, melancholic (moods); urban night, rainy day, late night (atmosphere)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); urban night, rainy day, late night (atmosphere)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); minimalist, analog warmth, hi fi (production style)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); contemplative, soulful, melancholic (moods)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); analog warmth, hi fi, layered dense (production style)
Shares minimalist, analog warmth, hi fi (production style); drum and bass (subgenres)
Shares drum and bass, soul (subgenres); urban night, rainy day, train ride (atmosphere)
Shares liquid funk, train ride, drum and bass, soul (signature)
Shares liquid funk, train ride, drum and bass, soul (signature)
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