About | DNBSA

Where it started

DNBSA was conceptualised on 17 May 2008 after attempts to work with DNB ARENA to organise a South African DNB Tour and artist exchange program. After negotiations, we realised that working together was not viable option at the time, this largely thanks to how scattered the scene in South Africa was at the time. There was no documentation of the Drum n Bass scene in South Africa and at best it was fragmented and so the evidences of many great nights, beats, producers, DJs and mixes have been faded by the corrosive nature of time! The handful of us that cared about it and wanted to document the whole genre within our borders put our heads together and DNBSA was born! NOW, we can proudly offer you… STRICTLY South African DRUM n BASS music news and reviews on various aspects of the scene, be it, DJs, producers or events. We all love Drum n Bass, that is why we are here. Join together power in numbers!

There are a number of drum n bass groups and pages on Facebook and other online sources, but it seems like nobody is covering the South African Drum n Bass scene as a whole. Let’s make this the space. A platform for you to voice your opinion and to better and grow what we already have. We can do so much together, make this scene massive and promote it like nothing else! Currently there are 4500 individuals in South Africa who list Drum n Bass in their music taste. Lets get this page that strong. With that kind of following, we can push for bigger venues, more sponsorship and get more international DJs coming through. NOTE: This is strictly LOCAL South African. You are welcome to join if you are not from South Africa, but please only post local happenings. Anything international will be deleted unless it’s a South African being featured internationally that is. Local DJ mixes featuring international tracks are fine, internationals touring SA are fine but please respect this page and the intention behind it so that we can build and above all, be united as one solid DNB legion. DNBSA PLUG IN

Scene timeline

1994
The Sublime crew is co-founded in Cape Town and starts The Jungle Show on Bush Radio, an early home for jungle on South African airwaves.
1998
Counterstrike (Animal Chin and 500 Mills), already DJing since the mid 1990s, begin producing together in Cape Town.
2000
Homegrown launches in September at The Jam (later Mercury Live), run by Counterstrike and Algorythm.
2001
Mercury Live gives Homegrown a permanent first-Saturday monthly residency.
2002
Hyphen takes the reins of the second era of the Sublime Drum n Bass Show on Bush Radio.
2005
Counterstrike release the Wardance EP on Moving Shadow and relaunch their Algorythm Recordings label.
2006
Niskerone starts It Came From The Jungle as a weekly at Fiction DJ Bar in May. SFR wins DJ Hype's True Playaz mix competition.
2008
Counterstrike release the album Insubordination on Algorythm.
2010
Science Frikshun launches the Newtown Takeover street festival in Johannesburg.
2012
The last Homegrown takes place at Mercury Live on 3 November; Pressure, hosted by Hyphen, RudeOne and SFR, takes over the slot.
2014
The Addictshun weekly in Johannesburg is drawing new fans; Sol Pillars later credits it as his introduction to drum n bass.
2016
The Assembly on Harrington Street, a regular drum n bass room, closes in August.
2017
The Propaganda 011 club night starts in Johannesburg.
2019
Stay-C founds the Onyx events brand in Johannesburg.
2020
Mercury Live closes in March during lockdown. Stay-C becomes the first Hospital Records Women in Drum n Bass mentee, and Propaganda011 releases its debut charity compilation The Frontliners Vol.1 on 25 December.
2021
UKF publishes 11 South African D&B Artists You Need In Your Life, spotlighting the new producer wave.
2023
Camo & Krooked headline The Jungle open air at The Ostrich; South African born Kenya Grace reaches UK number one with Strangers.
2024
Liquicity makes its South African debut at The Ostrich on 10 February; System of Synergy holds its first Cape Town edition in April.
2026
CHERCH marks ten years, It Came From The Jungle turns 20 with a warehouse series at Alley Cape Town, and Yamatai Records plays South Africa for the first time in October.

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