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| True Playaz | |
|---|---|
| Name | True Playaz |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | Drum and bass |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | RAM Records, Moving Shadow, V Recordings, Renegade Hardware |
| Associated acts | Andy C, DJ Hype, Goldie, Roni Size, Grooverider, LTJ Bukem |
True Playaz are a British drum and bass collective and crew formed in the mid-1990s, associated with the development of the drum and bass and jungle scenes in the United Kingdom. The group became known for club nights, releases, and collaborations that intersected with prominent figures and labels across the United Kingdom and international electronic music scenes. True Playaz operated as both a production outfit and booking collective, engaging with major festivals, radio personalities, and nightclub circuits.
True Playaz emerged amid a 1990s landscape shaped by artists such as Goldie, Roni Size, LTJ Bukem, Grooverider, and Andy C, and within scenes centered on venues like the Ministry of Sound, Fabric, and events such as Junglemania. The collective formed networks with labels including RAM Records, Moving Shadow, V Recordings, and Renegade Hardware while interacting with radio platforms like BBC Radio 1, Kiss FM, and pirate stations linked to the rise of pirate radio. Through the late 1990s and 2000s, True Playaz navigated shifts in club culture driven by figures such as Paul Oakenfold, Carl Cox, Pete Tong, and promoters like Simon Dunmore.
Members and associates within True Playaz worked alongside and were contemporaries of DJs and producers including Andy C, DJ Hype, Dillinja, Misty, Shimon, Peshay, Dieselboy, Stakka & Skynet, Ed Rush, Optical, Matrix, Roni Size, Goldie, LTJ Bukem, Grooverider, Fracture, Calibre, Noisia, High Contrast, Netsky, Chase & Status, Spor, Aphrodite, Zenith, Dom & Roland, Bad Company, Klute, Total Science, Photek, Adam F, Marcus Intalex, Alix Perez, BBK.
True Playaz's sound drew on the harder, dancefloor-oriented strains of drum and bass evident in releases from Ram Records and the darker aesthetics of labels like Renegade Hardware and Moving Shadow. Their production and DJ sets intersected with trends driven by producers such as Ed Rush and Optical and melodic currents represented by Calibre and High Contrast. Influence flowed between True Playaz and broader movements tied to festivals such as Creamfields, Glastonbury Festival, Outlook Festival, and club nights at Ministry of Sound and Fabric, while radio support from BBC Radio 1 hosts like Pete Tong and Annie Mac amplified stylistic reach.
True Playaz released material on labels connected to the scene, including RAM Records, Moving Shadow, V Recordings, and Breakbeat Kaos. Their catalog linked to compilations and mixes alongside catalogues from Ministry of Sound, Hospital Records, Soul:R Records, Metalheadz, and Shogun Audio. Collaborative releases and remixes involved contemporaries such as Shy FX, TERRI, M-Beat, DJ Zinc, Peshay, LTJ Bukem, and Roni Size, appearing on mixes alongside DJs like Andy C, DJ Hype, and Goldie.
True Playaz curated and performed at club nights and events across venues including Ministry of Sound, Fabric, The End, and festival stages at Creamfields, Glastonbury Festival, and regional events tied to the UK rave circuit. They toured domestically and internationally, appearing in markets alongside promoters responsible for tours by Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong, and festivals coordinated by organizations such as Live Nation and SFX Entertainment.
The crew maintained relationships with established labels such as RAM Records, Moving Shadow, V Recordings, Renegade Hardware, Metalheadz, and Soul:R Records, and engaged with distributors and promoters including Ministry of Sound, XL Recordings, and Ninja Tune. Business interactions included licensing, event promotion, and artist management functions that paralleled practices at entities like Hospital Records and Shogun Audio.
True Playaz contributed to the consolidation of UK drum and bass culture during a period marked by the ascendancy of artists like Goldie, Roni Size, LTJ Bukem, Grooverider, and Andy C. Their activities intersected with the evolution of club culture at institutions such as Ministry of Sound and Fabric and with broadcast platforms including BBC Radio 1 and Kiss FM. The collective's role in releases, events, and collaborations influenced subsequent generations represented by labels and artists like Hospital Records, Noisia, High Contrast, Calibre, Chase & Status, and Netsky.
Category:British drum and bass groups