Conscious socio-political lyrics cut through bass-drenched dub, dubstep, breaks and hard hitting drum n' bass to define the unique Mighty Dub Killaz sound. Both Papa Roads and Janaka Selekta are season musicians with the ability to play a number of instruments. They are also skilled composers, studio engineers, producers and performers.
In the studio, The Mighty Dub Killaz have created 2 unreleased albums and a dance music EP. On Stage, a daily rehearsal schedule and tour dates have honed a live set that blends 1970's analog dub with future forward technology to create a show that has been rocking audiences in the US.
In their DJ/MC incarnation Mighty Dub Killaz draws from Janaka Selekta's award winning track record of DJing (1. Best DJ, Readers Poll Award, SF Bay Guardian. 2. Best Electronic Act, Editors Choice, SF Bay Guardian. 3. Best DJ Crew, AsianWeek) and Papa Road's history as a roots singer to create a seamless mix of cutting edge dance beats and fresh lyrical improvisation. In both incarnations critics and audience alike have been astounded to see that the sound bumping through the speakers is being created live!
Mighty Dub Killaz will be blowing up dancefloors and live venues in your area!
Chicago's JC Stokes a.k.a. Papa Roads is a multi faceted vocalist, musician, lyricist and producer who combines the original soul of the South Side Chicago with the rooted island soul of Kingston, Jamaica. Brought up on the south side of Chicago, he began singing with his local church choir at the age of 9. JC was drawn into a career in music while attending Columbia College ,School of Music where he and a fellow classmate started the band Natural Force. After several lineup changes, the band changed its name to X-Dub Factor. XDF was a unique blend of Roots Reggae and Chicago Soul which easily made them a crowd favorite on the Chicago Reggae scene.With 8 years and over 1,100 shows under his belt JC has opened for acts such as The Wailers, Toots and the Maytals and headlined numerous shows. His musical exploration would then take JC away from his band and onto other musical paths.
JC became the lead vocalist for the band D.O.P.E. which soon became a hit on the Chicago Rock scene. They performed alongside Tupac, White Zombie, L7, and HR in their opening shows. D.O.P.E. signed to Lil Louis’ label and Anti Gravity Records but later disbanded. The Chicago rock scene was sorry to see them go. After D.O.P.E., JC spun reggae at the longest running reggae night in Chicago and also played in the rock band Mescyln, formed with Van Christie from Die Warsaw. His credits include Nine Inch Nails, X-Dub factor, Die Warzau, Filter, Geezer Butler, Stabbing Westward, and Crucial Conflikt. JC was also the featured vocalist on the title soundtrack for Mortal Combat.
JANAKA SELEKTA
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Born in Asia, raised in Europe and the Middle East, and currently residing in the United States, Janaka Selekta is a rising talent on the global music scene. Under the moniker Janaka Selekta, he writes, produces and DJs music that brings together the classical, folk and roots styling of South Asia, Arabia, Jamaica & Africa with the cutting edge sounds of hard hitting electronica. His full throttle live sets have earned him the respect of listeners and dancers alike and his solo album Pushing Air continues to garner the praise of critics around the world.
Janaka regularly appears on the play lists of a number of BBC Radio shows as well as radio stations across the States, Europe and Asia. A recent feature article in Rolling Stone India highlights Janaka's album and multi-city tour. His album has also appeared in the Top 5 Album picks by BBC Radio's Bobby Friction.
The next month sees original and exclusive sets of music made by Janaka Selekta for Bobby Friction and DJ Pathaan airing on BBC Radio. He continues to take his music out to club nights and festivals throughout the year both showcasing his skills as a veteran vinyl DJ, onstage dubber and live performer. He has been awarded “San Francisco's Reader's Choice for 'Best DJ” 2 years in a row as well as regular “Critics Picks” for his shows. Janaka's diverse DJ and live sets span many genres with a typical set including breaks, dubstep & drum n bass all with a global flavor.
Janaka Selekta spends most of his time in the studio creating music for his solo project as well the bands Mighty Dub Killaz, No Small Thing & Gods Robots.
Mighty Dub Killaz has taken 2009 by storm with a crucial blend of conscious lyrics, performed by Janaka's writing partner singer/songwriter Papa Roads, and hard hitting blends of dub reggae, dubstep, breaks and drum & bass. Their performances on the West Coast Festival circuit have solidified their reputation as a cutting edge act with a powerful stage show.
As one half of No Small Thing, Janaka co-writes and produces music with singer/songwriter Madhu Rose. No Small Thing's sound has developed over a number of years and pairs the beautiful and serene voice of Madhu with classical Indian instrumentation, western classical strings, heavy bass sculptures and wafting sonic arrangements.
