Jacky Murda

Jacky Murda

Jacky Murda is a US artist associated with ragga jungle, jungle and drum and bass. He begins as a bedroom DJ and amateur soundman before entering the scene professionally under the Chopstick Dubplate name. In 1998 he voicings and cuts dubplates with a custom Scully-Westrex lathe, and from 2000 he starts issuing 10-inch records that are recorded, mixed and cut in-house.

Chopstick Dubplate and early releases

His first label, King Kong Sound, releases a pair of influential black-label jungle 10-inch records by Krinjah and Murda. Around 1999 he develops a different approach to jungle, focusing on original vocals over jungle riddims rather than sampling. The Chopstick Dubplate label follows and marks the beginning of the new-school ragga-jungle movement. The debut full-length 21 Murda Shots appears in 2003 and features many well-known Jamaican artists, with 10-inch releases from that material issued over the following years.

Later collaborations and projects

In 2006 he starts the Little Island project, working in Brighton and Barcelona with UK producer Kion on dubby, deep and rootsy material. Tracks by Kion and Murda gain rotation in UK dance settings such as DMZ, FWD, and SuperDubPressure, with DJs including Mala, Rusko, Tes La Rok, Joe Nice, Nick Argon, BunZer0, Noah D, Daddy G, N-Type and Itchy Robot supporting the sound. In 2009 he releases Soundboy Gone featuring Jah Mason, and the production process leads to collaboration between Mason’s River Nile Camp and Chopstick Dubplate on the full-length Chopstick Meets River Nile.

Live work and aliases

Also in 2009, Jacky Murda and Max Powa form the live act JingBong Ting. His releases appear on Argon, Kraken, Moonshine, Renegade Weed, Chopstick Dubplate and Little Island Records. He is also listed as part of Jacky Murda & RCola.