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We Spoke to Mixpak Boss Dre Skull About the Upcoming Red Bull Culture Clash | US | Translation

The dancehall crew are bringing some big names to next month's clash—including a UK debut from Popcaan.

Formed in 2009, Brooklyn based label Mixpak rapidly became one of the major players on the club circuit, going on to release records by everyone from Vybz Kartel to Melé, Murlo to Popcaan. Run out of NYC by Dre Skull, a dancehall producing polymath, Mixpak's known for joining the dots between Kingston, London, and everywhere (with a decent club or two) between, so it shouldn't be surprising that they've been invited to participate in this year's Red Bull Culture clash.

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On June the 17th, Dre and a few very, very special guests will be taking on Wiley's Eskimo Dance crew, Wiz Khalifa & Taylor Gang, and a UKG all stars squad comprised of members of So Solid Crew, Heartless Crew and more. I spoke to Dre Skull himself yesterday afternoon. "We're very much going in as the underdogs," he told me. And he didn't sound nervous about it.

THUMP: Can you explain the Mixpak ethos a little for us?
Dre Skull: Mixpak is a Brooklyn based record label and we're kind of tapped into that classic NY/Caribbean connection that's existed for a long time. We've done big albums with Vybz Kartel and Popcaan and we also work with the likes of Murlo and Palmistry. It's a pretty diverse roster! Jubilee's a massive part of the team too, and she's working on her upcoming album. You'd probably know some of our music without knowing who we are.

Our main goal is to nurture artists and put out great music. We put the artists up front. In recent years we've grown and now we get to throw big parties in New York and elsewhere. I hope people can see us as a name they can rely on. If they like one Mixpak release they'll hopefully like others. We're dedicated to promoting quality music. That's the most important part. We're not trying to be a brand.

Given that diversity, how do you go about selecting artists to sign?
There's so much good music being made, but we're looking for artists who really stand out to us. We want unique artists. With someone like Popcaan there's just something about him! You meet him or see his videos, and you hear and something special there. That doesn't happen with every artist. With him, his personality comes across and that's the difference between a good artist and a great one. Uniqueness is key. Murlo is another example. I can't think of another producer covering the territory that he does. Thats super important. Thats where we can do our best work —nurturing artists and aiding them to make their vision a reality.

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How did the appearance at the Clash come about?
They came to us. I was honoured to be asked, and to be on the stage against these crews is going to be great. Obviously I'm familiar with soundclashes and know the history. I'm ready to go to war. While I've not been a clash participant myself much before, I love what they're about conceptually, and that whole Jamaican tradition of them. It's a very cool idea of what you can do with music. That competitive edge is cool, too. Usually when I go to a club or I'm thinking about a party we're going to throw, I want it to be inclusive, to make sure everyone's having an amazing time. With the clash it's a little different.

It's a way of delighting the fans. I know it's definitely a war and it's strategic and you've got to do everything you can to win, but the real win comes from delighting people. Mixpak is coming in as an underdog but we represent dancehall. We're the only sound that's directly borne from clash culture. I'm feeling respectful. Not fearful.

Can you spill the beans, Dre Skull? Who are you bringing over?
We're going to make history! We've got Cranium, Spice, Tony Matterhorn, Serocee, and, get this —the debut UK performance by Popcaan. There's gonna be more than that —but I can't say more than that just yet!

Dre Skull and Mixpak will be performing at Culture Clash at the O2 on Friday 17th June. Head here for more information.

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