Aba Shanti-I (GB)

About

Also known as: Aba Shanti, Aba Shanti I, Aba-Shanti, Shanti-ites

Few people have shaped the UK roots reggae and dub scene quite like Aba Shanti I. Operating out of Hackney, he took over the Jah Tubby's sound system in 1990 and built it into one of the most respected rigs in the country, earning a residency at Notting Hill Carnival from 1993 that has lasted decades. That same year DJ Magazine voted him the number one DJ in the world. His sound is unmistakable: original tracks layered with reverb, delays and effects, drawing inspiration from Dennis Brown, Bob Marley, Junior Delgado, Yabby You and Prince Lincoln. On the production side, Aba works closely with his brother and the Shanti Ites, releasing records on their own Falasha imprint since 1993. His discography spans a long run of singles and albums including Wrath of Jah Verse I, Jericho Walls and the 2014 collaboration The Whole of Me with Blood Shanti. Beyond the UK he has taken the sound system to Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Portugal and Spain, and he remains a founding presence at the University of Dub.