DJ Vadim

DJ Vadim, aka Vadim Peare has led an eclectic and fruitful career since bursting onto the nascent UK hip hop scene in the mid-90s, playing the role of promoter, radio presenter, record collector, writer and label owner while picking up Grammy nominations, multiple DJ/production awards and best album covers. However, it is his skilful turntablism and countless releases as DJ Vadim for which he is most well-known. His studio productions seamlessly fuse soul, hip-hop, reggae and electronica, while his mixtapes often showcase new and undiscovered bangers in dub to jungle, grime to dancehall, while never forgetting the classics and hidden gems. In the ’90s, Vadim found a home for his left-field sound on the iconic label Ninja Tune before releasing a steady stream of reggae infused Dubcatcher albums throughout the 2000s. His impressive list of production credits include work for Stevie Wonder, The Roots, Prince, Public Enemy, Dilated Peoples, Kraftwerk, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Paul Weller and Damien Marley. 

Following the release of his 1999 studio album U.S.S.R. Life from the Other Side, DJ Vadim formed a hip-hop supergroup with Mr Thing, Killa Kela, Blue Rum 13 and John Ellis of Cinematic Orchestra before touring extensively throughout Europe and North America. In 2012 he expanded his sound even further when he incorporated dubstep, breaks, bhangra, afrobeat and old-school house into beats that were both solid and inventive.

Through his spot on the BBC’s Around the World in Eight Relays programme and his prolific remix work, Vadim has helped to showcase and promote artists such as Diplo, Roots Manuva, The Glitch Mob and The Foreign Beggars, all of whom have gone onto becoming successful in their own right. His latest releases have seen him returning to his roots with a collection of classic hip-hop instrumentals and a fruitful collaboration with vocalist Jman that fuses reggae and hip-hop to devastating effect.