The words “bad boys inna London, rudeboys inna England” are enough to prompt an eruption of energy in any jungle rave across the globe. UK Apache, the man responsible for the jungle anthem ‘Original Nuttah’, his breakthrough single with Shy FX, is still gracing festival stages some 25 years on, continuing to bring the sounds of classic jungle to a devoted audience.
Abdul Wahab grew up in South London, finding his calling in the anti-establishment message of reggae and Jamaican soundsystem culture while developing his own sound system, Fantasy Sound. After making an impact on the reggae scene in the ‘90s with debut singles, ‘No Poll Tax’ and ‘Bogle Rock’, Abdul Wahab fell in love with the rough, rapid, DIY sound of early 90s jungle. An intrinsically UK sound, jungle’s brash, sliced-up breaks and thunderous basslines inspired Abdul Wahab’s unique vocal style, leading him to record the instantly recognisable vocal lines for the Shy FX-produced ‘Original Nuttah’ in 1994. No jungle track since has made an equal impact: thrust into the UK Top 40, it brought the vocalist an outpouring of attention from major labels and became one of the genre’s most defining recordings.
2019 sees UK Apache celebrate the 25th anniversary of that track, heading out on an international tour that brings jungle devotees worldwide a rare opportunity to witness a true pioneer perform live.
