Dummy Mix 232 // Duppy Gun

Duppy Gun is the collective name for the production unit consisting of Cameron Stallones, aka Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, and friends such as Alex Gray (D/P/I), Aaron Coyes (Peaking Lights), Matthewdavid, and Butchy Fuego (San Gabriel).

The roots of Duppy Gun lie in 'Icon Give Thank', the RVNG Intl.-released collaborative album between Sun Araw, Gengras, and reggae group The Congos. Recorded in Portmore, Jamaica, 'Icon Give Thank' was meant to be a one-off release, but inevitabily Gengras and Stallones met a wealth of local musicians during this 'one-off' visit and had to record with them.

With riddims produced by Duppy Gun and local vocalists and MCs on board, they released a couple of 12"s, distributed by Stones Throw Records, before taking on a life of its own. Several more trips to the island have led to 'Multiply, Duppy Gun Prod. Vol 1', a double-disk compilation of what Gengras and Stallones call "outer-orbit dancehall" featuring I Jahbar, Early One, Fyah Flames, Dayone and, well, just a whole load more.

Our new Dummy Mix, subtitled Who Feels It Knows It, is mixed by Genesis Hull (aka D/P/I) and is a load of hard-edged, roughed-up dancehall from some of the main Duppy Gun players. The vocals, led by G Sudden, and including Sikkah Rymes, Tussan, and more, are all exclusive to the mix. Or, as we were told over email: "GENESIS HULL (D/P/I) INFLICTS THE ULTIMATE AUDIO REVISIONARY TREATMENT PON THE LYRICS AND VOCALIZATIONS OF LEGEND G SUDDEN, SIKKA RYMES, PRINCESS TYH & TUSSAN. 'I & I KNOW THAT THE YOUTH SHALL WITNESS THE DAY BABYLON SHALL FALL'."

It's easily one of the most adventurous mixes that we've hosted this year. We caught up with Alex Gray/Genesis Hull and Cameron Stallones/Sun Araw over email to find out more about the project and the mix.

Hey Alex, Cam! How's it going?

Alex Gray: "Very well, thanks."

Cameron Stallones: "It's real good."

A lot of our readers will be familiar with your music, but maybe not the work you do as Duppy Gun. For the uninitiated, can you explain what the project is about?

Cameron Stallones: "DUPPY GUN PRODUCTIONS is OUTER ORBIT DANCEHALL, featuring JAMAICAN VOCAL FLAME on riddims by a growing family of future-thinking producers."

What are the roots of Duppy Gun? How did it get started?

Cameron Stallones: "DUPPY GUN got started when Ged and I traveled to JAMAICA to make an album with roots-reggae legends THE CONGOS. While we were there, we met too many musicians to withstand the temptation to collaborate, so we began a dialogue with several vocalists and began traveling down to the island to work on tracks."

How has the music changed or evolved since you started going out to Jamaica in 2011 to now?

Cameron Stallones: "After the first few 12"s, Ged and I decided to involve more producers than just ourselves, so a lot of different voices got added to the DUPPY SOUND. The more time we have spent amongst DUPP'D sounds, the more clearly we have come to understand the terrain and map new territories in it. DUPPY is an important feeling and it's essential to curate it properly in order to strengthen it."

Can you tell us about the Duppy Gun album/collection? Who are the musicians and MCs involved?

Cameron Stallones: "This album includes everything we've recorded thus far, most of it has not yet been released on the first four 12"s. The MCs are a growing family of people we've had the good fortune to meet: Early One, Day One, I Jahbar, Fyah Flames, Lukan-I, G Sudden, Bookfa, Cerassietea, and Singing Crazy to be exact. They range from more established roots singers to fisherman to very young neighborhood kids. There are riddims from Ged and I, Alex Gray (D/P/I), Matthewdavid, Aaron Coyes (Peaking Lights), and Butchy Fuego (San Gabriel)."

And how does this mix relate to the album?

Alex Gray: "This mix is focused on younger, extremely talented vocalists coming from the same area as G Sudden. I found their tracks through Okeme's personal recommendations and hours of Youtube research, then refixed the tracks with riddims that I created for this mix and for G Sudden to use for live shows. This mix is a hint at the modern, tech, HARD side of the Duppy Gun fold that G Sudden and GENESIS HULL plan to push forward and bring to the light in 2015."

Tracklist:

01. INTRODUCTION
02. BADMIND (Sikka Rymes) (Trim Riddim)
03. LOVE D WEED (Tussan) (Neva Seen Riddim, Refix)
04. SO SPECIAL (G Sudden) (Verga Riddim, Refix)
05. RUN OUT PON DEM (G Sudden) (Arrowhead Riddim, Refix)
06. WHO FEELS IT, KNOWS IT (Interlude)
07. F*CK TILL WE BRUK (Sikka Rymes ft. Princess Tyh) (Flesh Riddim, Refix)
08. GO FAH (Sikka Rymes) (Export Riddim, Refix)
09. TYAD A BADMIND (G Sudden) (Si-Cchi Riddim Refix)
10. RIFLE TURN ON (Sikka Rymes) (Stems Riddim Refix)
11. OUTRO (G Sudden)
12. RUN OUT PON DEM (G Sudden) (Alternate Refix) (Bonus)

Duppy Gun/Stones Throw released 'Duppy Gun Prod. Vol. 1' on November 17th 2014 (buy).