MC ZULU

MC ZULU (born Dominique Rowland | Panama City, Panama) is a Chicago-based musician best known for his fusion of Reggae vocals with various forms of World, Electronic Dance Music. He released several studio albums deliberately concentrating on genres which, at the time, had not been formally categorized. He refers to his non-traditional style of Dancehall as “Electro Reggae”, a term borrowed from Sly & Robbie’s 1986 release of the same name.

Zulu began his music career as a Dance music producer and engineer, only doing vocals occasionally. After several internet based collaborations took on a life of their own, he was quite shocked to find himself being referred to in the press as the “President of Planet Lazer Bass”. Seizing on the opportunity he continued in that vein, eventually becoming known as the one who performed “Reggae from the outer reaches of space”. As a luminary of the largely influential “Global Bass” scene, Zulu’s vocals have been a consistent presence at the developmental stages of several new-millennium, electronic genres.

Zulu is well known for his command of the live stage. Recorded appearances from festivals such as Pitchfork (Chicago), Dour (Belgium), Sydney Fest (Australia) to venues as far away from home as Israel, show him whipping both fans and the uninitiated into a frenzy. Although he is more than proficient with traditional Reggae styles he takes pleasure in creating what does not exist. These distinct sounds are a direct influence on the international music market. Several mainstream acts embraced the “Electro Reggae” aesthetic, taking it in new directions, but the roots can be traced directly back to MC ZULU and the diverse cadre of artists / performers who create Global Bass culture.

MC ZULU does not make reggae in the traditional sense. His unique blend of electro bass grooves and Caribbean style dancehall vocals creates a new form of dancehall reggae from the outer reaches of space. Trippy synths and huge bass kicks and claps make his music rhythmically frenetic and exotic. ZULU defines a new style of progressive electro-dancehall riddim.

– Elliott Townsend / URB Magazine –