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Big Dada

Big Dada

Hip Hop label Big Dada was set up by journalist and writer Will Ashon in 1997. Big Dada was created with a similarly open-minded remit to sister label Ninja Tune, traversing the boundaries between hip hop, grime and ragga. Born out of a frustration over acts going unappreciated elsewhere, Big Dada swiftly cemented itself as a force in its own right. The name came up in reference to Ashon’s love of Kool Keith, who he'd described in print as the “Mac Dada”, as a combination of mac daddy and Dadaism.

Big Dada began releasing 12”s in the summer of 1997. Since then, Big Dada has become home of some of the most maverick, forward-thinking and innovative artists in hip hop and beyond, including essential British hip hop artist Roots Manuva (Mercury Prize nominee), Mercury Prize winner Speech Debelle, UK hip hop artist TY (whose 2003 Upwards album was also Mercury nominated). Roots Manuva’s album releases have been integral to the label, including Brand New Second Hand, Run Come Save Me, Awfully Deep, Slime & Reason and 4everevolution. Other notable artists over the past two decades include Diplo, cLOUDDEAD, Juice Aleem, DELS and Young Fathers. In more recent years the label has released music from Sampa The Great, Farai and PVA.

In January 2021 and in response to the largest global Civil Rights movement that is BLM, Big Dada has relaunched as a label run by Black, POC & Minority Ethnic Ninja Tune staff members for Black, POC & Minority Ethnic artists.

By creating opportunities for Black & POC members of the wider Ninja Tune staff to learn & grow, whilst simultaneously being placed in key decision-making positions, the label aims at generating genuine upward mobility from within. It serves to address the need to ensure there are new generations of experienced industry executives being trained across all ethnic minority backgrounds, which studies show are greatly under represented at the upper echelons of the UK music industry.

On the other side, it looks forward to actively step into its mission and champion underground and independent Black, POC and Minority Ethnic artists, to create a home for them where there is no danger of feeling like a token or part of a quota being filled.

Alongside the relaunch comes a new look for Big Dada, including a refreshed logo and website revamp. The new website features a resource section offering music industry tips, from general music legal advice, collecting agencies and distribution, through mental health resources for Black and POC artists, as well as editorial think-pieces and long reads exploring various music scenes and movements, rewiring the label as a platform for minority communities.

Big Dada wants to continue championing new artists across the musical spectrum whilst continuing to tip its hat to the foundations that built its legacy.
...Read more
Sir Princess Bad Bitch
Sir Princess Bad Bitch - (2:38) 119 BPM
Chasing The Bus - (3:08) 118 BPM
The Evidence - (2:40) 88 BPM
Crying Through My Teeth - (2:20) 119 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL314SW
07 Mar 24
Soul
Chasing The Bus
Chasing The Bus - (3:08) 118 BPM Hot
The Evidence - (2:40) 88 BPM
Crying Through My Teeth - (2:20) 119 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL314CW
30 Jan 24
Indie/Alternative
HeadSpace
Glitch In Time - (1:23) 83 BPM
Backwards - (2:08) 98 BPM
Reflection - (2:09) 87 BPM
Big Bang - (2:13) 85 BPM
Glass Ceiling (feat Semiratruth) - (2:09) 87 BPM
At Ease (Interlude) - (0:45) 128 BPM Hot
Train Of Thought - (1:45) 67 BPM
Shadow Self - (2:13) 68 BPM
Rotation - (1:51) 111 BPM
All Over The Place - (0:57) 111 BPM
Right Here - (2:13) 120 BPM
Down Down Bb (feat Quelle Chris) - (2:13) 132 BPM
Static - (2:42) 86 BPM
Air It Out - (0:56) 69 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 311
17 Nov 23
Hip Hop/R&B
The Evidence
Crying Through My Teeth - (2:20) 119 BPM
The Evidence - (2:40) 88 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL 313
08 Nov 23
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Gone Astray (Peanut Butter Wolf Remix)
Gone Astray (Peanut Butter Wolf remix) - (3:24) 98 BPM
Tell Me - (2:41) 154 BPM Hot
Fables (feat Beck) - (4:51) 120 BPM
Gone Astray - (3:21) 90 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL312W
25 Oct 23
Indie/Alternative
Down Down Bb
Down Down Bb (feat Quelle Chris) - (2:13) 132 BPM Hot
Backwards - (2:08) 98 BPM
Right Here - (2:13) 120 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL311DW
24 Oct 23
Hip Hop/R&B
Right Here
Right Here - (2:13) 120 BPM
Backwards - (2:08) 98 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL311RW
26 Sep 23
Hip Hop/R&B
Drift
DRIFT ON - (3:27) 141 BPM
PINATA - (2:50) 108 BPM
GUNZ - (3:15) 81 BPM
FIRST AMONG MISFITS (feat THE NARRATOR) - (4:28) 116 BPM
LA VACANZA (feat Kida) - (3:16) 150 BPM
SUBLIME - (4:25) 80 BPM
EXIT TO CISCO - (0:24) 104 BPM
LADY (feat BbyMutha) - (3:44) 80 BPM
O VAMPIRO - (3:20) 70 BPM
BONEHEAD BEHAVIOR - (3:26) 55 BPM
VICIOUS CHAMBERS - (3:27) 101 BPM
ULTRA SCURO - (4:24) 150 BPM
AND THERE GOES THE CHALLENGER - (2:28) 88 BPM
LESS BURNERS BIGGER HEARTS (feat THE NARRATOR & Azekel) - (6:28) 87 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 310
08 Sep 23
Indie/Alternative
SUBLIME
SUBLIME - (4:25) 80 BPM
LADY (feat BbyMutha) - (3:44) 80 BPM
PINATA - (2:50) 108 BPM
FIRST AMONG MISFITS (feat THE NARRATOR) - (4:28) 116 BPM
GUNZ - (3:15) 81 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 310SW
31 Aug 23
Indie/Alternative
Backwards
Backwards - (2:08) 98 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL311B
30 Aug 23
Hip Hop/R&B
GUNZ
GUNZ - (3:15) 81 BPM
GAIKA & BbyMutha - "LADY" - (3:44) 80 BPM
PINATA - (2:50) 108 BPM
GAIKA & THE NARRATOR - "FIRST AMONG MISFITS" - (4:28) 116 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 310GUW
17 Aug 23
Indie/Alternative
FIRST AMONG MISFITS
FIRST AMONG MISFITS - (4:28) 116 BPM
LADY (feat BbyMutha) - (3:44) 80 BPM
PINATA - (2:50) 108 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 310FW
25 Jul 23
Indie/Alternative
PINATA
PINATA - (2:50) 108 BPM
LADY (feat BbyMutha) - (3:44) 80 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL310PW
06 Jul 23
Indie/Alternative
LADY
LADY - (3:44) 80 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL310L
07 Jun 23
Indie/Alternative
Flowers At Your Feet
Healing - (1:55) 92 BPM
I Smile For E - (3:08) 88 BPM Hot
Tell Me - (2:41) 154 BPM
From A Sandbox - (2:45) 154 BPM
Fables (feat Beck) - (4:51) 120 BPM
Hesitations - (3:18) 93 BPM
Gone Astray - (3:21) 91 BPM
Bended Light - (2:23) 88 BPM
Ode To Dad - (1:42) 150 BPM
Rise So I Rose - (3:01) 67 BPM
Futbol - (3:32) 94 BPM
Nazila - (2:43) 85 BPM
Libra Sun - (1:19) 99 BPM
Note To Self - (3:24) 90 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 308
12 May 23
Indie/Alternative
Growing Pains
Time I Leave - (3:35) 79 BPM
Loso Na Madesu (feat Natanya) - (3:07) 93 BPM
Teething - (3:40) 67 BPM
Blind (feat Goya Gumbani) - (4:01) 83 BPM
Willing And Able - (3:19) 160 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 306
05 May 23
Indie/Alternative
Futbol
Futbol - (3:32) 94 BPM
Fables (feat Beck) - (4:51) 120 BPM
I Smile For E - (3:08) 88 BPM
Bended Light - (2:23) 88 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL308UW
02 May 23
Indie/Alternative
Bended Light
Bended Light - (2:23) 88 BPM
Fables (feat Beck) - (4:51) 120 BPM
I Smile For E - (3:08) 88 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL308BW
19 Apr 23
Indie/Alternative
Loso Na Madesu
Loso Na Madesu - (3:07) 93 BPM
Time I Leave - (3:35) 79 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL306LW
04 Apr 23
Indie/Alternative
Fables
Fables - (4:51) 120 BPM
I Smile For E - (3:08) 88 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL308FW
29 Mar 23
Indie/Alternative
Exodus The North Star
Exodus The North Star - (3:25) 74 BPM
On The Pisces Moon - (2:46) 75 BPM Hot
When Saturn Returns - (2:47) 130 BPM
Munerah - (2:42) 118 BPM
12 Houses Down - (1:42) 105 BPM
Ascendent (mother Fxcker) (feat Exaktly) - (2:38) 108 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 309
24 Mar 23
Soul
On The Pisces Moon
On The Pisces Moon - (2:46) 75 BPM Hot
Exodus The North Star - (3:25) 74 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL309PW
09 Mar 23
Soul
Exodus The North Star
Exodus The North Star - (3:25) 74 BPM
You Up? - (1:14) 70 BPM
Meet Me In Brooklyn - (1:29) 146 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL 309EW
07 Feb 23
Soul
Aht Uh Mi Hed
Aht Uh Mi Hed - (3:21) 111 BPM
Haenim - (3:49) 79 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 307S
05 Oct 22
Indie/Alternative
MOSQUITO
Blush Me Out! - (3:26) 80 BPM
Lucky You - (4:36) 103 BPM
For When I Fall Again - (3:35) 140 BPM Hot
Deserve It (feat La Zowi) - (3:22) 90 BPM
Cheat Code - (4:05) 100 BPM
Eraser - (3:03) 110 BPM
Mind 2 Lips - (4:25) 65 BPM
Hold Me - (4:13) 86 BPM
Heathens Call (feat Backxwash) - (4:01) 73 BPM
Ressaca - (3:25) 63 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 305
16 Sep 22
Pop
Ressaca
Ressaca - (3:25) 63 BPM
Lucky You - (4:36) 103 BPM
Deserve It (feat La Zowi) - (3:22) 90 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL305RW
17 Aug 22
Pop
Remember Your North Star
Intro - (1:16) 109 BPM
Libation - (0:29) 122 BPM
Big Daddy Ya - (2:09) 131 BPM
Keisha - (2:55) 90 BPM
Nobody Knows - (3:11) 67 BPM
Alright - (3:08) 92 BPM
Meet Me In Brooklyn - (1:29) 146 BPM
It Was Just A Dance - (0:17) 158 BPM
Pour Up (feat DJ Nativesun) - (2:05) 116 BPM Hot
Uh Uh Nxgga - (0:16) 116 BPM
Reprise - (4:25) 80 BPM
Rolling Stoner - (1:48) 160 BPM
Don't Fucking Call Me - (2:47) 158 BPM
I'm Certain She's There - (0:42) 154 BPM
Street Fighter Blues - (2:55) 156 BPM
Mama Loves Her Son - (1:32) 148 BPM
Either Way - (0:32) 114 BPM
Blessings - (2:42) 92 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 304
17 Jun 22
Soul
Lucky You
Lucky You - (4:36) 103 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL305L
07 Jun 22
Pop
Pour Up
Pour Up - (2:05) 116 BPM
Keisha - (2:55) 90 BPM
Alright - (3:08) 92 BPM
Reprise - (4:25) 80 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL304PW
01 Jun 22
Soul
Reprise
Reprise - (4:25) 80 BPM
Keisha - (2:55) 90 BPM
Alright - (3:08) 92 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL304RW
11 May 22
Soul
September 13th
September 13th - (2:09) 90 BPM
Fxck It Then - (2:15) 128 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL 302W
24 Mar 21
Hip Hop/R&B
Fxck It Then
Fxck It Then - (2:15) 128 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 301F
24 Feb 21
Hip Hop/R&B
Toner
Talks - (4:17) 120 BPM
Sleek Form - (5:23) 120 BPM Hot
Exhaust/Surroundings - (5:40) 120 BPM
Talks (Mura Masa remix) - (4:00) 120 BPM
Talks (Lynks remix) - (3:12) 120 BPM
Exhaust/Surroundings (Girl Band - Daniel Fox remix) - (7:27) 120 BPM
Review: Fresh-faced disco punks outta London arrive on Big Dada reminding everyone with a slap in the face that bands are cool again. Presenting the label with its first album of the year on a platform that's given rise to artists like Wen, Hype Williams and Zombie to Onyx Collective in recent years, Bid Dada now rolls out PVA's Toner. A three-piece at large, the group send in a tough array of acid techno, rave, EBM and new wave synth (with a touch of indie) while throwing the vocal inspirations of James Murphy and Nancy Whang down a techno warren of torture. That can be said most for "Sleek Form" with "Exhaust/Surroundings" harking back to a sound you might have heard The Juan Maclean syphon back in the day. The lead track "Toner" pushes out a spirited post-punk and dubby side to PVA's sound with a broken down and contemporary pop makeover by Lynks. Some more minimal and electrified remixes by Mura Masa of "Talks" that's trumped by the dungeon acid of Daniel Fox's rework of "Exhaust/Surroundings".
 from $1.88
BDDNL 299
20 Nov 20
Disco/Nu-Disco
Talks (Remixes)
Talks (Mura Masa remix) - (4:00) 120 BPM Hot
Talks (Lynks remix) - (3:12) 120 BPM
Talks (Mura Masa dub) - (4:00) 120 BPM
Talks - (4:17) 120 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 300N
20 Oct 20
Disco/Nu-Disco
Talks
Talks - (4:17) 120 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 299T
30 Sep 20
Funky/Club House
Rebirth Remixed
National Gangsters (LYZZA remix) - (4:32) 65 BPM Hot
This Is England (CURL remix) - (3:06) 79 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 292NX
10 May 19
Experimental/Electronic
Rebirth
Cray Cray - (0:08) 116 BPM
Lizzy - (2:01) 66 BPM
Punk Champagne (feat TONE) - (3:23) 90 BPM
Social Butterflies - (0:30) 159 BPM
Talula - (3:20) 89 BPM
This Is England - (3:17) 152 BPM
National Gangsters - (4:26) 100 BPM
Love Disease - (4:21) 92 BPM
Secret Gardens - (5:08) 95 BPM
Space Is A Place (feat Chris Calderwood) - (4:08) 97 BPM Hot
Radiant Child - (4:13) 70 BPM
Played by: In Flagranti
 from $1.88
BDDDNL 292
30 Nov 18
Indie/Alternative
National Gangsters
National Gangsters - (4:26) 100 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 292N
13 Nov 18
Experimental/Electronic
Punk Champagne
Punk Champagne (feat Tone) - (3:23) 90 BPM Hot
This Is England - (3:17) 152 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 292P
17 Oct 18
Indie/Alternative
Space-Wars
Space-Wars (feat Sporting Life) - (4:20) 88 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 298
07 Sep 18
Balearic/Downtempo
Ephem Era
Silhouette - (1:51) 64 BPM
Glisten - (2:33) 85 BPM
Time II Think - (4:47) 64 BPM
Rain - (2:32) 76 BPM
Blips - (3:25) 64 BPM Hot
Void - (3:12) 56 BPM
Curve Relay - (3:18) 67 BPM
Grit - (2:47) 64 BPM
Off-Kilter - (3:56) 87 BPM
Sun Thru Blinds - (4:07) 62 BPM
Schoene - (2:27) 112 BPM
Diverse - (2:51) 80 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 293
06 Jul 18
Experimental/Electronic
Grit
Grit - (2:47) 128 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL 293G
20 Jun 18
Deep House
Lower East Suite Part Three
ONYX Court - (4:38) 154 BPM
Don't Get Caught Under The Manhattan Bridge - (2:42) 126 BPM
Battle Of The Bowery - (3:47) 116 BPM
There Goes The Neighborhood - (2:11) 126 BPM
2AM At Veselka - (3:23) 157 BPM
Delancey Dilemma - (1:29) 125 BPM
Rumble In Chatham Square - (3:51) 60 BPM
Eviction Notice - (5:00) 60 BPM
Magic Gallery - (4:28) 117 BPM
FDR Drive - (3:23) 99 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL 294
15 Jun 18
Jazz
Lower East Suite Part Two
Snake Charmer - (3:22) 144 BPM
97 Allen St. - (2:26) 154 BPM
Rush Hour - (2:24) 148 BPM
Steam Rooms - (3:35) 133 BPM
Skate Park - (1:17) 86 BPM
From Air - (2:54) 102 BPM
Shed Meditations - (3:17) 152 BPM
Eyes Closed - (3:12) 160 BPM Hot
 from $1.88
BDDNL 291
01 Dec 17
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Birds & The BEE9
Healing - (3:09) 75 BPM
Flowers (feat REMI) - (3:26) 86 BPM Hot
Protect Your Queen - (3:29) 94 BPM
Rhymes To The East - (4:07) 100 BPM
Can I Get A Key - (3:42) 98 BPM
Black Girl Magik (feat Nicole Gumbe) - (3:41) 80 BPM
Casper (feat Syreneyiscreamy) - (4:16) 105 BPM
Karma The Villain - (3:16) 127 BPM
Bye River - (7:42) 110 BPM
Inner Voice (feat Mwanje Tembo) - (5:23) 120 BPM
The Truth - (1:20) 125 BPM
I Am Me - (3:33) 120 BPM
Healer (feta Zaachariaha) - (3:03) 75 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 287
10 Nov 17
Hip Hop/R&B
If + When
If + When - (2:38) 80 BPM Hot
Come Give It Up (feat Jacob Mann) - (2:28) 160 BPM
By Your Side (feat Georgia Anne Muldrow & Reinier Baas) - (2:05) 83 BPM
Review: John Keek, a new member of the Big Dada family, is a young sax player with ambitious tendencies towards jazz music, a genre which he so graciously blends with smooth electronics. This is his first EP for the imprint, led by the supremely soulful bounce of "If + When", funky all at the same time, and utterly playable both in the dance or in more sensual territories. "Come Give It Up" is even more gracious in its tone, coming through with a seriously sexy little jazz-led number thanks to Jacob Mann's warm vocals; "By Your Side" features Georgia Anne Muldrow and Reinier Baas, with the three of them creating on the finest vocoder moments since Daft Punk.
 from $1.88
BDDNL 288X
27 Oct 17
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Lower East Suite Part One
Color Images - (2:10) 109 BPM Hot
East River - (2:38) 150 BPM
Fruit Stand - (3:49) 140 BPM
172 Forsyth St. - (2:18) 150 BPM
175 Canal St. - (2:05) 92 BPM
Mambo Pancakes - (1:30) 120 BPM
The Mask - (2:43) 84 BPM
Market St. - (1:49) 120 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 289
27 Oct 17
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Fruit Stand
Fruit Stand - (3:49) 140 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 289F
23 Oct 17
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Value
Self- - (1:57) 75 BPM
New Obsession - (3:34) 61 BPM
Homme - (3:21) 112 BPM
Value - (3:58) 79 BPM
Your Approval (feat Rolynne) - (3:12) 111 BPM
No Idols - (3:47) 99 BPM
Made In Hope - (3:37) 60 BPM
High Life - (3:27) 105 BPM
Exi(s)t - (2:05) 92 BPM
Invanity - (2:58) 70 BPM
Played by: Know V.A.
Review: Visionist aka Louis Carnell is off to stardom with this new album, his second to date, after a debut LP for PAN back in 2015. All nice and hyp-like. Big Dada is the label this time, a London unit belonging to Ninja Tune and who have been responsible for the early works of peeps like Wiley. They've clearly decided to head out onto more experimental pastures over recent years, and Value seems to be a perfect representation of where they stand now in terms of sound. The ten-track LP is sparse and loose across all its borders, but the one factor uniting all of its leftifled glory is a sense of coldness. Tunes like "Homme", which are relatively beatless, still have much in common with the likes of "Made In Hope" or "High Life" - the vivid sense of frost binds them together to form one glacial piece of music from the future. Angelic and demonic all at once.
 from $1.88
BDDNL 284
20 Oct 17
Experimental/Electronic
Rhymes To The East
Rhymes To The East (Edit) - (3:36) 100 BPM Hot
Rhymes To The East - (4:07) 100 BPM
 from $1.88
BDDNL 287R
03 Oct 17
Hip Hop/R&B
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