shutupanddance.co.uk: artists

Shut Up And Dance

Way back in 1986 there were four guys named Smiley, PJ, Dj Daddy & Dj Hype. They had built a sound system called Heatwave and come the weekend they would break into many a house or warehouse (unoccupied of course) to start their own illegal raves, parties, knees-up, shindig, shabeenz etc.... This was the done thing back then and Smiley & PJ were rappers on the sound system but were also trying to get a record deal. No record label would sign them up, and so after many, many, many knock backs they decided to start their own label, Shut Up And Dance Music.

Smiley & PJ also started other record labels, Redlight (Drum & Bass), Ruff Quality (Experimental Breaks), & New Deal Recordings (2 Step/Garage breakbeat). All of these labels had their share of success including tracks like Coca Cola, Bastards, True Vip, Holdtight the list was endless; and with the Shut Up And Dance label being the foundation which held it all together, world domination was merely a fat bassline away.

Albums Include:

Dance Before the Police Come
Death Is Not the End
Reclaim the Streets
The Great British Public

Amongst others ....

Containing many killer tunes...Check full discography for further details

click here for full shut up and dance biography

Ragga Twins

The Ragga Twins consist of Flinty Badman and Deman Rocker. Both were respected MC's starting off in a North London sound system called UNITY And formed the Ragga twins after signing to the Shut Up & Dance Label in early 1990.
The Releases:

Hooligan 69 - SUAD5. This debut single broke into the top 60 of the national chart.
Spilffhead/Illegal Gunshot SUAD7- this single reached No. 51 in the national charts and topped the UK dance Chart.
Wipe the Needle/Juggling SUAD12 reached the top 75 of the national chart. Hooligan 69 remix SUAD16 - this tune reached the top 60 of the national chart.
Reggae Owes Me Money (Album) SUADLP002 - this debut album from the Ragga Twins went straight into
No. 26 of the national album chart and No1 in the UK dance chart.

Rum & Black

This is a duo who speak their mind and for this have had to keep their ID's a mystery.
The Releases:

F**k the legal stations/I'm not in love. - SUAD8.
This tune went straight into No1 in the Echoes magazine street sales chart but got banned by the major record stores for it's controversial lyrics.
ESQ/Slaves - SUAD13 Reached No1 in the Echoes street sales charts.
Tablet Man/This is the way - SUAD17.
Without Ice (Album) - SUAD LP003.

Peter Bouncer

A big big artist in many ways but most known as the featured vocalist on the
Shut up & Dance No1 Single "Raving IM Raving".
Originally Peter Bouncer was on the same sound system as Deman & Flinty (Unity).
Peter Bouncer was approached by Smiley and PJ because of his powerful but soulful vocal style, which they thought would complement the label, and so it proved.

Nicolette

She was originally from Cardiff, and happened to be in London when Shut up & Dance were holding singing auditions at the studio. She sang a cover of the tune "summertime" by Billie Holiday over a break beat instrumental and that was it, a deal was done there and then.

She went on to have such hit tunes as
Single Minded People,
Waking up/dove song
O-Se Ne Ne,
Wicked Mathematics
and also a great album titled "Now is Early".

Ade

He is a powerful male vocalist of Nigerian descent with RnB and gospel influences. He was signed by Smiley and PJ after being sited in a nightclub singing to a very impressed audience.
The Releases:

Summer Breeze SUAD6
Free The Soul SUAD10
Change the World SUAD20