SL2

SL2 started life as a trio comprised by producers Slipmatt and Lime, and MC Jay J. Like many youngsters in late '80s Britain, they were hip-hop-reared kids who started to get into the then burgeoning rave scene. Their big break came in 1989 through Slipmatt's older brother, who was running the now legendary party-promoting organization Raindance; they became the enterprise's resident DJs, playing parties all over the country. One year later, their debut single, "Do That Dance," was released through B-Ware Records and sold well, although shady label practices prevented them from ever seeing any money out of it. They subsequently set up their own Awesome Records label, through which they first released another single, "DJ's Take Control." The record sold 3500 copies, attracting the attention of a then fledgling XL Recordings, which promptly re-released the track, taking it to number 11 on the national U.K. singles chart in late 1991. But it was their next single, the anthemic "On a Ragga Tip," that truly broke them through. Cutting into the emerging ragga-flavored breakbeat hardcore style favored in big raves at the time -- soon to be dubbed jungle -- the song missed the top spot by one place in the spring of 1992. "Way in My Brain" followed it to the Top 30 later in the year; but by 1993, disagreements within the group caused them to split. Then a remix of "On a Ragga Tip" made the Top 40 in early 1997, leading Slipmatt and Lime to reconvene. And although no new music has yet been released, the duo have been DJing and doing PA's together on a semi-regular basis since then. ~ Ricardo Rainho, Rovi