Jamezy

Jamezy is Swindon producer and DJ James Claydon-Smith. Before drum and bass, he played classical guitar and learnt to make drill and rap beats, starting production at 14. His brother introduced him to drum and bass, and by 2019 he was making tracks of his own at the faster tempo.

The time available during lockdown gave him space to develop those skills. He has described learning from online production communities, applying his earlier beat-making experience, and wanting to play his own records when he DJed. An early free download, On My Mind, brought attention before Mind Control reached DnB Allstars Records.

That relationship led to his debut EP while he was still 17. He described its tracks as melodic and liquid-influenced, drawing a connection with the rap and afrobeats he had listened to growing up. Rather than treating melody as separate from club music, he wanted tracks that could work in a rave and reward listening at home.

His collaborations include Killamanjaro with Scrufizzer. Released independently, it gave him involvement in the artwork, promotion, and distribution as well as the production. He has also worked with Mollie Collins and Ruth Royall on The Weekend, bringing vocal collaboration into a career that began with making beats in his bedroom.