The globally-acclaimed U.K. DJ/producer delivers a potent ‘Trap Soul’ banger connecting London, L.A. and Accra
World-class DJ, radio titan, celebrated author and producer DJ Semtex has released a bold new banger featuring Dreamville rapper Cozz and one of Ghana’s hottest new artists, Twitch 4EVA. Listen HERE.
Released at Halloween, “Scary” is a musical blockbuster about the real-life horror of letting a good one slip through your fingers. Together, the trio boldly explore new dimensions, blending Cali rap, West African balladry, and the UK producer’s own boundary-pushing sound.
Sinister synths slink around a hard-hitting trap beat and merge with hypnotising vocals by Ghanaian singer-songwriter Twitch 4EVA. “We live to die, yeah I know / But I can’t afford to lose you / It’s scary, scary,” he sings on the hook. Cozz drives the message home with an evocative verse that glides over the production: “Terrifying, losing you is worse than Halloween,” he raps.
“Scary” arrives with a cinematic video that follows DJ Semtex and Twitch 4EVA on a turbulent journey in Accra, capturing the freewheeling nightlife of Ghana’s capital with DJ Semtex on the decks. Meanwhile, at home in Los Angeles, Cozz grapples with his conscience.
DJ Semtex tapped a Ghana-based team of creatives to help him bring his “Scary” vision to life. Akwadaa Nyame directed the video and Accra-based fashion label Tribe of God created the vintage comic book-inspired artwork. From his vantage in the U.K., the DJ/producer has been a major supporter of Ghanaian talent, boosting artists like Sarkodie and Black Sherif from his radio program, podcast, social media and at live events. This month, he plays with Black Sherif live at the emerging rap superstar’s debut U.K. performance at Koko in London on Nov. 18.
“Scary” is just the first in a series of tracks he plans to release pairing artists from Ghana with notable rap acts from the U.S. and U.K.
The author of the acclaimed book Hip Hop Raised Me, Semtex is known for iconic runs at radio stations BBC 1Xtra and his current home, Capital Xtra. Having toured, opened and performed onstage with the likes of Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Rick Ross, Travis Scott, Skepta, Migos, Dave and Dizzee Rascal, DJ Semtex has earned the right to be called one of hip-hop’s most meaningful tastemakers. Since 2019, Semtex has been releasing his own music through his label, Seminal Sound, working with artists such as Afro B and Boy Nash. “Scary” further defines his distinct, moody sound, which is firmly rooted in hip-hop, with nods to Africa and beyond.
“I’ve been DJing, podcasting and shutting down shows but now I’m now focusing on production and putting together unique, dope moments with artists I rate from different continents,” DJ Semtex says. “I gave Twitch a folder of beats, he picked a track and wrote ‘Scary’ with Kwesi Arthur. Then I reached out to Cozz, he wrote a sick verse. Together, we created a Trap Soul banger, then shot the video in Ghana and LA.”
“The beat alone carried an emotional message,” says Twitch 4EVA, known for afrobeats hits like “Superman” (feat. Kwesi Arthur and KiDI) and his work with GuiltyBeatz and Juls. “I was locked in with my bro Kwesi Arthur in the studio when I heard it, he came up with the hook melody, and I heard the lyrics ringing in my mind. The track is different to the usual music I make. Thank you DJ Semtex for unlocking that part of me.”
Look out for more fresh bangers from DJ Semtex in 2023, and catch him Friday nights on Capital XTRA from 9 to 11pm.
ABOUT DJ SEMTEX
World-class DJ, radio titan, celebrated author and producer — DJ Semtex wears many hats. None of these titles are complex enough to describe what he means to the music that raised him – hip hop. When the genre urgently needed an advocate in the UK, he stepped up to the plate as its leading voice. On-air, he made his mark as a thought-provoking interviewer, turning his 15-year-strong slot on BBC 1Xtra into a must-visit for artists. As a radio personality, he’s known to coax unusual realness out of closed-off megastars like Kanye West, Drake, Jay-Z, and Eminem, and for using his platform to provide mainstream showcases for emerging acts like UK rapper Dave, who made his radio debut on Semtex’s show and who, years later, brought Semtex out on his sold-out, 2022 European tour. The author of 2016’s critically-lauded memoir Hip Hop Raised Me, Semtex expanded his broadcast portfolio with the Hip Hop Raised Me Podcast, which has hosted far-ranging guests from Chuck D to Pop Smoke. DJ Semtex feels a kinship with artists because he is one, producing and releasing music under his label, Seminal Sound. In 2022, he took his hard-hitting sound into the future with his debut NFT collection, RIOT. With more international collaborations and creative moments in the pipeline, DJ Semtex will continue to push the culture.
KEEP UP WITH DJ SEMTEX:
Instagram / Twitter / Apple Music / Spotify / YouTube
