Give ’em the Roots: Roots Manuva
goals such as the Mercury Prize, but the most important thing is making sure our artists grow in the way they want to.” And with the full support of Ninja Tune infrastructure across digital sales and distribution, marketing, PR and international, Big Dada stands to make an impact. The pandemic hasn’t slowed them down, and both label heads say that D2c – driven by its thriving webstore – streaming and a consistent release schedule have been crucial. “There is clearly still a desire for fans to connect with artists through things like livestreams and Q&As, so harnessing that to push new releases directly to fans online has proven a key strategy,” says Cappelletti. Big Dada’s hefty catalogue offers another boost. “We’re privileged to be able to work with that history and we’ll be celebrating it with represses and anniversary pieces,” says Ives. “There’s a responsibility to champion that.” Will Ashon, who left in 2014, laid those foundations. When news of the relaunch broke, he tweeted his excitement.
Roots Manuva (real name Rodney Smith) has been with Big Dada since his debut Brand New Second Hand in 1999. He tells Music Week the label has always been there to push and challenge him. “They encourage artists to take risks,” he says. “It’s never been a situation of chasing trends and it has been a mechanism for helping artists make their own decisions. The relaunch is an inspirational move on their part, and perhaps we will see not only creative but executive innovation.” Big Dada’s next release will come from
Yaya Bey, who makes lo-fi hip-hop and R&B. Brooklyn’s Bey is the daughter of Queens hip-hop artist Grand Daddy IU, a contemporary of Biz Markie.
Saved by Debelle: Speech Debelle with the Mercury Prize in 2009
“That was touching,” says Ives. “He was at Big Dada when I started at Ninja, so I had the privilege of working with him.” The relationship between Ninja Tune and Big Dada is independent in terms of creative decisions, but, Ives says, “We’re fully plugged into everything an artist signed to Ninja would get. It’s like a sibling, living in the same house, but supporting a different football team.” Which football team is Big Dada’s? “Arsenal,” Ives rapidly replies. “It’s a good thing that I also support them,” says Cappelletti, with a slight shrug. “Otherwise it’d be an issue.” The two label heads have a great deal of common ground and take a similar joy in the nuts and bolts of getting music to the public. For Cappelletti, there’s a fascination with consumption: “In Japan, they are very into physical, but
“She was the one we all favoured,” says Cappelletti, recalling when Big Dada’s staff gathered to talk about new signings. “First, it was all about her music, always music first, but then we got in touch and found out about her background, her story. She’s an amazing visual artist, that added so much. But she’s also a free artist, which is what makes her interesting in my opinion.”
Bey is enjoying her blossoming relationship with the label, which she describes as “a safe space”.
“I feel honoured to be part of this,” she says. “I hope more labels are motivated to follow because black and brown people do so much for music. If there were more efforts like this, we could finally get exposure and maybe even living wages via visibility for more black and brown artists.” Beyond Bey, Big Dada are keeping quiet about new signings, but Ives and Cappelletti are adamant that the label will be “a special home for a new generation of talent”. Cappelletti envisions a wave of emerging acts who are “unafraid of showcasing who they are,” while Ives assures that new signings “will never be a statistic, a box being ticked or a quota being filled”.
As always, the goal is credible, sustained success. “We are aiming at building artists’ profiles and introducing them to new, wider audiences,” says Cappelletti. “We’ll absolutely continue to build on previous Big Dada successes and aim to reach
musicweek.com
the Netherlands is all about streaming.” Ives loves chatting to record shop staff, sharing a passion for the same music. This practical idealism extends to other areas of the relaunch. The website now offers a range of resources, covering everything from lawyers to mental health. “It’s about building connections,” says Ives. “Not every artist wants to be signed. There are many options for artists who want to be independent and it’s a very empowering way of working. But we want to be able to help people answer some of the questions they might have.”
The site will also house editorial, highlighting new acts. “Sometimes labels will say, ‘Oh there’s something happening over here,’ and will cherry pick one artist from a scene,” says Ives. “But I’d like to think we can work with these labels and be part of that community.”
“I like that we are offering guidance to people,” says Cappelletti. “Black, POC and ethnic minority people are living through really challenging times. What happened last summer was mentally challenging, and then trying to make it in the music industry, as an artist or as a professional of any kind… It’s important that advice is available.” Cappelletti and Ives have a lot of love for their part of the industry and want to share that good fortune. “I have to believe in it, it’s my whole life,” says Ives. “It’s that exactly,” says Cappelletti. “There’s a huge passion involved in independent labels. No one does it for money or fame, right? It’s about the love for music.”
Team Big Dada share their hopes for the label
Corina Benshimol, sync & catalogue
assistant: “To be a catalyst for change. The talent is there, but sometimes the people making the
decisions can’t see it.”
Kemi Glover, marketing assistant:
“A place where artists are heard and are able to express themselves knowing those behind
the scenes reflect and represent them.”
Josh Knox, physical sales assistant: “I hope that we can develop a proper community of artists together and get some live events going
within that community.”
AbiLufadeju,legal & business affairs
manager: “To help diversity
continue to flourish among industry professionals, and
more black talent at the forefront.” Maral Mahmoudi,
A&R: “To sign and help black and POC artists grow with the same
opportunities and freedom of
expression as their white peers.” Bianca Renzullo,
product manager: “Switch up the industry and change the game. Build a home and a network that supports some of
the best talent worldwide.”
Kyra Santiago, royalties
administrator: “To contribute to something that’s breaking down barriers. I hope
people see we all have a part to play.”
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