Def P & Beatbusters
| Company type | Musical collaboration |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Amsterdam , Netherlands |
| Products | Albums, singles, EPs |
Def P & Beatbusters represents a Dutch musical collaboration that unites rapper Def P from the Amsterdam-based old-school hip-hop ensemble Osdorp Posse with the ska outfit Beatbusters, originating from the Betuwe countryside.
Launching his solo path in 1999 with the album Cryptokilostijl, Def P joined forces with members of Beatbusters during a Lowlands festival performance. This collaboration led to an innovative blend of Dutch rap, ska, and reggae elements. In September 1999, they toured Italy for four shows and introduced the term "Skank-hop" to describe their distinctive fusion sound. Their respective record companies (Ramp Records and Boombax Music) cooperated to distribute their joint projects through EMI.
History
The spring of 2001 saw the release of their debut single "Stad & Land" ("City and Country"), symbolizing the partnership between urban and rural influences. While its commercial impact was modest, the track primarily served as a prelude to their touring activities. Later that year, in autumn 2001, they unveiled the album Aangenaam ("Pleasant"), produced by Frans Hendriks at Studio Zeezicht. This release sparked a notable increase in live engagements, resulting in an extensive tour lasting approximately eighteen months.
Capitalizing on this momentum, EMI issued the single "Bubbelbad" ("Bubblebath"), which satirized shallow pop culture by referencing multiple female performers. Achieving a peak position of #11 on the Dutch Top 40 chart, this release enhanced the group's visibility in the mainstream market.
Their rising profile enabled appearances at prominent festivals such as Pinkpop, Lowlands, Bospop, and Uitmarkt. In June 2002, they launched "Wrijving" ("Friction"), a double live CD recorded at Pinkpop, accompanied by a promotional music video.
After completing 85 concerts, the ensemble concluded their performances in December 2002 with a sold-out farewell show. Subsequently, Beatbusters and Osdorp Posse resumed their individual pursuits. The two acts reunited for live shows beginning in 2008 and produced the 2011 album Hard op Weg. The group toured with new additions until wrapping up the "Hard Op Weg" tour at Helmond's Impakt Festival in 2014.
In 2015, they released an EP titled Gloeiende Plaat, comprising five fresh tracks including the single "Ssshhh!" supported by a YouTube video. Among these was "Funkin Van Jamaica," a reinterpretation of Tom Browne's 1980 classic "Funkin' For Jamaica." Alongside this EP, they presented Gloeiende Mixtape, featuring eighteen remixes mixed by DJ DNS & Deejay Irie, with further remixes accessible via their SoundCloud profile.
Discography
| Year | Title | Chart | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albums | |||
| 2001 | Aangenaam | - | |
| 2011 | Hard op Weg | - | |
| Singles | |||
| 2001 | "Stad & Land" | - | Issued by Ramp Records |
| 2002 | "Bubbelbad" | NL #11 | |
| "Wrijving" | - | Live double single release | |
| 2011 | "Crisis" | - | |
| 2011 | "Hard Op Weg" | - | |
| 2015 | "Ssshhh!" | - | |
| 2015 | "Gloeiende Plaat" (EP) | - | |
| 2015 | "Gloeiende Mixtape" (Mixed by DJ DNS & Deejay Irie) | - | |