Red Bull Music Academy Presents Invisibl Skratch Piklz

The iconic Filipino turntablists and Syrian-American MC, Omar Offendum, take over Level 42 at Media One Hotel on January 25

On Wednesday, January 25, Level 42 at the Media One Hotel in Dubai Media City plays host to two exceptional acts as part of a Red Bull Music Academy takeover: Filipino-American turntablist trio Invisibl Skratch Piklz will launch their debut album, The 13th Floor, in the Middle East, and acclaimed Syrian-American MC, poet, artist and peace activist Omar Offendum will unleash his take on conscious hip-hop live on stage. Dubai-based DJ El Frezidante will kick the night off with his brand of eclectic dancefloor fillers while Shortkut and DJ Lobito Brigante will close the night with a vinyl only back to back session.

First appearing in 1989 in the San Francisco Bay Area, Invisibl Skratch Piklz (ISP) are often credited with “inventing” the concept of a DJ-band and raising turntablism to a new level. Founding member Richard “Qbert” Quitevis was joined by Jonathan “Shortkut” Cruz and Dave “D-Styles” Cuasito in 1995, but the crew went their separate ways in the early aughts, never having released an album.

Now, more than 20 years later, ISP are putting that right. The 13th Floor was recorded using three mixers and three turntables, and showcases the incredible skills (and humour) that made ISP legends. Blending hip-hop, jazz and rock with their scratching artistry, the trio are now touring for the first time since 2000 in support of their debut.

Omar Offendum is a leading figure in the Arab hip-hop community. He’s spent several years using his mic skills (and ability to spit in Arabic and English) to chronicle, and raise awareness of the social and political issues in the Arab world. His 2010 debut album, SyrianamericanA, is described by the LA Times as “a potent mix of noir-soaked ’90s rap sounds laced with Islamic poetry”.

About Red Bull Music Academy

The Red Bull Music Academy is a global music institution committed to fostering creativity in music. We celebrate music, its culture, and the transformative minds behind it. Begun in 1998, the Academy has taken the core principles that underlie its annual workshop for selected participants and applied this curatorial approach to events, lectures, and city-wide festivals throughout the year.

More than 1,500 musical luminaries have participated in past incarnations of the Red Bull Music Academy. Former lecturers include Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Erykah Badu, Ryuichi Sakamoto, D’Angelo, George Clinton, Nile Rodgers, Frankie Knuckles, Giorgio Moroder, Questlove, Steven O’Malley, Rakim, RZA, Steve Reich, M.I.A., and pioneering synth inventors Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, Don Buchla, Roger Linn, Dave Smith, amongst many others. Plenty Academy alumni have gone on to become true figureheads of their scenes like LA soul singer Aloe Blacc (“I Need A Dollar”); experimental electronic music producer and beat music innovator Flying Lotus; Hudson Mohawke, the Scottish producer behind the beats of Drake and Kanye West; and UK singer Katy B, who championed the sound of London’s dubstep, funky and garage. Other notable alumni include Nina Kraviz, Jamie Woon, TOKiMONSTA, Jackmaster, Andreya Triana, Axel Boman, Evian Christ, Deradoorian, Objekt, Onra, and Krystal Klear.

The Red Bull Music Academy has been pairing music legends and emerging beatsmiths since 1998 in cities such as Berlin, Cape Town, Melbourne, Barcelona, Rome, São Paulo, London, Tokyo and New York Ci. This unique combination of old school knowledge and new school sounds is unrivalled for its creative exploration and achievement. Each Academy edition leaves behind structures to encourage musical collaboration and creative exchange for years to come. Currently there are twelve fully equipped Red Bull Studios around the world.

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