DJ Cameo

Radio as a testing ground

Before grime and UK garage occupied a central space in British broadcasting, DJ Cameo's sessions were already functioning as a radar for the rhythms circulating through the London underground. He began DJing in 1997 in bars and clubs in West London and, in March 1999, he got a show on Taste FM 92.5 alongside MC Mr. Kaos and Double G. That team, presented first as The Specialist Crew and later as Special Edition, was part of a period also linked to pirate stations like Delight FM, Ice FM, and Lush FM, which were decisive for the expansion of British garage.

From the record counter to the national speaker

In 2001, he joined Uptown Records, where he became responsible for the UK garage selection. That daily contact with producers, labels, and dubplates fueled both his criteria and his first releases: titles such as Addicted, made with Danny C and MC Viper; Hi Grade, with J-Sweet, Mr. Kaos, and Double G; and Original Bad Girl Style, with Gemma Fox, all come from that period. In 2004, he received the award for Best Newcomer at the garage scene's People's Choice Awards.

His jump to BBC Radio 1Xtra amplified that role as a tastemaker. First at the helm of Pirate Sessions and later with a show specialized in UKG maintained for over a decade, Cameo connected garage, grime, bassline, 2-step, sublow, and the 4x4 side, while offering early exposure to names like Skepta, Wretch 32, Giggs, Tinie Tempah, Krept & Konan, or Tempa T. In parallel, he mixed Garage Anthems 2005 for Virgin Records and launched the labels On A Level and Kamikaze Recordings. In 2006, he presented Urban Classic at the Hackney Empire, a meeting between urban artists and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and appeared in the television series Dubplate Drama.

From the UKG pulse to the Ibiza booth

After concluding his regular stint at 1Xtra in 2015, his production opened up more explicitly to house without abandoning the rhythmic tension of garage. The Black Heart E.P., released by New Money Recordings, brought together collaborations from Wiley, Maxsta, Big Narstie, and Skrapz. Later came works such as Morning Rain, alongside Junction 13 and Manny for Defected; What I Need, with Myles and Gavin Francis; In Deep, with Myles; and 24 Hrs, with Jazzie Martian, a deliberate return to the swing of classic UK garage.

In 2026, he remains active as a resident DJ at O Beach Ibiza, with appearances in lineups such as Kisstory, Pool Party, and O Beach Music. His current position links two complementary stages: that of the selector who helped document and spread the evolution of the British urban sound, and that of the club DJ capable of translating that rhythmic memory into sessions of vocal house, garage, and dancefloor classics.