The Nextmen

The Nextmen formed as a production and songwriting duo rooted in hip-hop, with Dom Search—also known as Dominic Betmead—teaming alongside Brad Baloo, whose real name is Brad Ellis. Cambridge served as their birthplace and upbringing, yet London became their operational base. U.K. soul and reggae elements merge into their hip-hop core, while Custom Records operates as their independent outlet through a partnership with Fat City Records. Starting in 2000, the pair began reworking both mainstream and lesser-known tracks across a series of mixtapes, and their reputation grew for delivering two-man DJ performances that utilize four turntables simultaneously. Their debut full-length, Amongst the Madness, surfaced that same year. Get Over It followed in 2003 and incorporated contributions from rapper J-Live as well as reggae artist Cutty Ranks. Two Nextmen cuts, “Blood and Fire” and “Piece of the Pie,” appeared on the 2005 reggae anthology Blunted in the Backroom. Antidote Records issued their third studio effort, This Was Supposed to Be the Future, in 2007, showcasing vocal work from Alice Russell and the rap collective Kidz in the Hall.