The Ragga Twins

The Destouche brothers—Trevor, known professionally as Flinty Badman, and David, known as Deman Rocker—served as essential figures in the evolution of U.K. dance music. They first earned recognition as MCs with North London’s Unity sound system and launched the Ragga Twins project in 1989. Between that year and 1992 they delivered multiple 12-inch singles on the label operated by Shut Up & Dance, who also supplied the production, as well as the 1991 album Reggae Owes Me Money. Cuts such as “Illegal Gunshot” and “Spliffhead,” together with their early guest spot on Shut Up & Dance’s “Lamborghini,” stood out for their vigorous fusion of dancehall, hip-hop, and jungle.

The duo returned in 1995 on EMI with more restrained Us3-produced singles including “Freedom Train” and “Money,” and they completed a follow-up album, Rinsin Lyrics, the same year. Occasional singles surfaced in the early 2000s, and in 2008 Soul Jazz assembled the compilation Ragga Twins Step Out, spotlighting the Shut Up & Dance period.