The Nextmen

The Nextmen are critically acclaimed DJs and producers working with a range of hip-hop artists. Dom Search (aka Dominic Betmead) and Brad Baloo (aka Brad Ellis) often express a funk and reggae influence, and they have worked with many urban artists from the UK, US and Jamaica. The two members also run their own independent record label, Custom Records, a joint venture with Fat City Records. Their name is a reference to the Afro-American term "next man", which is explained on Urban Dictionary and can be heard in use in the song Find a Way (lyrics at OHHLA.com). They have been prolific remixers since 2000, have been responsible for a string of popular Mixtapes, and are perhaps most well known for their 2 man, 4 turntable DJ sets (often fronted by an MC, usually MC Wrec or Dynamite MC) which include music from all genres and occupy the space between turntablism and club based DJing. The pair grew up in Cambridge and are based in North London. They are both musicians, playing Guitar (Dom Search) and Keys (Brad Baloo). Their first album "Amongst the Madness" (Scenario) was popular on the Hip Hop scene and included performances from MC's from the US and UK. The second Album Get Over It, released in 2003, featured such artists as American Rapper J-Live and Cutty Ranks. It showed a marked change in their sound, with a more electronic production sound. Dom Search appeared on two Groove Armada albums, "Vertigo" and "Goodbye Country, Hello Nightclub". The 2005 reggae compilation "Blunted In The Backroom" on Antidote Records included two new Nextmen tracks, "Blood and Fire" featuring Dynamite MC, and "Piece Of The Pie" featuring Demolition Man. The years have seen their sound change, with the use of more experimental production techniques and live instrumentation.