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The Nextmen are a production/songwriting hip-hop duo consisting of Dom Search (aka Dominic Betmead) and Brad Baloo (aka Brad Ellis). Born and raised in Cambridge, they are based in London. Their music fuses U.K. soul and reggae with a hip-hop foundation. They also run their own independent record label, Custom Records, a joint venture with Fat City Records. They began remixing popular and underground records in 2000 as part of a string of mixtapes and are well-known for their two-man, four-turntable DJ sets. Their first album, Amongst the Madness, appeared in 2000, followed by Get Over It, released in 2003, which featured such artists as rapper J-Live and reggae artist Cutty Ranks. The 2005 reggae compilation Blunted in the Backroom included two Nextmen tracks -- "Blood and Fire" and "Piece of the Pie." The Nextmen released their third studio album in 2007, entitled This Was Supposed to Be the Future, on Antidote Records. The album featured vocals from artists such as Alice Russell and rap group Kidz in the Hall. ~ Vincent Thomas

Kiko Bun works in a cross section of reggae, dancehall, soul, vintage R&B, and hip-hop, creating an infectious and vibrant sound. Following a handful of independent singles, including 2014's bouncy "Where I'm From," the London native netted a deal with Island Records and began issuing a steady stream of new material, beginning with the 2015 EP Come Again. Along the way, he began touring the festival circuit and featured on tracks by Credenza and the Next Men, among others. A host of Bun singles arrived in 2016, including the Dre Island collaboration "Alipanga" and the bright pop track "Sweetie." In late 2017 the singer released the hooky "Fistful of Nothing" single, which was later included on his 2018 EP, The Clubs. ~ Timothy Monger