Scrapbook: Rampage Soundsystem at Notting Hill Carnival
Scrapbook is HYPEBEAST’s new series that documents the best festivals, events, activations and experiences. Using film photography, we’ll give you an inside look into events from around the globe through an inside eye.
Notting Hill Carnival is London’s biggest street festival, with over a million people attending across the two-day event. Created by Trinidadian activist Claudia Jones in 1959 as a direct response to the race riots of 1958, which saw white mobs attack the predominantly West Indian Notting Hill community for a week.
Claudia Jones first held an indoor event in 1959, soon joining up with Rhaune Laslett who already hosted a similar outdoor event. The first official Notting Hill Street Festival took place in August 1966, soon morphing into the Notting Hill Carnival. While the first event consisted of two music bands, increased sponsorship saw the event embrace moving floats, steel bands, costume bands representing the islands of the Carribean and stationary sound systems.
It’s this version of Carnival that’s still here to this day, with one of the event’s most famed sound systems being Rampage, who partnered with adidas Originals this year. Rampage remains the only sound system with an entire street to themselves, and for the past 27 years has held its reputation as the place to be.
The Rampage team consists of DJ Mike Anthony, MC Treble T and DJ Maurice and attendees included the likes of Wiley, Kranium, Tim Westwood and much more. Scroll down to see the festivities from their vantage point and ready their tips for the best ways to take part in Notting Hill Carnival.
Victor Cruz
“Don’t wear uncomfortable shoes. You’re going to be on your feet a lot walking around. Also, don’t wait till the last minute to hit your friends up for your artist passes or credentials or the things you need to finesse through the festival.”
Snoop Dogg
“You got to have a mask, you got to have something that’s going to cover your face because it's going to get dusty. You have dress light because it's going to be hot but at nighttime it's a possibility that it could be cold, so you want to have both outfits. You want to have a night outfit and a day outfit. You want to stay hydrated and have a lot of fruits in your system and vegetables, if you know what I mean. Just vibe, because it's all positivity and all love; everybody is out here just living their life and just enjoying their time for Coachella. It's a great place that brings all kinds of people together so you’ll fit right in no matter who you are or where you’re from.”
Day 4: Desert Sundays - The Do Over, #REVOLVEFestival, 1Oak x Gravity Technologies Coachella Closing Party
What are some rules for Coachella or music festivals in general?
Todd Gurley: “It’s a music festival, there are no rules. You’re supposed to do what you’re not supposed to do that’s why you go to a festival.”
Why is Carnival still important?
Mike Anthony:
Carnival is still important and still very, very, very relevant because of the cultural significance of what it brings and where it comes from -- its heritage. The Caribbean culture embraces everything. When you look at the Notting Hill Carnival, it's Londoners.
It doesn't matter where you're from: Chinese, African, Caribbean, America, it doesn't matter. It's a very welcoming tradition and celebration, but the heart is the culture and as long as we maintain that culture and where it comes from the significance will always be there.
It's a massive, massive accomplishment for a city to pull off. It's the biggest street festival on the planet.
What does Rampage bring to Carnival?
Phil T:
A real reflection of the youth-orientated side of the Notting Hill Carnival. We reflect all the youth-orientated music, the biggest tunes that the kids are listening to right now will all be played on our sound system. So we provide a great counterbalance to the Carnival traditionalists and reflect the youth audience who are growing up in the UK right now, living this urban culture.
If you can’t go to Rampage’s sound system, what’s the next best one?
DJ Maurice:
To be honest with you, I don't think there's really anyone that can match
us. So if you can't come to Rampage, Good luck.
On a different sort of musical level Shy FX's sound system is always worth hitting on the Monday, on the Monday they do a lot of drum 'n' bass, jungle that's a good one.
If you're a reggae purist then you can't go wrong if you go to Saxon or Nasty Love. And if you're like an R&B/hip-hop specialist, but more old school, then you can go to the Originals Rap Attack on All Saints Road.
Advice for newcomers?
Mike Anthony:
Wear dirty trainers.
DJ Maurice:
Wear dirty trainers. Take your time with your drinking, don't try and rush it all and end up falling over because you've gone too quick. Carry some water on you. Try and go toilet before you get to Carnival.
Mike Anthony:
And try and hold a wine.
What's the best place to get food at Carnival?
DJ Maurice:
All the best food is located in one area near the Tabernacle. And so what's nice about it, it's not just Caribbean food. You get Thai food, you get burgers, whatever you want. Real, real cooking right in front of you, fresh. That's the place to go, right next to Tabernacle.
Why is Carnival still important?
Mike Anthony:
Carnival is still important and still very, very, very relevant because of the cultural significance of what it brings and where it comes from -- its heritage. The Caribbean culture embraces everything. When you look at the Notting Hill Carnival, it's Londoners.
It doesn't matter where you're from: Chinese, African, Caribbean, America, it doesn't matter. It's a very welcoming tradition and celebration, but the heart is the culture and as long as we maintain that culture and where it comes from the significance will always be there.
It's a massive, massive accomplishment for a city to pull off. It's the biggest street festival on the planet.
What does Rampage bring to Carnival?
Phil T:
A real reflection of the youth-orientated side of the Notting Hill Carnival. We reflect all the youth-orientated music, the biggest tunes that the kids are listening to right now will all be played on our sound system.
So we provide a great counterbalance to the Carnival traditionalists and reflect the youth audience who are growing up in the UK right now, living this urban culture.
If you can’t go to Rampage’s sound system, what’s the next best one?
DJ Maurice:
To be honest with you, I don't think there's really anyone that can match
us. So if you can't come to Rampage, Good luck.
On a different sort of musical level Shy FX's sound system is always worth hitting on the Monday, on the Monday they do a lot of drum 'n' bass, jungle that's a good one.
If you're a reggae purist then you can't go wrong if you go to Saxon or Nasty Love. And if you're like an R&B/hip-hop specialist, but more old school, then you can go to the Originals Rap Attack on All Saints Road.
Advice for newcomers?
Mike Anthony:
Wear dirty trainers.
DJ Maurice:
Wear dirty trainers. Take your time with your drinking, don't try and rush it all and end up falling over because you've gone too quick. Carry some water on you. Try and go toilet before you get to Carnival.
Mike Anthony:
And try and hold a wine.
What's the best place to get food at Carnival?
DJ Maurice:
All the best food is located in one area near the Tabernacle. And so what's nice about it, it's not just Caribbean food. You get Thai food, you get burgers, whatever you want. Real, real cooking right in front of you, fresh. That's the place to go, right next to Tabernacle.