DJ Lantan on Must Be The Music, “HARD,” and Building a Global Independent Career

For years, DJ Lantan has continued to carve out his own lane across dancehall, reggae, electronic music and UK club culture while remaining fully independent in an industry known for moving fast and forgetting quickly.

Originally from Jamaica and having resided in London for many years, Lantan built his reputation through live performances, freestyle culture, underground sound systems and a relentless independent work ethic before eventually reaching wider UK audiences through national television exposure on Sky1’s Must Be The Music.

From the online buzz surrounding “Facebook Love” to newer high-energy releases like “HARD,” his career has stretched across different eras of music culture while maintaining the same raw performance energy that first made people pay attention.

We spoke with DJ Lantan about televised exposure, international collaborations, independent survival and the evolution of his sound.

Q: A lot of people still remember your appearance on Must Be The Music. Did that moment change things for you?

DJ Lantan:
Definitely. Before television I was already active in music for years, performing live, recording and building connections independently. But Must Be The Music introduced me to a much wider audience across the UK.

When “Facebook Love” aired on Sky TV, the reaction online became bigger very quickly. People were sharing clips, talking about the performance and discovering my music outside the usual reggae and dancehall spaces.

It was one of those moments where you realise your music is reaching people you never expected.

Q: Your performances connected to the Hackney Empire era are still talked about today. Why do you think those moments stayed memorable?

DJ Lantan:
Because the energy was genuine. London crowds don’t fake reactions. You have to really connect with people live.

Hackney has always had strong culture attached to it creatively, so being involved around that environment felt important. There was pressure too because television performances are very different from normal live shows.

I think people connected with the authenticity of it all.

Q: Before the television exposure, your background already involved sound systems and freestyle culture in Jamaica. How important was that foundation?

DJ Lantan:
Very important. That environment teaches you toughness creatively because nothing gets handed to you. You have to earn reactions from crowds and sharpen your skills constantly.

Coming from freestyle clashes, open mic competitions and studio sessions around Jamaica gave me discipline early. It also helped me become comfortable performing live under pressure.

Q: Independent artists rarely manage to achieve verified chart success without major label backing, but platforms like Songstats have shown some of your releases peaking at #4 and #6 across reggae and hip-hop related rankings. What did it mean to see records like “Think Dem Bad (Afrobeat Mix)” and “HARD” gaining that level of traction internationally?

DJ Lantan:
It meant a lot because those numbers reflected real engagement from listeners, DJs and streaming audiences around the world.

When you’re independent, there’s no massive marketing machine pushing everything for you, so seeing platforms like Songstats tracking the growth and showing those chart positions was motivating. It showed me the music was genuinely reaching people organically.

Tracks like “Think Dem Bad (Afrobeat Mix)” connected strongly with both afrobeat and dancehall audiences, while “HARD” brought in more of that electronic and festival energy I’ve been experimenting with creatively.

I’ve always tried to make music that feels powerful live but can also move digitally across streaming platforms and international playlists. Seeing those songs perform well online proved that independent artists can still compete globally when the music connects.

Chart and analytics references:

Think Dem Bad (Afrobeat Mix) – Songstats:
https://songstats.com/track/yn5ziqh4/think-dem-bad-afrobeat-mix?source=overview

HARD – Songstats:
https://songstats.com/track/dg3v2keb/hard?source=overview

Q: You’ve collaborated with artists including Vybz Kartel, Wayne Marshall, General Levy and TopCat. What have those experiences taught you?

DJ Lantan:
Every collaboration teaches you something different. Working with established artists shows you how different people approach creativity, performance and recording.

Being able to work alongside legends was definitely motivating. It also expanded my audience internationally.

Q: Your latest single “HARD” feels heavier and more electronic than some of your earlier material. What inspired that direction?

DJ Lantan:
I wanted pure energy with that record. Something intense that could work in clubs, festivals or live events.

Over the years I’ve naturally become influenced by different electronic sounds while still keeping my dancehall foundation. I never wanted to stay musically stuck in one era.

Q: After everything you’ve experienced through music, performance, independence and different stages of life, what continues to motivate you creatively today?

DJ Lantan:
Life experience more than anything. My environment, my upbringing and everything I’ve been through personally plays a major role in my creativity.

Growing up in Jamaica taught me resilience very early. Being around sound system culture, different struggles, different energies and real-life experiences gives you a different kind of perspective creatively.

Then moving and building in London added another layer to that because you’re exposed to completely different cultures, sounds and challenges. All of that shapes the music naturally.

A lot of my motivation comes from wanting to turn life experiences into something powerful creatively — whether that’s through high-energy music, live performances or records people can connect to emotionally.

Every era taught me something important. Jamaica taught me toughness, live performances taught me discipline, television brought exposure, and independence taught me resilience and self-belief.

I still feel like there’s more to accomplish creatively, so I stay focused on growth and evolution rather than repeating the same thing over and over again.