at No. i on the Hot loo; Major Lazer jet that would have gotten him to the played its own propulsive remix of Bahamas just in time. "We canceled the original. Or take another recent the jet right before we had to pay for it MAJOR INSPIRATIONS Hot loo No. 1, Ed Sheeran's "The — it's really expensive," he says. "But In these highlights from Billboard.com's new weekly video series, Shape of You," with its West African then Iwas stuck in Vegas with no jet A Brief History Of, the members of Major Lazer share lilt — proof of the Major Lazer guys' and had to get to New York to rehearse their personal takes on the music figures who influenced them prediction that Afropop sounds are for the Met Ball, and Ihad to sleep at the next big thing. the airport. So it kind of sucked for me Camila Cabello, whose childhood anyway." The whole crew laughs. was split among Cuba, Mexico and If anyone has experience putting the United States, has aunique on shows in places that don't usually perspective on Major Lazer's global get top acts, it's Major Lazer. The vibe. "I was just thinking about how group played for an estimated they have all these collaborations on half-million people in Havana in the EP," says the singer, with whom, 2016; it chronicled the experience Diplo Jillionaire Waishy Fire Diplo estimates, he has recorded in awell-received documentary, on The Clash on David Rodigan on DJ Uncle Al "something like 20 records." "They Give Me Future, which premiered at have [Brazilian singer] Anitta and Sundance this year. Basically alone WHO Mick Jones, Paul WHO A founding father WHO Born Albert Moss, [Colombian singer] JBalvin. And among headline-level touring acts, it Simonon, Joe Strummer of reggae and dancehall he brought Miami culture they're not just on the internet has returned again and again to play and Topper Headon sound systems, he to the world through pulling from that stuff while chilling shows throughout the Caribbean, developed from an was among the first the songs he played in L.A. They're literally going Latin America and South Asia, seeing inner-city punk group mainstream DJs in the on the radio. He died around the world and seeing how the crowds grow each time. Diplo from London to United Kingdom to in 2001, the day before headlining festivals all support reggae and dance Sept. 11, so we didn't get music affects people — seeing and Walshy recently spent 10 days in over the world. music. He's still doing to celebrate him. what reggaetón does in Colombia, Africa, doing shows as Major Lazer in radio and touring. what dancehall and reggae do in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa THEIR LEGACY They did HIS LEGACY He started Kingston, what Miami bass does. and Rwanda. "They were really good everything: rockabilly, HIS LEGACY He was the the Peace in the Hood They've studied it." shows," says Walshy, adding that the reggae, dub and even go-to guy in the U.K. if you festival, which connected hip-hop toward the end wanted to break areggae neighborhoods that crowds were in the thousands and of their career. record —and he still is. He would never have partied FTER THE BACARDI SHOW, knew every song. "It's kind of weird to was one of the first to play together. Diplo "hung out with think that [touring there has] been so ENCOUNTER I worked Bob Marley on the radio. some girls" before joining off the radar for so many bands." on music with Paul and ENCOUNTER I went to his bandmates at an This kind of planet-hopping is Mick in London two ENCOUNTER I met him Peace in the Hood every A years ago. They were in 2009, when Major single year. I saw what after-hours dancehall party, where typical for Diplo, who still has a playing me songs off Lazer's first album had he did bringing Miami he found himself pulled onto the weekly gig in Las Vegas, and his their iPads and telling me just come out. It gave me together and bringing all stage and goaded into busting some bandmates. Between Major Lazer what they're interested goose bumps, because he these different cultures dance moves. "I'm pretty sure Iwas shows and solo dates, Diplo plays i n. They're still very was instrumental in my together. the only white guy left by the end," something like 300 gigs ayear. fascinated by music. introduction to DJ'ing. —LYNDSEY HAVENS he says. "And Walsh was drunk." His "Walsh actually does maybe five or bandmate laughs, explaining that 10 more shows ayear than me," he it was ahometown show: "There says. "1 have to go home on Mondays were just alot of people Iwanted to sometime." When he touches down in to play some parties. Several MCs up to them, and they don't run away." reconnect with!" Los Angeles, he shifts into dad mode cycled through before Walshy joined The guys are on atight schedule — Afew weeks earlier, Major Lazer to his two sons, Lockett, 6, and Lazer, in 2012 from the dancehall crew Black they have agig in Tampa, Fla., later had been scheduled to headline 2. In 2016, Lockett started taking chess Chiney, whose apocalyptically party- that evening and are playing Boston the Fyre Festival in the Bahamas. A class and competing in tournaments, starting beats and squad of seriously the following day. But before they month before the fest, which would inspiring Diplo to take up the game, athletic female dancers inspired the hop back in the SUV, Diplo wants to later fall apart, Jillionaire had been which he plays on his phone with Major Lazer live show. swing by the gift shop. "I never get to in Exuma on vacation and ran into strangers around the world. He's also After lunch, Major Lazer hops go shopping at places that have good Ja Rule and Billy McFarland, the building avilla and resort in Jamaica's into ablack SUV and heads to the stuff," he says. He picks up some gifts festival's founders. The two invited bucolic Portland parish, where he brand-new Pérez Museum of Art for his kids, including ateddy bear him to come check out the site. "I would like to spend afew months a to check out an exhibit by a2oth- they can customize with an included was thinking, 'I don't really want to year with his kids: "I'm trying to have century Jamaican painter named kit, and abig stack of art books for go, but I'm here,' "he says. "So we go it done for my 4oth birthday." John Dunldey. Jillionaire, who has the library in his house in Jamaica. He with them. It's abeautiful thing. It's Major Lazer got its start nearly a connections in the art world, texts a cheerfully takes acouple of photos all on arise, and it's big and whatever. decade ago, when Diplo and his early friend who works at the museum to with some teenagers, but even with But I'm thinking, 'Yo, it's amonth production partner Switch, aU.K. arrange the group's entry. Diplo, abig his two bandmates around, he's before this festival, and there's no beatmaker, had abunch of tracks fan of the museum, leads the way to mostly able to blend into the crowd, infrastructure. Is this really feasible?' left over from producing M.I.A.'s the second-floor gallery, where the an important skill for someone on But the guys were super nice." breakthrough, Arular, and follow-up, band and its crew fan out. Walshy the move as much as he is. "Most By the time Fyre Fest rolled around, Kala. They corralled dancehall stars is amused by apainting of an old people who like us are cool about it," no one in the Major Lazer camp to jump on the beats; the standout, the white guy playing tennis. "Looks says Diplo with alaugh. "We're 10 really believed it was happening. Vybz Kartel-voiced "Pon de Floor," like Trump," he says, laughing. One years too old to be aboy band." After But because the act had already eventually fueled Beyoncé's "Run painting that features alarge iguana fueling up with atakeout coffee and been paid, it needed to plan as if the World (Girls)." Jillionaire was triggers amemory for Diplo. "In paying for his books, he gathers his it was. Diplo was in Las Vegas the involved from nearly the beginning, Puerto Rico they have big old iguanas squad and hits the road, headed for previous night and booked aprivate when he brought the duo to Trinidad — they're like sheep. You can go right the next dot on the globe. 0

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