Eric Alberto-Lopez (born June 28, 1990), known professionally as Ape Drums, is a Mexican-American DJ and record producer.[1] Ape Drums is known for fusing electronic dance music with Caribbean sounds, described by Thump as "Modern Dancehall Music."[2] He is also one third of the DJ/production trio Major Lazer, replacing Jillionaire in the summer of 2019.
Ape Drums | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Eric Alberto-Lopez |
| Born | June 28, 1990 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Dancehall, moombahton, electronic |
| Occupation(s) | Producer, DJ |
| Instrument(s) | Synthesizer, DAW, sampler |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | Fool's Gold Records, Owsla, Mad Decent |
Career
editHis debut single "Bashment" was released in 2014 on Slow Roast Records.[2] His Major Lazer collaboration, "The Way We Do This" (a reimagining of the classic "Bookshelf Riddim") was played at festivals worldwide by the group, before it was finally released in 2016 on Ape Drums' debut Mad Decent EP.[3] Later in 2016, Ape Drums released "LFUTP" featuring up-and-coming Philly artist Lil Uzi Vert via Fools Gold Records.[4]
Ape Drums gained a new level of international fame when his single "Mutant Brain" was used in the 2016 Kenzo World ad campaign, directed by Spike Jonze and starring actress Margaret Qualley. The single was then quickly signed and released by Interscope Records.[5]
On June 1, 2019, at the Governors Ball Music Festival, it was officially announced that Ape Drums would replace Jillionaire as the new member of Major Lazer. The trio now consists of founding member Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums.[6]
Discography
editExtended Plays
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Jungle Rock |
|
| Soundboy |
|
Singles
editAs artist
edit| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Lion | Believe Digital |
| Turn It Up Again | Cherry Drop Records | |
| Casio | Believe Digital | |
| 2013 | Worl'boss ft. Vybz Kartel | Universal Music Group |
| 2014 | Bashment | Slow Roast Records |
| 2015 | The Symphony | Believe Digital |
| 2016 | Magic City | Seed |
| 2017 | Ghost | Spinnin' Records |
| Deva ft. Suku | Mad Decent | |
| CHUPACABRA (with Carnage) | Heavyweight Records | |
| 2018 | Go Crazy ft. Dougie F | Mad Decent |
| LFUTP ft. Rizzoo Rizzoo & Lil Uzi Vert | Universal Music Group | |
| Shellz ft. Denzel Curry & Frizzo | Spinnin' Records | |
| The Way We Do This ft. Major Lazer & Busy Signal | Mad Decent | |
| 2019 | Bed Squeak ft. Nicky Da B (with Wuki) | Insomniac Records / Mad Decent |
| 2020 | Delete ft. Beam | Vision Sound / Mad Decent |
| 2021 | Mek Money (with Silent Addy) ft. Projexx | |
| BF Killa ft. Toian & Projexx | ||
| 2023 | Discoteca (with Dev) ft. NEZ | Dev |
As feature artist
edit| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Tropkillaz "Wine Yuh Back" (ft. Ape Drums & Suku) | Elemess |
| 2017 | Pitbull 'Can't Have' ft. Steven A. Clark & Ape Drums | RCA Records |
| 2021 | ceR alswO "Make Your Girl Go" (ft. Good Things Ahead & Ape Drums) | Warner Music Austria |
Remixes
edit| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2013 |
M.I.A 'Bring the Noize' (Ape Drums Remix) |
| 2014 | Skrillex & Kill The Noise 'Recess' (Ape Drums Remix) ft. Fatman Scoop and Michael Angelakos |
| Yellow Claw 'Dancehall Soldier' (Ape Drums Remix) ft. Beenie Man | |
| Autoerotique 'LZR BASS' (Ape Drums Remix) | |
| Tony Matterhorn Duttiest Wine (Ape Drums & Diplo Remix) | |
| Indian Summer 'Loveweights (Ape Drums Remix) | |
| 2015 | Steven A. Clark 'Can't Have' (Ape Drums Remix) |
| Major Lazer 'Jet Blue Jet' (Ape Drums Remix) | |
| 2016 | P-Money & Gappy Ranks 'Baddest' (Ape Drums Remix) |
| Yellow Claw 'Nightmare' ft. Pusha T & Barrington Levy (Ape Drums Remix) | |
| 2017 | Machel Montano & Sean Paul 'One Wine' ft. Major Lazer (Ape Drums Remix) |
| 2018 | AlunaGeorge 'Mean What I Mean' (Ape Drums Remix) |
| Dillon Francis We The Funk ft. Fuego (Ape Drums Remix) | |
| BURNS 'Hands On Me' (Ape Drums Remix) ft. Maluma & Rae Sremmurd | |
| 2020 |
Britney Spears 'Mood Ring' (Ape Drums Remix) |
References
edit- ^ "Ape Drums Found Himself, and Has Been Winning Ever Since". Complex. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
- ^ a b "Ape Drums Makes Modernized Dancehall Music | Thump". Thump. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
- ^ "Ape Drums - The Way We Do This (feat. Major Lazer & Busy Signal)". www.dancingastronaut.com. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
- ^ "Ape Drums, Lil Uzi Vert, and Rizzoo Rizzoo Just Guaranteed All Your Parties Will Rule with "LFUTP" - Noisey". noisey. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
- ^ "Watch Spike Jonze's New Madcap Musical Short Film | Nerdist". Nerdist. 2016-08-29. Archived from the original on 2016-08-30. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
- ^ "Jillionare Leaves Major Lazer, Replaced By Ape Drums - Billboard". billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.