Life Stories with James Sobers

James Sobers, also known as Blurum13, is a rapper and producer, born in New York City and raised in Maryland. 

From 1998 to 2006, BluRum13 was closely associated with London-based DJ Vadim and the Ninja Tune record label when he toured as emcee for Vadim’s live group The Russian Percussion (also featuring beatboxer Killa Kela and DJ Mr Thing). The group was created to promote the album Life From the Other Side (Ninja Tune, 1999), for which BluRum contributed the track “It’s Obvious.” Vadim and BluRum went on to form the hip hop group One Self in 2005 with MC Yarah Bravo, releasing the album Children of Possibility, also released on Ninja Tune. 

BluRum13 has been a member of several bands, including Montreal-based Bullfrog (featuring Kid Koala, released on Ropeadope/Atlantic Records), and is a member of the London-based collective the True Ingredients. BluRum has also been a featured emcee and live front-man for several other groups, including US3, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Reverse Engineering, Resin Dogs, Aquasky, and many more. 

In 2012, BluRum13 released a joint project with Manchester artist Matt Brewer, a.k.a. Frameworks, entitled "The Brickbuilders EP." That same year, BluRum13 began a live show collaboration with acclaimed Spanish jazz drummer Mark Ayza, and also founded the dub-hop/electro step group Indigenous Invaders with DJ Toner (Granada). Indigenous Invaders appeared live at the world’s first YouTube music festival “YouFest” in Madrid on September 28, 2012. 

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