- How did the name “Baggabiek” come about, and what does it mean to you?
Back when I was in the army and living on base during the week, I started playing Minimal/Techno records. Every evening, one of my army buddies and I would DJ in our room. I already had a few nicknames on base, like Biek (from my last name, van der Beek) and Bagga, which turned out to be street slang for “bag of weed” — something I only found out years later, hahaha.
When I was looking for a DJ name, I combined those nicknames and came up with Baggabiek. Baggabiek stands for a Roots, Reggae, Dub & Steppers DJ/Selecta and a deep love for Sound System Culture! I’m also really drawn to the messages woven into the music — things like Love, Peace, Unity, but also Babylon oppression and topics like that really speak to me.
2. What was your first introduction to reggae or dub, and how did it shape your musical path?
When I was a kid, my dad gave me the Bob Marley LP Natty Dread. That was my first encounter with reggae. I also used to play in a ska/reggae band called The Skaranoids (some people might know the band — I even had a nickname there: Mr. Skaranoid). I was the guitarist, and it was through friends that I got introduced to the world of ska and reggae. So, the love for reggae was there from a very young age!
When the band broke up, I shifted my full focus to being a Reggae & Dub DJ/Selecta.
But my real reggae journey actually began around 2013, when a friend and I (we performed together for a few years under the name Oaks & Baggabiek) met Barry Issac at a vinyl record fair. He had his own stall, packed with heavy Roots, Reggae, and Dub records from the UK. On his advice, we each bought a few records — think: Twinkle Brothers, Jah Shaka, King Earthquake, and of course Barry Issac himself. That moment opened up a whole new world for me!
Oaks and I often played sets together at home, slowly building our collection. He was originally a Dubstep DJ, and through him, I got more into the Steppers side of Dub — deep basslines and a more uptempo vibe than Dubstep. In the summer of 2014, we went to Outlook Festival in Croatia and ran into Dawn Panty from the Boomshakalak Soundsystem collective (Nijmegen), whom he already knew. We got talking, and she told us they were playing at a lot of festivals — something we really wanted to do too!
Thanks to Dawn Panty, we were able to land our very first live set at Festyland in Brabant. That’s when things really started to roll — more festival bookings followed, including Paaspop, the Vierdaagsefeesten, and several guest appearances at their “home base” in Merleyn Nijmegen as friends of Boomshakalak. So, big shoutout to Boomshakalak: Give thanks!
Meanwhile, my record collection just kept growing — especially 7”, 10”, and 12” vinyls in Roots Reggae, Dub & Steppers.
In 2018, Oaks and I decided to go our separate ways, each wanting to focus on our own genre (he mainly Dubstep, me Roots/Reggae/Dub/Steppers). I was ready to go all in, 100%. Since then, I’ve mostly performed solo and have played at several events, including:
- Rastaplas Festival (2019, again with Boomshakalak)
- Various Sound System Dub sessions in the Netherlands with systems like Masego, Out of Many, Inner East, Guiding Ark, Willow HiFi, Dread Warrior HiFi, RotterDub
- Even on two Tekno Soundsystems: Zinloos Geluid and SFK Soundsystem
- And multiple radio stations, including Open Source Radio Nijmegen, Radio Nul Nijmegen, Birdcage Radio Utrecht, NAR Radio Tilburg, and RaRa Radio Eindhoven
3. Can you describe your earliest memory of falling in love with sound system culture?
This was back in 2013, when I went to a King Shiloh session in Amsterdam for the first time with a few friends (including Oaks), and I was instantly hooked! The feeling of the subs vibrating through your body, the message of the chanters, and the unity in the room — it’s just an amazing vibe! It’s something I never want to miss again.
Since then, I’ve been trying to go to a Sound System session at least once a month, but of course, what I enjoy most is playing on a Sound System myself. That’s when the music truly comes to life!
4. What’s your approach when building a set—do you go in with a plan or feel it out live?
I always start with Roots Reggae, though it can also be Rocksteady, because I believe it’s important to begin with that vibe. Roots is the foundation! Of course, it also depends on the type of event. But always: first Roots, then the rest! (First water, the rest comes later — hahaha)
5. How do you blend roots reggae with heavier dub styles in your sets?
From Roots Reggae, I transition into Dub versions (the B-sides). Then I gradually move toward new Reggae/Digital Reggae styles, and eventually into Dub/Steppers — but that all depends on how long the set is and what kind of event it is. I also really enjoy playing a full-on heavy Roots Reggae/Dubwise set — or going all in with a hard-hitting Dub(Step)/Steppas set!
6. Are there any artists or producers you always find yourself going back to when selecting tunes?
When it comes to Roots Reggae, I really enjoy the productions of Yabby You. Producers like Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, and Bunny Lee also fit perfectly with my selection. Moving into Dub, I think of artists like Slimmah Sound, Ray Ranking, Moa Anbessa, and Alpha & Omega, just to name a few — there are so many great Dub producers out there! When I transition into Steppers, names like Ital Soup, Iration Steppas, Alpha Steppa, Dub Dynasty, Kanka, Chazbo, and Indica Dubs come to mind. And when I lean more toward the Dubstep-influenced side, I think of producers/artists like Radikal Guru, Adam Prescott, Dubbing Sun, Mungo’s HiFi, and others in that realm.
7. What’s the reggae and dub scene like in Nijmegen, and how has it evolved over the years?
In Nijmegen, it actually started with Boomshakalak, and later we had the Selekta sessions with Kubus Soundsystem and Willow Hifi. For a while Willow Hifi together with Brother B kept the Reggae & Dub scene alive — and I have massive respect for that! These guys were truly dedicated with their heavy sessions at Waalhalla! Nothing but praise for them.
And of course, there’s Boomshakalak, who are exploring the broader spectrum of Reggae, which is absolutely perfect for the younger crowd — so really, there’s something for everyone!
8. How do you see your role in building or representing that local culture?
Definitely, continuing to support the culture by going to sessions and staying in touch with the builders and selectors of the soundsystems helps me learn a lot about how it all really works. I’ve also helped out a few times with the guys from Guiding Ark Soundsystem from Den Bosch, loading up the sound and bringing it back to storage.
I think it would be great to do that for multiple soundsystems — it’s a way to show my support and learn more about the soundsystem culture. I’d love to have my own soundsystem someday — just a mini sound for home use and small house parties or cafés, for example — since I don’t have a crew around me, or storage, and I definitely don’t have a fat bank account either.
9. Do you have a favorite sound system or venue you’ve played on that really brought the bass to life?
My favorite soundsystem to play on is Inner East Soundsystem from Tilburg. They have a really nice mixer and use two turntables, which makes it easy and enjoyable to play. I also really love playing on Guiding Ark Soundsystem from Den Bosch — they have a (nano) preamp that’s perfect for dubbing (those who know, know what I mean). When I think about my favorite venue I’ve played at, it has to be WSC Skatepark in Den Bosch during the 5 May Liberation Session 2024 hosted by Guiding Ark Soundsystem.
10. What’s been your most unforgettable live moment behind the decks so far?
I think that was during a Dub party by Zinloos Geluid Soundsystem at “de Knoflook” in Den Bosch. It’s actually a Tekno soundsystem, but those guys started a Dub collective under the name Freeedub — as in Free party (from the Tekno scene) — and they also love Dub/Steppers.
Every now and then, they throw Dub parties wherever they can. It was already a bit later in my set when I played the tune O.B.F – How You Feel ft. Joseph Lalibela, and the whole place just went wild! That was such an amazing moment!
11. What do you think makes a crowd really connect with a dub-heavy session?
What I often notice during sessions is that the later it gets, the more people start dancing. Especially the younger crowd — you’ll quickly see them dancing in front of the speakers, finding connection with each other there.
As for me, you can almost always find me near the control tower — close to the selectas, chanters, and crew. The older audience, you often see them more toward the back or also near the control tower, where they seek connection more with the artists — the chanters and live musicians like saxophonists, melodica players, and so on.
12. Where would you like to be in 5 years from now as a selectah?
As I’ve mentioned earlier in this interview, I would definitely have a mini sound system at home that I can easily load into the car and set up at small cafés or house parties at friends’ places to create an awesome night! I’d also love to be invited by different sound systems to play a great Roots, Reggae, Dub & Steppers set on their system as part of an invite/meet-up.
Facebook: Baggabiek
Instagram: Baggabiek (@baggabiek) • Instagram-foto’s en -video’s
