In the world of SoundCloud and the underground, one name has been steadily echoing louder: DJ Banned. 

Hailing from Vancouver, the DJ and tastemaker has been making noise with his drops, iconic tags, and a curatorial instinct in the golden age of exclusive release culture.

In the beginning, Banned was someone deeply immersed in the world of music archiving. “I used to run a music archive page,” he explains. 

Banned credits some influence from the likes of DJ Khaled, DJ Phat, and Trapaholics. His current roster of collaborators includes underground standouts like Osamason, Samosthated, and Pradabagshawty—artists that complement Banned’s hosting style.

But even as his status rises, Banned stays grounded in the grind. When asked what advice he’d give to up-and-coming artists trying to break through, he doesn’t sugarcoat it: “Stay consistent. Music is like a marathon. You have to do it for a while and actually master your craft. If you're patient about it, it’ll come.”

He’s also candid about the behind-the-scenes hustle for becoming a new artist worth listening to. “Don’t be afraid to send out messages or feel like you’re being annoying,” he says. “A lot of the time, people don’t even see first messages. But don’t do stuff that’s not genuine either. Don’t send copy-and-paste templates to people you want to work with. Build a real connection—but shoot your shot. You never know who’s down to work.”

With his eyes on the future, DJ Banned isn’t ruling out launching a label of his own—a natural next step for someone already shaping the sound of what's popular in today's and tomorrow’s rap scene. 

So, whether he’s hosting the next underground hit to watch or busy collaborating with artists behind the scenes, one thing’s clear: DJ Banned isn’t just hosting what's popular in the moment. He’s helping define and create it.

You can stream one of DJ Banned’s releases here: https://too.fm/bgrgvob