Drum'n'bass pioneer Clifford Price, better known as Goldie, was awarded an MBE for his recording, film and charity work by the Queen in the 2016 edition of the New Year's Honors List. While musicians frequently top the annual list of honorees, the fact that the Metalheadz label co-founder has been named Member of the Order of the British Empire--and thus added to the history books alongside the likes of Paul McCartney and Elton John--is a massive accomplishment for the drum'n'bass scene and electronic producers and DJs in general.
As Resident Advisor reports, Price took to social media to express his gratitude for the recognition: "There are some amazing people on the list, happy to be in such great company."
Firstly i want to say thank you for all the messages regarding yesterdays announcement, the support is overwhelming. My...
Posted by Goldie on Thursday, December 31, 2015
On Twitter he added a huge "thank you" to his "unsung heroes/heroines."
THANKYOU ,to my unsung heroes/ heroines : Kemi storm Grooverider Fabio Docscott Reinforced Frost Headzfamily pic.twitter.com/C9Cq5ihR22
— THE ALCHEMIST (@MRGOLDIE) December 31, 2015
While Goldie is often credited for pretty much single-handedly popularizing drum'n'bass, he started the tastemaking Metalheadz label alongside Kemistry and Storm. The label soon became home to other massive names within the genre like Dillinja, Adam F and Photek just to name a few. Metalheadz is still going strong decades later.
Goldie made a name for himself as a musician with his debut album Timeless, which features the seminal track "Inner City Life." The album was one of the earliest Metalheadz releases and is considered one of the most iconic British albums of the '90s. It goes without saying that Timeless remains revered among drum'n'bass enthusiasts.
Price's artistic achievements extend far beyond the decks and the studio. After spending his childhood in foster care and children's homes, a teenaged Goldie threw himself into the art of graffiti.
Painting the garage walls of his local neighborhood soon turned into exhibiting his artwork and eventually founding a groundbreaking, legal graffiti art gallery. His graffiti art kept him ensconced in hip-hop culture--he even chopped off his dreadlocks that had earned him his nickname in order to try his hand at break dancing--but also afforded him a trip to New York that helped fuel his music career.
From there, his acting career launched, earning him roles in Guy Ritchie's Snatch and the James Bond hit The World Is Not Enough, as well as appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and Strictly Come Dancing among countless other tv shows.
The award marks establishment recognition of the multi-talented artist's eclectic career. However, as FACT Magazine reports, the producer made it clear that he is not planning to rest on his laurels just yet: "I turned 50 in September and I've always felt there's more work to do."
