Diplo shares ‘villain’ origin story of Major Lazer

Fueled by trial, error, and a bit of island magic, Diplo explained how Major Lazer’s journey is as unpredictable as its sound.

Major Lazer might seem like a perfect blend of Jamaican beats and EDM magic, but its backstory is anything but neat and tidy. Major Lazer was born from a strange mash-up of influences and a lot of trial and error. Diplo recently shared the story on Instagram, and according to him, it’s more like a chaotic origin tale than a polished success story for members including Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums.

Diplo and British DJ Switch didn’t exactly meet in the most conventional way. In the post, Diplo described Switch as “the weirdest and hardest DJ in London,” someone he basically stalked around the city to get production tips. Switch taught him the music software Logic, but Diplo admits, “I threw it in the garbage and learned Ableton instead.”

Around that time, Diplo was deep into Philly’s underground scene. He was hanging out with edgy artists like Spank Rock, Amanda Blank, Santigold, and Plastic Little – an ultra-cool crew doing things no one else was. Then, M.I.A. entered the scene, and things got even more interesting. XL Recordings had asked Diplo and Switch to produce beats for M.I.A., but Diplo said he “failed miserably.” Instead, they ended up making a legendary mixtape called Piracy Funds Terrorism and some iconic tracks, including “Paper Planes” and “Bucky Done Gun.”

With extra beats piling up, Diplo and Switch decided to hit Jamaica, where they could work on a budget and dive into the local music scene. Jamaican artists were on fire, and the vibe was perfect for what they wanted to create. “We made this Major Lazer album down there,” Diplo said, “and started a little movement that ended up having a few billion streams.”

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M.I.A. wasn’t just an inspiration – she was like the “third daddy” of Major Lazer, Diplo said. Her influence and energy helped shape the wild, genre-melting sound they created together.

Major Lazer has grown way beyond those early days of throwing beats together. From that chaotic, anything-goes vibe, it’s become a globally recognized force, taking dancehall and EDM to new heights. What started as a “jumbled-up mess” is now a music phenomenon with a billion streams to its name and an origin story as unconventional as its sound.

Featured image credit: Major Lazer/Shane McCauley