For Moses Boyd, it’s been a remarkable journey. A multi-award-winning drummer, producer, composer, and BBC 1Xtra resident, he’s fiercely independent and powered by a vast array of influences and experiences.

Growing up in Catford, south London, his childhood was soundtracked by his parents’ collection of gospel, soul, funk, and reggae, alongside Bjork, Debussy, and Youssou N’Dour. His first CD, Fly or Die by N.E.R.D., set the tone for his teens, alongside southern hip hop, grime, and DIY beat-making with friends.

At 13, he began drum lessons with a globe-trotting jazz drummer, loaned VHS videos of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, and gave Moses the foundation for his lifelong love of jazz. By 16, he was playing with British jazz icon Gary Crosby OBE and Tomorrow’s Warriors, honing his skills in London’s collaborative jazz scene.

Moses has toured and recorded with Sampha, Kelsey Lu, Sons of Kemet, and DJ Lag (whose work appeared on Beyoncé’s The Lion King soundtrack). He produced Zara McFarlane’s Arise and several acclaimed solo projects through his Exodus label, while co-leading the semi-free group Binker and Moses.

His debut album, Dark Matter (2020), emerged from his travels in South Africa, capturing rhythms, samples, and collaborations that inform his genre-defying sound. The album blends grime, afrobeats, London club rhythms, and the creativity of jazz, marking a bold step forward in his evolution as an artist and producer.

“I still love jazz,” Moses says, “but this is something different… it’s left me really open.”

@mosesboydexodus