Eric Alberto-Lopez (born June 28, 1990), known professionally as Ape Drums, is a Mexican-American DJ and record producer.[1] Ape Drums is known for fusing electronic dance music with Caribbean sounds, described by Thump as "Modern Dancehall Music."[2] He is also one third of the DJ/production trio Major Lazer, replacing Jillionaire in the summer of 2019.

Ape Drums
Birth nameEric Alberto-Lopez
Born (1990-06-28) June 28, 1990 (age 34)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
GenresDancehall, moombahton, electronic
Occupation(s)Producer, DJ
Instrument(s)Synthesizer, DAW, sampler
Years active2014–present
LabelsFool's Gold Records, Owsla, Mad Decent

Career

edit

His debut single "Bashment" was released in 2014 on Slow Roast Records.[2] His Major Lazer collaboration, "The Way We Do This" (a reimagining of the classic "Bookshelf Riddim") was played at festivals worldwide by the group, before it was finally released in 2016 on Ape Drums' debut Mad Decent EP.[3] Later in 2016, Ape Drums released "LFUTP" featuring up-and-coming Philly artist Lil Uzi Vert via Fools Gold Records.[4]

Ape Drums gained a new level of international fame when his single "Mutant Brain" was used in the 2016 Kenzo World ad campaign, directed by Spike Jonze and starring actress Margaret Qualley. The single was then quickly signed and released by Interscope Records.[5]

On June 1, 2019, at the Governors Ball Music Festival, it was officially announced that Ape Drums would replace Jillionaire as the new member of Major Lazer. The trio now consists of founding member Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums.[6]

Discography

edit

Extended Plays

edit
Title Details
Jungle Rock
Soundboy
  • Released: May 7, 2021
  • Label: Vision Sound / Mad Decent
  • Formats: digital download

Singles

edit

As artist

edit
Year Title Label
2012 Lion Believe Digital
Turn It Up Again Cherry Drop Records
Casio Believe Digital
2013 Worl'boss ft. Vybz Kartel Universal Music Group
2014 Bashment Slow Roast Records
2015 The Symphony Believe Digital
2016 Magic City Seed
2017 Ghost Spinnin' Records
Deva ft. Suku Mad Decent
CHUPACABRA (with Carnage) Heavyweight Records
2018 Go Crazy ft. Dougie F Mad Decent
LFUTP ft. Rizzoo Rizzoo & Lil Uzi Vert Universal Music Group
Shellz ft. Denzel Curry & Frizzo Spinnin' Records
The Way We Do This ft. Major Lazer & Busy Signal Mad Decent
2019 Bed Squeak ft. Nicky Da B (with Wuki) Insomniac Records / Mad Decent
2020 Delete ft. Beam Vision Sound / Mad Decent
2021 Mek Money (with Silent Addy) ft. Projexx
BF Killa ft. Toian & Projexx
2023 Discoteca (with Dev) ft. NEZ Dev

As feature artist

edit
Year Title Label
2015 Tropkillaz "Wine Yuh Back" (ft. Ape Drums & Suku) Elemess
2017 Pitbull 'Can't Have' ft. Steven A. Clark & Ape Drums RCA Records
2021 ceR alswO "Make Your Girl Go" (ft. Good Things Ahead & Ape Drums) Warner Music Austria

Remixes

edit
Year Title
2013

M.I.A 'Bring the Noize' (Ape Drums Remix)

2014 Skrillex & Kill The Noise 'Recess' (Ape Drums Remix) ft. Fatman Scoop and Michael Angelakos
Yellow Claw 'Dancehall Soldier' (Ape Drums Remix) ft. Beenie Man
Autoerotique 'LZR BASS' (Ape Drums Remix)
Tony Matterhorn Duttiest Wine (Ape Drums & Diplo Remix)
Indian Summer 'Loveweights (Ape Drums Remix)
2015 Steven A. Clark 'Can't Have' (Ape Drums Remix)
Major Lazer 'Jet Blue Jet' (Ape Drums Remix)
2016 P-Money & Gappy Ranks 'Baddest' (Ape Drums Remix)
Yellow Claw 'Nightmare' ft. Pusha T & Barrington Levy (Ape Drums Remix)
2017 Machel Montano & Sean Paul 'One Wine' ft. Major Lazer (Ape Drums Remix)
2018 AlunaGeorge 'Mean What I Mean' (Ape Drums Remix)
Dillon Francis We The Funk ft. Fuego (Ape Drums Remix)
BURNS 'Hands On Me' (Ape Drums Remix) ft. Maluma & Rae Sremmurd
2020

Britney Spears 'Mood Ring' (Ape Drums Remix)

References

edit
  1. ^ "Ape Drums Found Himself, and Has Been Winning Ever Since". Complex. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
  2. ^ a b "Ape Drums Makes Modernized Dancehall Music | Thump". Thump. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
  3. ^ "Ape Drums - The Way We Do This (feat. Major Lazer & Busy Signal)". www.dancingastronaut.com. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
  4. ^ "Ape Drums, Lil Uzi Vert, and Rizzoo Rizzoo Just Guaranteed All Your Parties Will Rule with "LFUTP" - Noisey". noisey. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
  5. ^ "Watch Spike Jonze's New Madcap Musical Short Film | Nerdist". Nerdist. 2016-08-29. Archived from the original on 2016-08-30. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
  6. ^ "Jillionare Leaves Major Lazer, Replaced By Ape Drums - Billboard". billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.