Diplo on addition of Ape Drums to Major Lazer, ‘It’s like John Mayer joining the Grateful Dead’
In recent weeks, Jillionaire quietly slipped away from Major Lazer and was replaced by Ape Drums for the group’s ramping performance schedule. The move came without much fanfare until the news officially broke on June 3. A few weeks ago, when Major Lazer began promoting the concept for their new Lazerism LP, Dancing Astronaut reached out to Diplo for comment on Jillionaire’s absence from the video. The request went unanswered until news officially broke—then Diplo reached back out to us to provide some more clarity on the situation.
According to Diplo,
“Jillionaire is always part of the team. Ape Drums is helping with production on some tracks (he’s done a few songs with us before) so he is going to tour with us as well…it’s like John Mayer joining the Grateful Dead.”
More details on Lazerism are expected to surface in the coming weeks, and Ape Drums’ stylistic influence within the dancehall group should begin to show. Over the years, group and it’s rotating members have always maintained a collective ethos, so even while Jillionaire is off on new pursuits, his place in Major Lazer seems indefinitely open.
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