O.B.F (Original Bass Foundation) emerged in 2002 on Geneva’s outskirts as a forward-thinking dub and reggae sound system. Founded by producer and selector Rico, alongside operators G and Stef, the collective quickly earned a reputation for its distinctive and versatile style. They promote forward-thinking dub music heavily influenced by Jamaican reggae, 90s UK dub, and contemporary urban sounds. On May 10 2025, Black Rhino Radio will celebrate its 4th anniversary with O.B.F and Spanish MC Sr. Willson holding things down.
O.B.F’s rise sprang from the grassroots. They cut their teeth as a squat-party collective in Geneva. By 2006, they were hosting weekly nights at L’Usine’s Club Le Zoo – the Dubquake sessions. These early parties allowed Rico’s bass-heavy productions to take center stage and generated a cult following. Word spread rapidly. O.B.F sold out clubs across France and Switzerland within a few years. Their label, Dubquake Records, founded in 2014, gave them a platform to document this forward momentum. The label now boasts over fifty releases, including O.B.F’s standout series, Wild and SIGNZ, their 20th-anniversary album LAVA, dub compilations, and even video documentaries.
In the studio, Rico’s productions exemplify O.B.F’s signature raw style. Their tracks often lock riders into deep, stepper basslines overlaid with sharp digital textures and militant UK dub percussion. This aesthetic reverently nods to pioneers like King Tubby and Adrian Sherwood while pushing forward bass music into new territories. For example, the track Dubquake 2016 became an anthemic finale in their sets, earning colossal crowd reactions wherever it dropped, from Geneva to Brazil, Italy, Japan, and beyond.
Onstage, O.B.F functions like a classic Jamaican sound system. Rico handles tunes as a selector/producer, backed by a powerful custom speaker stack and MCs or guests. O.B.F’s sound emanates unparalleled energy, so you only need to participate in one of their sessions to start feeling like part of the family. That family vibe of unifying DJs, MCs and dancers has helped them sell out major venues and festivals all over Europe, gradually expanding beyond club residencies to global touring. O.B.F has appeared at sound system gatherings and reggae festivals, from Outlook (Croatia) to Dub Camp (UK), and on festival stages in Brazil, the U.S., and Russia. Their live sets filled with dubplates, dub FX, and extended bass lines fill every corner of the space. With the bass turned up, analog effects on tape delay, and creaking dub boards, O.B.F is among the few European crews still reviving the old-school dub philosophy in the digital age. There is no better place to see this on display than O.B.F's annual Dubquake Festival in Geneva, a multi-day springtime celebration of dub, past, present, and future.
France and Switzerland have long had active reggae communities, but O.B.F links them back to Jamaica and the UK. Members of the crew have traveled to Jamaica to record and DJ. In 2025, Rico even hosted a special Jamaica-based radio set for Rinse France. Simultaneously, O.B.F absorbs Europe’s club culture, evident in their percussion-heavy mixes and the energy of the crowds at their sessions. The result is a post-dub sound, respecting roots reggae but unafraid of synthesizers, dancefloor pressure and studio experimentation. In the broader context, O.B.F shows how 21st-century sound systems can be global collectives not tethered to one country, but channeling diaspora traditions for new audiences.
Collaboration is also a key ingredient to O.B.F’s reach. They’ve worked with a who’s who of reggae and dub vocalists. The crew’s bio boasts an impressive roster. Veterans like Linval Thompson and Tippa Irie, UK MCs such as Charlie P, Paris-based artist Biga*Ranx, and Jamaican stalwarts like Mr. Williamz and Burro Banton have all voiced O.B.F riddims. In 2023–24, they released singles with Jamaican singer Sr. Wilson (e.g. Firm & Strong and Heavy & Loud on Dubquake Records), merging O.B.F’s bass-heavy steppers with Wilson’s rootsy tenor. Another notable partnership is with UK sound system Iration Steppas, with joint albums featuring heavy, hybrid productions in 2023, as Love Sound System, and again in 2024 with Revelation Time.
Beyond concerts and records, O.B.F has recently ventured into media. Dubquake Records has pressed vinyl and produced films, including Ina Vanguard Style (2021), a documentary on Iration Steppas. Crew members give interviews on dub-focused radio shows and podcasts, such as a 2025 Rinse France special from Kingston, sharing insights on sound system craft.
O.B.F stands at the confluence of reverence and innovation. Their deep ties to Jamaican and UK dub lore and a raw, electronic-forward production ethos make them a flagship for today’s global sound system movement. From squat parties in Geneva to worldwide stages, O.B.F has shown how a crew born in Europe can contribute authentically to dub’s story.
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