Staying in one lane has never really been p-rallel’s thing. As one of the most exciting producers and DJs to emerge from Britain’s electronic music scene in recent years, the West LDN native has built a career moving freely between musical worlds—from UKG, jungle and house to rap, R&B and Caribbean sounds. The joy isn’t only in the fusion, but also in the energy he takes from the crowd and feeds back into his work as a producer.
Most recently, p-rallel produced Central Cee’s “The Team”, the original soundtrack to Coca-Cola Zero Sugar’s new Premier League campaign. It marks another major moment for a musician whose journey has taken him from early collaborations with talents like Greentea Peng, Jeshi and Blanco, to a seven-year run on NTS Radio, a flagship residency at Rinse FM, festival stages around the world and his own super-popular club night, Nevermind.
At Notting Hill Carnival 2026, p-rallel returned to his manor of West London to celebrate 60 years of the legendary celebration of Caribbean culture. Following his high-energy set at Rough But Sweet Sounds—in collaboration with PUMA, JD and NO MERCI—we caught up with him to talk Carnival’s roots, growing up around Mas Bands, his favourite soca tracks and why the culture shows no signs of slowing down.
COMPLEX: We’re here in West London for Notting Hill Carnival 2026. The streets are buzzing, the smell of amazing food filling the air—there’s truly nothing like it! What does West London mean to you?
p-rallel: West London is where I grew up, where I was born and raised. It's everything that I am. It’s my heart. It’s the music, the culture—everything! It’s everything you see here today, on these roads of Notting Hill Carnival. It means everything to me.
You just played the Rough But Sweet Sounds stage—in collaboration with PUMA, JD and NO MERCI—which was great, by the way. What does it mean to represent your sound on a stage like this, in the West London community that raised you?
Notting Hill Carnival is a space that I was brought up on. My family would take me every year, since I was, like, 6 years old. I used to play on the floats! It’s like West London is ingrained in me. It’s my blood. I'm from Shepherd’s Bush, so being from here and growing up here, I grew up watching all the floats and the historic stages. I live and breathe it, so to be in my home town and now actually being on those very stages, it’s hard to put into words. It’s amazing. This year is, like, the fourth time in a row now that I’ve played Carnival! I love it, man.
If we were sitting down now planning the line-up for your first ever stage at NHC, who would be on it?
Oh, this is a great question! My dream line-up, off the top of my head it would be Shy FX, DJ EZ, Scratcha DVA, Benji B, Keyrah, Tiffany Calver and me. All the DJs I grew up with, basically—all my friends [laughs].
What would your own Carnival stage be called, and where would you take people sonically?
It would be called Nevermind, because that’s the brand. Sonically, I’d take you everywhere—I’d include everything. It’s Black music... That’s all I can really say: it’s Black music.
How would you explain the importance of Notting Hill Carnival to someone who has never experienced it or attended?
I think the importance of Notting Hill Carnival is that it’s a space for people who might not feel celebrated in their day-to-day lives. Everyone comes together, has loads of fun and, to be honest, we’re celebrating in a way where no one can tell us anything. Let’s not forget that Notting Hill Carnival started as a protest. This is a protest, and we’ll forever get hate for it. It’ll never end, but you just have to stick together and that way it’ll stay on forever and ever and ever and ever.
Every year it feels like the wheels grind into motion of negative press around Notting Hill Carnival. What’s your view, especially coming from West London, that there’s a narrative about moving Carnival to somewhere else?
You can try and move it, but I promise you, for a fact: you can’t stop three million people coming to Notting Hill Carnival every year, at this time, setting up soundsystems and all sorts. It’s not going to work. If anything, those ideas remind us why we’re here in the first place—the real story behind Carnival—and could spark a movement to turn Notting Hill Carnival back into a protest. I dare them, actually. I dare you! [Laughs]
The roots of it matter, and often, it feels like the real meaning can get lost in the idea that it’s just a festival.
Exactly! 60 years strong... Yeah, we’re not going anywhere.
Do you remember your first experience of Notting Hill Carnival and what stayed with you from that day?
So, my aunt used to have a float called Vibes Mas and I remember just playing on that float every year—that was my proper real introduction to Carnival with all the costumes and everything. I didn’t really start going to stages at Carnival until 5 or 6 years ago. I was always following the floats—that’s how I grew up.
And this is the essence: there are multiple elements of Notting Hill Carnival beyond the soundsystem stages that take us back to the important historical roots of Carnival. How would you explain the difference between the experience of being with a Mas Band float and being in the audience for a soundsystem stage?
I feel like, with the floats, if we're talking sonically, they pretty much only play soca music. Like, expect only to hear soca—strictly soca! They try to keep it strictly Caribbean, where everywhere else—like the soundsystem stages—I would say there is more of a variety. Of course, it’s still Black music, but there’s more fusions and genres. They’re exploring the many vibes and journeys of Black music.
Talking of soca, what are some of your favourite tunes that instantly remind you of Carnival?
[Pauses for a moment to think] There are two tracks that I love and always play: “In the Water” by Sur Raw featuring Chow Minister—over the Wetter Fete Riddim—is one, and the second is Nailah Blackman’s “As A Friend”.
What are your five personal Notting Hill Carnival essentials?
[Points to his shoes] Comfort is my top priority. It’s Carnival right now and I’m wearing these green khaki Puma Suedes—they’re so bloody comfortable! If you’ve ever been to Carnival, you know how your feet feel after a long day of being on your feet. I wore these yesterday and my feet don’t hurt, which is a big deal because my feet always hurt after Carnival. They’re honestly a game-changer. Then I’d say deodorant, a pair of sunglasses and some headphones. Water, chewing gum and cashew nuts, too. You want to stay healthy, you know!
As someone who is both known as a DJ and a producer, what came first in your journey?
For me, production came first. I first started on Logic Pro, but that lasted about a month or two [laughs], and then I went straight to Ableton and I’ve never left. When it comes to DJing, I have to be honest: it was something I enjoyed but it also paid the bills quicker, so I put all my energy into that while producing was building in the background. Over the years, though, up to where I’m at now, both lanes have all begun to start leveling out. Some things just take more time.
What made you make that shift into wanting to take music seriously?
It sounds really cocky, but the ease of it and how easy it comes to me and how fun it is. I feel like it’s my purpose and I don’t want to live a life where I’m not doing something that I enjoy. I feel grateful I’m about to do that and get paid for it.
You recently collaborated with Central Cee on “The Team”, which featured in Coca-Cola’s new Premier League campaign. How did that collaboration come together, and when did you find out what the track was going to be used for?
When I originally made the beat, I wanted to save it for my album. I had Cench in mind when I was making it—I originally wanted him on it. Then I think either he messaged me, or one of his boys messaged me, saying they needed a specific type of beat. I knew right then and there that I had the right one for them. I sent him a folder with that beat and a couple of others, and he picked that one. I was like, “Ah, perfect! This is all meant to be.” I had no idea it was for an advert. I didn’t know it was for Coca-Cola or the Premier League; I just sent him a beat that I thought suited him, that he could bar off on, and he delivered—very well!
When you were making it originally, why did you think it was perfect for Cench to lace?
He’s never been on a garage song. I’m probably the only artist in London, close enough to him, that’s gonna make that right. Do you get it? So, it makes sense. Central Cee on UKG!
And it’s a banger! Where are you next most excited to play?
I'm taking over Phonox in South London for Halloween with some very special guests! On the 30th and the 31st of October, two nights. Be there or be square!
