DJ Pilgrim

Hailing from the UK Midlands, DJ Pilgrim is one of the region’s quiet architects of old-school rave, jungle and drum & bass culture, a DJ whose influence stretches beyond the decks into visual art and underground documentation. His story is one of dedication to culture in its purest form, rooted in music, street art and the preservation of history.

Coming up during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Pilgrim was immersed in the raw, formative years of UK rave. This was a time when genres were still mutating, records were passed hand-to-hand, and DJs acted as cultural gatekeepers. Influenced by acid house, early hardcore and breakbeat, Pilgrim developed a DJ style built on flow, atmosphere and deep crate knowledge.

Based in the Midlands, a region often overshadowed by London in dance music history, DJ Pilgrim played a crucial role in building local underground scenes. From warehouses and community spaces to clubs and informal parties, he helped deliver cutting-edge sounds to regional dancefloors, ensuring jungle and drum & bass thrived well beyond the capital. His sets combined rare white labels, early jungle pressure and timeless rave anthems, earning him respect as a selector’s selector.

Parallel to his DJ career, Pilgrim was also deeply embedded in UK graffiti culture. As a graffiti artist, he documented and contributed to the visual language that ran alongside rave and hip hop culture, a world of illegal art and street spraying. This crossover between sound and street art placed him firmly within the wider spectrum of underground expression, where music, visuals and identity were inseparable.

That commitment to documentation eventually led to the creation of his graffiti books, a project dedicated to preserving the history, styles and stories of UK graffiti culture. The book stands as both an artistic statement and an archive, reflecting Pilgrim’s belief that underground movements deserve to be recorded on their own terms, by those who lived them. Much like his DJing, the book prioritises authenticity over polish, giving voice to a culture often misunderstood or ignored.

What truly sets DJ Pilgrim apart is his long-term commitment to grassroots culture, supporting local DJs, artists and promoters, and helping sustain scenes through consistency and passion. His work as a DJ, graffiti writer and author all stem from the same impulse: to contribute, preserve and respect the culture.

DJ Pilgrim is more than an old-school DJ — he’s a cultural archivist. Through music, graffiti and the written word, he has helped keep the spirit of the Midlands underground alive.

Still underground. Still documenting. Still Pilgrim.