Lenworth Green Obituary – Lennie De Ice, born Lenworth Green in London, whose seminal track We Are IE laid the foundations of the jungle music genre, has passed away.
The news was shared by his friend and fellow producer Matthew Copeland, who wrote on Facebook:
“You will for ever be the soundtrack of our generation god bless my brother fly high and keep the party going up there.” The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Green grew up surrounded by a rich tapestry of musical influences. Reflecting on his early years, he once said: “I was into the new wave of hip-hop and electro like Mantronix, Jonzun Crew and Afrika Bambaataa, plus I’d grown up in the era of Gary Numan, the new romantics and ska.” This eclectic mix shaped his musical sensibilities, leading him to experiment with synths and drum machines starting in 1986.
In 1988, Green began work on We Are IE, a track he described as “symbolising everything I was into.” Combining the breakbeat rhythm of hip-hop, sound system influences from reggae, and the pulsating 4/4 beats of acid house, Green forged a unique sound that captured the burgeoning spirit of London’s underground music scene.
The track heavily featured the “Amen break,” a drum sample from the Winstons’ Amen, Brother. Green’s innovative use of this breakbeat in a dance music context was groundbreaking, establishing it as a cornerstone of jungle and later drum’n’bass.
Released in 1991, We Are IE blended diverse elements, including Algerian raï vocals, reggae basslines, and playful sound effects, creating a sonic blueprint that inspired generations of artists, including those in the dubstep movement of the 2000s.
Green faced personal challenges during his career. Shortly after the release of We Are IE, he was incarcerated for an offense he later described as “something that happened about four or five years prior which had caught up with me.” He was released in 1993, continuing to influence the music scene.