​New documentary spotlighting the legacy of d'n'b MC Stevie Hyper D to be released this year

A new documentary spotlighting the life and career of legendary drum ‘n’ bass MC Stevie Hyper D is set to be released at the end of 2024.

The team behind the documentary, titled HYPER: The Stevie Hyper D Story, are now calling for donations to a Kickstarter campaign to get the project over the line and onto the silver screen after spending more than a decade in the works.

HYPER chronicles the story of British MC Stevie Hyper D, real name Stephen Austin, from his rise to fame in the drum ‘n’ bass and jungle scenes to his untimely death in 1998. Watch a trailer below.

The film is directed by Jamie Ross-Hulme, who has previously worked on a documentary charting the rise of jungle MC Navigator. Jamie was approached in 2012 by Darrell Austin, Stevie’s nephew and now co-producer of HYPER, to ask for help working on another legacy-charting film.

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Speaking to Mixmag, Darrell explained: “[Making this film] was emotional for me. But what was so positive was that we really feel that we ended up showing how influential is, to those who may not know who he is, but also those who do!”

"Initially the film started as a tribute film to Steve's legacy, but evolved into much more," he says. "I really had to dig deep to bring a new element to the story, it was quite possibly one of the hardest things I've ever done."

As well as a retrospective insight into Darrell’s close relationship with his uncle, the film looks at Stevie’s pioneering MC style, his signing to Island Records in 1996, and how he became one of the most respected figures in drum ‘n’ bass and jungle, later influencing a whole legion of artists.

HYPER also documents the “pressures of relentless performing” that Stevie faced, and how a heart attack “extinguished his potential, leaving a gaping hole in his family and the burgeoning jungle scene”.

The film includes interviews with the likes of Andy C, Harry Shotta, Jammer, Navigator, Gorgon City’s Matt "RackNRuin" Robson-Scott, and plenty more.

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“The response from the drum ‘n’ bass scene and the wider UK music scene to be involved in the film, was overwhelmingly supportive,” director Jamie Ross-Hulme tells Mixmag. “As well as the OG drum 'n' bass jungle crew we have icons from UK garage, grime and house.”

To get the project finished, the crew behind HYPER are now asking for donations to their fundraiser, aiming to raise £35,000 to fund “music clearances, archive and legal costs, and produce a fantastic special edition Blu-Ray.”

“The main goal for this film was to solidify his legacy,” says Jamie. “It wasn't until we were deep in production of the film, that we realised we had a deeper story, that was Darrell's own emotional journey retelling his perspective on Stevie's story and his own process of dealing with grief.”

Donate to the Kickstarter campaign here, and check out a poster below.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter