Emerging from Newark, New Jersey, (DoItAll, Mr. Funke) and Cleveland, Ohio (DJ Lord Jazz) Lords of the Underground burst onto the scene in the early 90’s with their platinum debut album ‘Here Come the Lords’ (1993), featuring golden-age hits like “Chief Rocka” and “Funky Child.” With DoItAll’s dynamic energy, Mr. Funke’s gritty delivery, and Dj Lord Jazz’s technical turntablism, they became a defining East Coast trio, known for tight chemistry and substantive lyricism.

Under the tutelage of Marley Marl and K-Def, Lords of the Underground delivered a string of classic records. Their sophomore ‘Keepers of the Funk’ (1994) further cemented their place in hip-hop lore. In April 2025, the trio released their long-awaited album ‘So Legendary’.. This ten-track record embraces boom-bap authenticity while introducing fresh sonic textures, and it’s widely praised as their strongest work in decades.

A landmark moment came in December 2024, when the National Hip-Hop Museum in Washington, D.C. inducted Lords of the Underground into its Hall of Fame during its large-scale Hip-Hop Holiday Honors event-joining icons like Marley Marl, DJ Jazzy Jay, Kool Moe Dee, and others.

Stephen Sheldrake, Programming Manager for The Factory Live said:

“It’s been a privilege to develop the hip hop landscape and history here in Worthing; bringing these groundbreaking artists from America to our seaside town is one of the personal highlights of my career. We’re thrilled to open Independent Venue Week with the legendary Lords of the Underground, and we’ll be working with local artists to curate a full evening of stellar funk and hip hop here at The Factory Live for one night only.”

Independent Venue Week is an annual 7-day celebration that highlights and supports independent music and arts venues, the people who run them, and the artists who perform in them. During this week, between 26 January - 01 February, The Factory Live will be welcoming Lords of the Underground, Will Varley, Jaguar Skills and The Korgis, as well as hosting a local band night dedicated to Worthing Original Artists.

Tickets to Lords of the Underground at The Factory Live are priced at £25. To book tickets, visit thefactorylive.co.uk or call 01903 367 707.