Príncipe – 15th Anniversary: “The Sound of Lisbon Ghettos”
Over the past few years, AB has repeatedly shown its great affection for the Portuguese label Príncipe by hosting thrilling performances from Príncipe pioneers such as Nídia (who appeared at AB in 2017 under the name Nídia Minaj), DJ Marfox, Dj N***a Fox, Dj Firmeza, Dj Nervoso, DJ Lycox, Dj Danifox and Xexa. In 2026, the label celebrates its 15th anniversary — a milestone AB simply cannot let pass unnoticed.

Príncipe describes itself as still being “fully dedicated to releasing 100% real contemporary dance music coming out of Lisbon, its suburbs, projects & slums.” Their releases are consistently given striking visual form by in-house graphic designer and co-label head Márcio Matos. Spin once aptly described Príncipe’s raw sound as “An ultra-vivid hybrid of grime and trance,” while FACT Magazine called it “The sound of Lisbon ghettos.” Pitchfork wrote: “The label specializes in a high-energy amalgam of African dance styles known as batida.” In short: contemporary techno and house infused with Angolan genres such as uptempo kuduro (loosely translated as “hard ass”) and more sensual styles like kizomba (Angola) and tarraxinha beats. “This is our grime,” Príncipe pioneer DJ Marfox — who delivered the very first Príncipe release with his Eu Sei Quem Sou EP — once summed it up meaningfully.

On the (late-night) roll call:

DJ DANIFOX

DJ Danifox (PT) — the son of Angolan parents — is undoubtedly one of Príncipe’s key figures. His suffix “fox” is a deliberate nod and tribute to Príncipe pioneer DJ Marfox. Daniel Veiga - his real name - is also part of Tia Maria Produções (with, among others, DJ Lycox) and the supergroup O Ghettão (alongside Dj N***a Fox and Dj Firmeza as a kind of Holy Trinity). Boomkat wrote about his debut Ansiedade (2023): “Ansiedade is another one of those perfect deployments from Príncipe, full of Afro-diasporic, rhythmic psychedelic energies spliced with electronic echoes of Portuguese fado’s melancholic blues.”

DJ NARCISO

Dj Narciso (PT) - a member of the batida collective RS Produções - could hardly be accused of laziness in 2025. Through Príncipe, he released the LP Diferenciado and the EP Capítulo Experimental. Meanwhile, the excellent EP Dentro de Mim came out via the renowned Chinese label SVBKVLT. The Quietus wrote: “With Dentro De Mim, DJ Narciso has not just conjured up a brilliant mile-a-minute dance record, but one that also shines a light on the breadth and brilliance of batida, Portugal’s most exciting musical export.” His DJ CV includes prestigious festivals such as Unsound, Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here, and the renowned Nyege Nyege Festival. Please add AB to your DJ CV, guys!

HELVIOFOX

The youngest Príncipe offspring, Helviofox (PT), is barely 20 years old. The younger brother of Angolan/Portuguese producers Dadifox and Erycox, he “learned how to make beats before most of us had finished figuring out how to spell Autechre.” His debut EP Rodeado de Batida (2025) features “a battery of piquant batida, downtempo kuduro and dubwise experimentation snatched from drill, Afrobeats and Afrohouse. In other words — deadly and deep madness to file somewhere between Carl Craig, Nidia and Lechuga Zafiro,” according to Boomkat.

For a Príncipe deep dive: Príncipe Discos: Our Favourite Records – 925 Colombo

Also: A Guide to Portugal’s Príncipe Discos, One of the Most Exciting Dance Labels on Earth | Pitchfork

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