Jay 'Bulletproof

A pioneer of early drum and bass Monds died following a brain haemorrhage. “I'm utterly devastated," his brother says.

In 2021 Monds started the podcast The History of New Zealand Drum and Bass, which he told UFK’s Dave Jenkins was started to alleviate boredom during New Zealand’s covid lock down. “He always had the heart of gold, that he once coated with a gangster hustle ... He was one of the first producers to give international attention to New Zealand drum and bass, together with groups like Concord Dawn and Shapeshifter “It's just that the music community is so small that you're friends with most people," he said. It was in 2009, still under the name Bulletproof but now working on his own, Monds made his foray into a more mainstream music world. MC Tali, whose real name is Natalia Sheppard, told Stuff she is “absolutely devastated” at the loss of her colleague and close friend of 20 years. [album Dub Me Crazy](https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/performance/5665349/Bulletproof-fired-up-over-new-album), featuring tracks with award-winning artists Hollie Smith and Anika Moa. but he had the confidence in later years to let that smile and that chuckle and that giggle and that love just pour through.” He died on Thursday evening surrounded by loved ones, his family confirmed to Stuff. Dub Me Crazy peaked at number 7 on the NZ Top 40 charts. “They gave a legitimacy and a reality to the potential that you could be a New Zealand artist [and make it].” He told Stuff when he worked with Monds on the artwork, the musician wanted a cartoon of himself “looking crazy”.