Born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria to an English father and Jamaican mother, he was schooled in his teens in England before migrating to New York City in the early 80’s. Sydenham’s work today is largely influenced by the cultural diversity of his upbringing and has echoes of a musical history that spans indigenous African and contemporary western music. During the mid 80’s he became involved in the underground dance music scene both as a DJ and a promoter. In 1986 he threw a successful weekly party in Philadelphia and by 1987 he had a residency at the legendary Nell’s in NYC.