Photo: Joe Katta
If you haven’t heard of Ibogaine, the plant-based substance from West Central Africa with a history of use in the treatment of drug addiction, we are very pleased to introduce you to the psychoactive alkaloid’s greatest champion in the underground bass music scene, Joe Katta aka Narkatta.
Narkatta’s music fits in with MalLabel’s lineup of innovative, genre-bending artists. His artistic process emphasizes the collaborative aspect of music-making and he prizes the experience of the people on the dance floor over all else.
Photo: Joe Katta
“If I can bring two ends of the musical spectrum together on a dance floor and provide the soundtrack and setting to an interesting experience in their lifetime, be it falling in love with a future lover or meeting that one connection you’ve been searching for, then I feel like I accomplished my goal.”
Narkatta hails from Downtown Los Angeles by way of New York City, both of which are centres of gravity for art and culture in North America; Narkatta is influenced by the talented souls who inhabit these chaotically beautiful urban spaces.
In 2017, Narkatta was hired to film a documentary at an underground Ibogaine clinic in Mexico. This experience showed him the life-saving potential of Ibogaine, which has a scientifically proven 50-80% success rate of preventing relapse in opiate users while also diminishing withdrawal symptoms.
Photo: Joe Katta
“What we have to do to start saving a massive amount of lives at this very moment is to start spreading the word about this medicine and get it off the Schedule I list in the US, so that we can do more research into this medicine.”
Narkatta’s next EP, coming to you straight from the bass-stocked vaults of MalLabel Music, is a rallying cry for the decriminalization of Ibogaine.
Photo: Joe Katta
“In order to change the world, we have to start incorporating these types of messages into our art and conversation, so that we can enjoy a wonderful earth-life with other like-minded individuals.”
Narkatta’s mission is to build a community committed to creating a positive and intentional party scene. In this regard, he and his collaborators recently launched a nationwide event tour called PsyFire, which combines underground music with educational workshops on the potential of psychedelics as medicine in clinical settings.
“If we get enough people to accept our universe, we can enjoy a paradigm shift together where every human being is driven to excel and grow along with the rest of our species.”
Narkatta welcomes anyone who is interested in promoting this life-saving substance, or anyone who has been negatively affected by prescription drugs, to get involved — you can even connect with him to set up a PsyFire show in your city.
“We all have talents that can benefit humanity, especially when we can use them to make others think.”