- El-B:
El-B (Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III) is considered one of the godfathers of dubstep. In the early 2000s, he began experimenting with the sound system culture and creating music characterized by heavy basslines, sparse instrumentation, and vocal samples.
- Kode9:
Kode9 (Steve Goodman) is another figure instrumental in the inception of dubstep. As the co-founder of the influential London-based record label Hyperdub, Kode9's experimental works, including his 2006 album "Memories of the Future," helped shape the sonic direction of the genre.
- Skream:
Oliver Jones, better known as Skream, became prominent in the early dubstep scene. His track "Midnight Request Line" is widely regarded as one of the first proper dubstep tracks and gained recognition beyond the underground scene.
However, it's important to recognize that, like many other electronic music genres, dubstep was not created by a single artist. Multiple producers, musicians, and sound engineers collectively experimented with sound and technique to give birth to the dubstep sub-genre. The combination of their innovations led to the emergence of dubstep as we know it today.