One of the biggest reasons for Hindman sophomore Dru Walters’ obsession with dubstep is feeling that he’s a part of something bigger.

Dubstep, a type of electronic dance music, is growing in popularity across the WKU campus, and Walters likes being a part of the movement.

“A lot of dubstep is being released right now – it’s finally starting to blow up,” Walters said. “Everybody listens to Bassnectar and Deadmau5. It’s kind of becoming more mainstream all across the United States.”

Yesterday, world-renowned DJ and music producer Borgore made a stop on his world tour in Bowling Green.

“Borgore is one of the biggest dubstep DJs in the world,” Walters said. “He has an entire culture just built around him.”

Walters credits local DJ Emmett Stephens, or Heretic, with getting him hooked on dubstep while sitting outside Pearce-Ford Tower on campus.

“He would just come out into the PFT courtyard, set up some speakers, and start playing some EDM,” Walters said. “It caught on.”

Stephens, a Bowling Green junior, is part of local electronic group DMZ. He said the idea of playing in the PFT courtyard came to him while he was practicing in his room.

“One day I wondered why I was practicing in my room rather than playing in front of people outside,” he said. “There wasn’t really any difference. It was just the question of if my roommate and annoyed neighbors could hear me, or if the people outside in the courtyard that ideally would want to hear it, could hear it.”

Stephens had a hand in bringing Borgore to Bowling Green, and is one of dubstep’s biggest local supporters.

“I’d really like to see momentum that has risen for Borgore continue,” he said.

Stephens sees dubstep as one of the most unique types of electronic dance music.

“In the sea of electronic music, there’s a lot of different genres, and I think dubstep is one of the most easily accessible types,” Stephens said. “It’s 140 (beats per minute), in half time. Everything else is up to the DJ. That’s been one of the really cool things about dubstep.”

And you can’t forget the bass, Stephens said. There’s a lot of it, and it just wouldn’t be dubstep without the bass.

He said dubstep’s emphasis on bass is the characteristic that hooks most listeners.

“Our generation was brought up on mainstream rap, and so people understand bass,” Stephens said. “It’s something they’ve grown accustomed to.”

Lexington freshman Ben Holiday’s favorite part about dubstep is the movement behind the music.

“EDM music in general represents an entire underground subculture that’s awakening in the youth today,” Holiday said. “If I look anywhere on campus, I can see it. It’s prevalent, it’s changing, and it’s inspiring, and I want to be a part of that.”