The unique vocals & lyrics of Kevin Knapp have become a staple of the underground scene since his infamous collaborations with Audiojack for “My Beat Will Control You” in 2012 and Richy Ahmed for “The Drums” in 2013. But he has since firmly cemented his place as a solo artist through his stellar productions and DJ sets across the globe, with his recent ‘Blah Blah Blah‘ EP on Hot Creations, including a remix from Jamie Jones & Detlef, dominating the charts. You can buy the release HERE.
Thanks for taking the time to record a mix for our podcast series, was there any special concept behind your mix, or tracks played from your own releases?
This mix is special for me because whenever I’ve done a solo release for the fam at Hot Creations it’s extra incentive to bring irreverent levels of dope to support it. The guiding principle is heat, plain and simple.
Where did you record the mix, and what equipment did you use?
I recorded the mix at my girl’s house in San Francisco. Actually, I jumped in after a long day of other obligations, but it’d been circling around in the in the back of my mind for the better part of 72 hours preceding laying it down. The homies lent me some decks for the effort.
What is your thought process when picking out tracks for a podcast, do you pre-select the tracks, or just pick out the first couple and freestyle it from there?
I never play programmed sets ever, but podcasts are different. If you know me well you know that I can get kinda hyphy. So I have to put a bit of thought into mixes so that they are a bit more tempered, textured, and considered. Not that this one is a particularly poignant example of said exercised levels restraint though. I struggle with moderation, real talk.
How do you compare playing in a club to recording a podcast, is there much of a change in your mixing style and track selections?
Playing in front of crowds takes an empathetic soul in my opinion. So the connection with the crowd helps to guide your programming choices. Making a podcast is a bit more like creating in a vacuum. Like being left to your own devices to create context and feel. So they are a bit different but in many ways essentially the same.
What stores or other places do you normally look for new music… is it all sourced online, or do you also pick up the odd bit of vinyl?
Interestingly, for me these days it’s about 50% promos and 50% stuff I find online on my own. Or perhaps even the lion share of the collection is promos. I love vinyl to of course so basically, I just gravitate to wherever the fire cuts are.
Could you tell us a bit about your most memorable DJ experience?
They are all memorable to me as they are all different and all influence the way I play the next set. I can tell you about the most recent show I had that let me know that perhaps I’ve chosen the right profession after all, haha (it’s a personal monthly assessment of course). I played at Desert Hearts festival a couple of weeks ago and it was just one of those moments where everything came together. I’d seen all the homies rip all weekend and once it was finally my turn on Sunday afternoon I just felt a responsibility to all my mentors and friends on hand the keep the levels of G consistent. I can’t remember ever playing with so many homies whose music I respect so immensely so the family vibes just made it super easy for me to just do me.
What other projects do you have lined up, do you have any new releases or forthcoming gigs we should be watching out for?
I’ve just finished a grip of new tracks over the spring that will be fit for public consumption soon. I’m also doing a remix for R.Fentz on Desert Hearts and one for Andre Salmon & Carlo Lio both which you guys will be able to bump this summer. Was an honor to put some cuts together for you guys, thanks for the invitation! J
