Byte presents B-Mix 005:
DJ K-Krush
'The Mixdown'
(Byte, 2010)

Hot on the heels of our amazing double mix throwdown from the legendary Vinyl Junkie, we're back on a totally different flex once again with another hot exclusive. This time round for the next installment of the B-Mix series we've got a mix from a man who is truly representing the Bristol underground all around the UK, DJ K-Krush. Krush will be a name familiar to any bassline fans out there as he blesses many a dance with his presence, and you can catch him most weekends hitting up the biggest raves north or south with exclusive dubplates and a fearsome work rate that has seen him rise through the ranks over the last few years to be seen as one of the best up and coming DJs around.

For B365 though he's dropped the all-out bassline assault of his much-loved Wheel It Up series to bring something a little different to the table with The Mixdown. Blending elements of funky, dubstep, grime and bassline together with some stone cold classics this is one mix that is sure to get your body moving! B365 caught up with Krush to chat about the mix, his career so far, what's happening in Eastenders, food recipes and what it's like having a famous dad. Enjoy!


B: Good evening to you sir, how are you and where are you?

K: Yes I'm all good, things are cool right now just wish this damn British weather will figure out if it wants to be winter or still be summer because this constant change in conditions has given me a cold. But I guess that my fault for leaving the house in a t-shirt and no umbrella on the strength of the morning sun I guess. Right now though I'm just at home kickin' back after finishing watching Eastenders on iPlayer (can't miss a episode!).

B: What's been happening in the world of Krush recently?

K: Things have been going OK in the world of Krush recently. I been enjoying travelling up and down the country a bit more often regarding bookings and going to towns and cities which I have not been to before, but its given me more motivation to work harder.

B: Thanks to you on doing this mix for B365. This was something a little different from your usual selection...

K: It's no problem, glad to involved. Yeah, all my recent mixes have been my Wheel It Up series where I always aim to bring some of the biggest bassline tracks from established to up and coming producers and artists, but I have been meaning for a while to bring something a bit different than what I normally do, and this was a perfect chance to just mix up some old and current tracks I'm feeling right now.

B: Let's take you to back in the day, what were your influences growing up? What music first inspired you?

K: Growing up my main influence would have to be my dad, Deli G. Being around records and music from the day I was born it was just in my blood to want to follow in my dad's footsteps. Growing up I listened to a lot of different styles of music - Disco, US House, Swing, Hip Hop, Bashment, Indie, Rock, Speed Garage.... but the music that gave me the most inspiration growing was probably US House as I heard so much of it as that's what my Dad played.

B: What was it like growing up with a famous dad like Deli G? Did it click with you he was a big name on the dance music scene?

K: Hmmm it didn't really click until I was around 16/17, I started going to venues with my Dad when he was DJing and seeing how people would greet him and act towards him in the clubs - at first I was like he's just my Dad, a normal person like everyone else. But when my Dad started introducing me to big players in the scene like Jazzy Jeff and realizing that all the big producers, singers, record label people saw him as a good friend not just a DJ they supply music to, that's when it clicked.

Having him as my Dad has certainly helped me and been good for my mentality, because of my Dad I don't let it get to my head regardless what happens with with my DJ work, because I'm just another person - I just so happen to be lucky enough to get paid for something I enjoy doing.

B: You've been repping bassline for a while now, a scene that's still going strong despite the lack of press attention it gets these days. What got you into that sound in the first place?

K: I used to live in Smethwick which is in the West Midlands not far from West Bromwich from the ages of around 9-17, and have a lot of friends and family who still live up there, when I was going back and forth between Mids and Bristol I would hear Bassline and it's a sound which caught me straight away. I started bring it in slowly into my sets before it got to a stage when I was mainly known for just playing Bassline.

B: What's the West Midlands got that the South West hasn't - and vice versa?

K: I think with the West Midlands they have got accustomed to nights with about 10+ big headline DJs and MCs on the line ups due to a much larger amount of people they are able to promote and market to, as people are a lot more willing to travel from different cities to nights. Plus with having so many cities within a decent travelling distance, it's easier to go to another city every weekend to check out different nights.

In the South West people don't really travel as much to different cities to check out nights and tend to stay to there own ends, there are a few who will travel but not as many as when I first moved down here. I can't really comment for other places in the South West but what I do love about Bristol is the diverse music scene in the city, you get all sorts of nights going on and being a guy who loves all genres of music I can pretty much always find something going on when I'm looking for somewhere to go on a night I'm not working.

B: Was it tough at first representing bassline in Bristol before it began to get popular?

K: Yeah, it was a hard grind at the start, but when you have a strong connection and love for a genre of music it's the kinda grafting you like cause you know that you're helping to push the music you love further.

B: Do you feel funky has kind of eclipsed the popularity of bassline in the south now? Or is it less about that regional divide anymore?

K: I would be lying if I said funky wasn't more popular in the south than Bassline, the regional divide does come into effect in some ways as I personally feel it never got the same push in the South, and I get a lot of people who get back to me after listening to my mixes saying they actually like Bassline after giving it a chance.

B: Do you feel bassline will be as popular again down south as it was a few years back? Or do you see the sound mutating down here into something else?

K: I think given a chance it can and will be, whenever I do play in certain nights whether it's in a commercial urban night or a underground night, bassline still goes off. But as not many DJs play it in Bristol so people don't really get a chance to even hear it, even if they do like it. Plus with Bassline there are so many sides to it there is enough to cater for a wide range of listeners...I just feel as long as it's given a chance it can grow again. As you got the dirty hard beats that won't work in some nights, then you got the nice female vocals which is what brought me into bassline that will work in most type of nights.

B: Where do you see that sound going in the next few years?

K: For me the new sound coming out is sounding big, some good productions have coming out in the last few months...but it all depends on what sort of push it gets to how fair it goes to be honest, as I feel Bassline could have a huge effect on the clubbing scene if given a proper chance.

B: Which artists are you rating right now?

K: To be honest right now there is no stand out artist I'm rating higher than the others right now, a lot of good ones though. But producers on the other hand there are a few which got my eye right now...TRC, Mac Real, Deckstar and DJ Q when it comes to bassline, but I'm also feeling Roska, Redlight and Spooky DJ.

B : Now I know you're an Eastenders fan so I wondered if you'd considered using the Phil Mitchell remix of Pow for this mix??





K: Loooool I would consider dropping it in one my sets in the club just for the hype it would cause...I know it would get an instant reload!

B: What's your advice to Phil to get off the crack?

K: I say get addicted to food instead...much better way to spend your money in my eyes.

B: I know you like your eats, so what's a classic Krush meal? Any good recipes?

K: Ahhh food!!! Well I'm not really that good a cook right now...but I'm teaching myself at the moment though. But a classic Krush meal...hmm there are so many, but this one will best display how I like to go in on my food. Ackee and salt fish with boiled food (yam, dumpling, potato, sweet potato and some pumpkin) maybe with a fried fish to get it started, and some cornmeal porridge to finish off. After all that best believe I'm not doing nothing but going to sleep though.

B: What's coming up for you in the next few months?

K: In the next few months I'm gonna be quite busy on the club circuit, got a few bookings coming up at Niche in Sheffield, Midnights in Telford, OTT in Newport, Apartments in Swindon, Dakota in Cheltenham and whole host of things in Bristol at Basement 45, Motion, Warehouse, Haze and other venues...I'm also looking to drop Wheel It Up Vol 9 in the next month or so, also I'm looking to drop a couple of different mixes breaking away from the Bassline a little bit as there is a lot of genres of music I love and have in my heart.

B: Any advice to up and coming DJs?

K: My advice is stay focused, sometimes it takes a while to get that break you need so just don't get disheartened. Also get to learn how to promote yourself and build up a following for yourself.

B: Anything else you'd like to add?

K: Yeah Pastor Lucas needs to come back to Eastenders... it's just the not the same anymore. Free lucas T-Shirts on sale now...holla at me!

But yeah on another note check my out on Twitter and give me a follow @DjKKrush I speak my mind and keep it real, and @ me I always follow people back who got good convo, also check out all mine and my team UKHD's mix CDs on my blog http://djkkrush.wordpress.com to download. Got to also give a big shout out to Team UKHD...DJ K Stylz, DJ Mainy, DJ Firemansam, Troopa and Cludeo.

Respect for giving me a chance to bless your blog, I will try and pass through and drop you some mixes on a regular basis. Blessings!




Byte presents B-Mix 005:
DJ K-Krush
'The Mixdown'
(Byte, 2010)

01. Funky Twinz - Energizer
02. Funky Twinz Ft Angel J - Smile
03. Katy B - On a Mission (Roska Remix)
04. Andiah - Dance (Subzero Mix)
05. TS7 Ft Bianca Gerald - Electrical Pool
06. TRC - Oo Aa Ee
07. Cripster Vs Vybz Kartel Vs TRC - Nah Let Go (Oo Aa Ee Remix)
08. Cripster Vs Vybz Kartel Vs TRC - Sweet Tuh Di Belly (Oo Aa Ee Remix)
09. Dj Cripster Vs Missy Elliot Vs TRC - She's A Bitch (Oo Aa Ee Remix)
10. Spooky & O.G'z - OGeezus
11. Badness feat. Skepta & Lil Nasty - Nightmare (Bassboy Remix)
12. Toddla T Ft Wayne Marshall - Sky Surfing (DJ Q Remix)
13. DJ Pantha - Candy Shop
14. Kozzie - Destruction (Produced By Spooky DJ)
15. Shystie Ft Crazy Titch & J2K - Make It Easy (Davinche Remix)
16. Lethal B - Pow
17. T2 - Hey (Mr V Remix)
18. Burgaboy Ft Kaylee- Wat Can i do
19. Breakage Ft Newham Generals & David Rodigan - Hard
20. Skream - Midnight Request Line
21. Romeo Ft Lisa Mafia - Deeper

DOWNLOAD : DJ K-Krush 'The Mixdown' (Direct MP3 Link)
DOWNLOAD : DJ K-Krush 'The Mixdown' (Split File for CDs)

FFI : DJ K-Krush Wordpress