Kevin McKenzie (born July 25, 1971),[1] professionally known as K-Cut, is a Canadian record producer and DJ, most notably as a member of East Coast hip hop group Main Source.
K-Cut | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Kevin McKenzie |
| Also known as | The Golden Boy |
| Born | July 25, 1971 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, disc jockey |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Wild Pitch Records, EMI, Tumblin' Dice Productions |
Early life and family edit
Born in Toronto to a Jamaican father and an Afro-Guyanese mother, Sandra McKenzie, K-Cut's family moved to Queens, New York City, when he was a child.[2][1] He and his brother Sir Scratch (Shawn McKenzie) were both DJs and attended John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens, where K-Cut met future group member Large Professor.[3][4] His mother was very supportive of her sons' aspiring hip hop careers, funding their studio time and becoming the manager of their group Main Source.[1][3]
K-Cut is the cousin of fellow producer Rashad Smith, as well as musician Eddy Grant.[4][2] His maternal grandfather was a Toronto-based soul/disco singer in the 1970s.[1][3]
Career edit
In 1989, Main Source released their first independent 12" single, "Think" b/w "Atom", under the mentorship of producer/engineer Paul C.[1][3] On July 17, 1989, Paul C was murdered in his home; K-Cut later stated that Main Source "basically inherited Paul C's style" and strove to "carry the torch" of his sound going forward.[2] During this period, K-Cut helped teach DJ Premier sampling techniques on the E-mu SP-1200.[5][1][4] After self-releasing their second 12" single "Watch Roger Do His Thing" in 1990, the group signed to Wild Pitch Records.[3]
In 1991, the group released their debut album, Breaking Atoms, which is regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.[1][3] Although Large Professor produced the majority of the album, K-Cut was praised for his "creative, energetic scratching", particularly on the track "Peace Is Not the Word to Play", which he produced.[6][3] Also that year, K-Cut's production appeared on Queen Latifah's album Nature of a Sista', and he produced the bulk of The Black Tie Affair, an album by Toronto rapper Maestro Fresh Wes, which was certified gold in Canada.[7][2]
The following year, K-Cut produced the Main Source single "Fakin' the Funk", which appeared on the White Men Can't Rap soundtrack and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart.[3][8] In 1993, he produced the Fu-Schnickens single "What's Up Doc? (Can We Rock)", featuring Shaquille O'Neal, which peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold in the United States.[9][10] That year, Large Professor left Main Source due to business differences, with K-Cut taking over as the main producer for their 1994 album Fuck What You Think.[4][2] The album's single, "What You Need", was sampled for Madonna's 1995 worldwide hit "Human Nature", which credits K-Cut as a songwriter.[11]
By the late 1990s, K-Cut moved back to Toronto, further contributing his production to the city's hip hop scene.[1][2] In 1997, he produced the Infinite single "Gotta Get Mine" (featuring Divine Brown) and contributed to Citizen Kane's EP The Epic, both of which were nominated for a Juno Award for Best Rap Recording.[2][12] He also produced two tracks for Choclair's 1999 debut Ice Cold, which won the aforementioned Juno Award.[2][12]
In the early 2000s, K-Cut mentored a young Toronto producer named Watts.[13]
As of 2016, he served as the touring DJ for Canadian singer Kiki Rowe.[1]
Musical style edit
K-Cut drew inspiration from the reggae music in his grandparents' record collection.[14] When producing music, he visualizes an artist performing over the beat, before presenting the beat to said artist; one such instance was when he produced "How We Roll '98" for Big Pun.[14]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Main Source: A hip-hop classic with Toronto ties turns 25". Toronto Star. August 15, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Views Before The 6 Ep. 3: K-Cut of Main Source". HipHopCanada. March 6, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Breaking Atoms: The Legendary Album That Invented The Sound Of "Classic" New York Hip-Hop". Vinyl Me Please. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Rap's Main Source". NOW. December 19, 2002. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Main Source – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Main Source – Breaking Atoms". AllMusic. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Maestro Fresh-Wes – The Black Tie Affair". RapReviews. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Hot Rap Songs – Fakin' the Funk". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Shaquille O'Neal Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum – Fu-Schnickens". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ O'Brien, Lucy (2008). Madonna: Like an Icon. Bantam Press. p. 289. ISBN 978-0-552-15361-4.
- ^ a b "Junos – Past Nominees + Winners". Juno Awards. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
- ^ "Watts Interview on HHC". HipHopCanada. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "[90s 'Til Infinity] 'Breaking Atoms,' An Unsung Hip Hop Classic". Ebony. February 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2021.