King Tech | |
---|---|
Born | Rod Sepand June 30, 1968 |
Occupation(s) | B-boy DJ VJ and audio engineer |
Years active | 1986–present [1] [2] |
Rod Sepand (born June 30, 1968), better known professionally as King Tech, is an American DJ, B-boy, VJ and audio engineer. [3] He is one half of the duo Sway & King Tech. [4]
DJ King Tech began his career in the hip hop scene as a B-Boy in the Bay Area. He initially joined the musical crews "Master City Breakers" and "Flynamic Force," performing with them regularly. As the popularity of B-Boy crews started to decline, he met Sway Calloway, and the two formed a dynamic partnership. [5] With King Tech handling the turntables and Sway on the microphone, they represented Flynamic Force on their debut single, "We Wanna Rock You," which sold 20,000 copies in the Bay Area. Their second single, "Follow For Now," sold over 40,000 copies.
Well-known on the local scene, [6] Tech and Sway chose to start their own record label, All City Records, rather than signing with an existing one. This venture allowed them to release their music independently. Their indie release "Follow 4 Now/Time 4 Peace" achieved significant success, leading to a major label deal with Giant Records and the release of their LP "Concrete Jungle."
Upon entering and winning a local competition, the duo were given a one-shot deal for a 40-minute mix on local radio station 106.1 KMEL. Radio execs realized that the show can be a success with DJ King Tech on the mix and Sway as the front man. The show was named The Wake Up Show, featured music and interviews with well-known hip hop artists as well as up-and-coming ones. [7] [8] The show became very popular and later became NYC’s premiere Hip Hop outlet which aided Eminem to get his start at a very early stage. [9] [10] King Tech is also noted for helping out Wu-Tang Clan and Jay Z’s career in their early stages. [11] [12] The duo from The Bay Area were changing the face of not just urban radio but popular music in general and the way that it was played and appreciated on regular FM dials across the planet. King Tech was named one of the 50 Most Influential DJ’s of all time by BET. [13]
The popularity of the show helped duo in getting another major label record deal with Interscope Records. The album, This or That, reached #30 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #1 on the Top Heatseekers chart in 1999. [14]
In 2016, King Tech is one of the four main judges on the reality show One Shot. The show will be aired on BET in August 2016. [15] [16] [17] In 2017 Tech, RZA and Mike Smith relaunched Razor Sharp Records. [18]
Year | Album details | Record |
---|---|---|
1991 | Concrete Jungle 5 versions | Giant Records |
1994 | Best Of The Wake Up Show Free Styles '94 Vol. 1 6 versions | All City Records |
1996 | The Wake-Up Show Mix Tape 2 versions | |
1996 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 3 3 versions | |
1998 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 4 2 versions | 360 Enterprizes |
1999 | Sway & King Tech featuring DJ Revolution - This Or That 5 versions | Interscope Records |
1999 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 5 2 versions | |
1999 | The Wake Up Show 9th Anniversary Live Album ?(CD, Album) | |
2000 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 6 2 versions | |
2001 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 7 2 versions | |
2004 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 8 2 versions | Bolo Entertainment |
2005 | Back 2 Basics 3 versions | Bungalo Records |
Hip Hop Wars ?(LP) | Ground Level Distribution |
Year | Album details | Record |
---|---|---|
1988 | Flynamic Force 3 versions | All City Records |
1990 | Follow 4 Now / Time 4 Peace 9 versions | All City Records |
1991 | In Control / Devastating / Bum Rush The Sound 2 versions | Giant Records |
1999 | Sway & King Tech Featuring DJ Revolution - The Anthem / Underground Tactics 4 versions | Interscope Records |
1999 | Get You Mad 3 versions | Interscope Records |
2001 | Sway & King Tech, Crooked I - Wake Up Show Freestyles | |
2004 | Trouble / Everything 2 versions | Up Above Records |
2004 | Sway & King Tech feat. Chino XL - Trouble (CD, Single, Promo) | Bungalo Records, Bolo Entertainment |
2004 | I Don't Think So / I Wish U Would (12") | Up Above Records |
2004 | Back 2 Basics: Watch Closer 3 versions | Up Above Records |
Year | Album details | Record |
---|---|---|
1996 | Wake Up Show Unreleased Project Vol. #1 (CD, Album, Comp) | All City Records |
1996 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 2 3 versions | Not On Label |
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time, and a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana", but on other occasions he has stated that it stands for "Genius".
Rufus Johnson, better known by his stage name Bizarre, is an American rapper, best known for his work with the Detroit-based hip hop group D12.
EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. During an interview on college radio station WHOV in 1987, Parrish Smith stated that the name evolved from the original: "We were originally known as "EEPMD", but chose to go with EPMD because it was easier to say." He also stated that they dropped the two "E's" because N.W.A.'s Eric Wright was already using "Eazy-E" as his stage name. The group has been active for 37 years.
Ryan Daniel Montgomery, known professionally as Royce da 5'9", is an American rapper. Best known for his association with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem, they became acquainted in 1997 and formed the hip hop duo, Bad Meets Evil the following year. Their 2011 single, "Lighters" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of their debut extended play (EP), Hell: The Sequel (2011). The song and its parent EP, which debuted atop the Billboard 200, have yielded Montgomery's furthest commercial success.
Jonathan Ahmad Calloway, known as Sway, is an American radio personality, journalist and former rapper known for hosting music, news, and culture programming. He was an on-air reporter and host for MTV News and occasional non-news hosting, including numerous red carpet MTV award pre-shows, and reports on major events, concluding his tenure with the network as host of the short-lived TRLAM. He is co-hosting the nationally syndicated radio show The Wake Up Show as as one half of the duo Sway & King Tech; and hosting Sway in the Morning on SiriusXM Shade45.
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown, better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he formed Tha Dogg Pound in 1992 along with Daz Dillinger; the rap duo has released eight albums. He also formed the hip hop group The Hrsmn in 1996, with whom he has released two albums. His debut solo album, Kuruption! (1998) was released by A&M Records and peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200.
Dominick Antron Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Kxng Crooked, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is best known as a former member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9". He is CEO of his own record labels, Dynasty Entertainment and C.O.B. Digital as well as Senior Vice President of Treacherous Records. Before starting his own label, he was also signed to Virgin Records and Death Row Records. He is currently one half of the rap duo Crook and Joell with his former Slaughterhouse bandmate, Joell Ortiz. Together, they released three studio albums.
Sway & King Tech is an American hip hop duo composed of Bay Area rapper Sway and DJ King Tech.
This or That is the collaborative album by American hip hop artists Sway & King Tech and DJ Revolution. It was released on June 15, 1999, through Interscope Records. Production was handled mostly by King Tech & DJ Revolution, except for several tracks were produced by Cut Chemist, DJ Nu-Mark, KutMasta Kurt, Main Source and RZA. It features guest appearances from Big Daddy Kane, Canibus, Chill Rob G, Chino XL, Crooked I, Dilated Peoples, Eminem, EPMD, Eric B. & Rakim, Gang Starr, Heltah Skeltah, Inspectah Deck, Jayo Felony, Jurassic 5, Kool Keith, KRS-One, Main Source, Malik B., Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Pharoahe Monch, Planet Asia, Redman, RZA, Tech N9ne and Xzibit among others.
Back 2 Basics is the third album by hip hop duo Sway & King Tech. The album was released in 2005 for Bungalo Records and was produced by DJ Revolution. The album was not as successful as their previous album This or That, not making it on any charts. However the album spawned the semi-successful single "I Don't Think So". Guests include RZA, Chino XL, Crooked I, MC Juice & Royce da 5'9".
John R. Austin II, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the group Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir. About.com ranked him No. 30 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Pitchfork Media called him "one of the best rappers of all time."
Slaughterhouse was an American hip hop supergroup consisting of rappers Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce da 5'9". They released their eponymous debut studio album independently in 2009, and signed to Shady Records, an imprint of Interscope Records to release it's follow up, Welcome to: Our House in 2012. The group disbanded in 2018.
Daniel Domingo Carrillo, better known by his stage name Termanology, is an American rapper and record producer. He first gained major attention with the 2006 single "Watch How It Go Down". A solo album, Politics as Usual, was released in 2008. He has made a number of collaborative albums, such as 1982 and is known also for his prolific mixtape output. He is of Puerto Rican and French descent.
The 2014 BET Hip Hop Awards was held on October 14, 2014 at Atlanta Civic Center in the ATL. The nominations were announced on September 4, 2014. Snoop Dogg returned as the event's host. Canadian rapper Drake leads the nominations with 8 nominations, while Jay-Z, Pharrell and Future follow him with six. DJ Mustard won the most awards with 4 wins, followed by Drake with 3 wins.
When Music Worlds Collide is the debut studio album from Jonathan Hay and Mike Smith that features notable names in the hip hop music genre. Hay and Smith, the producers behind the indie hip-hop compilation When Music Worlds Collide decided to put their release to a Tidal vs. Spotify challenge and see which one better served their album. The story of their independent streaming music album was featured on Billboard, Fox News and Business Insider. King Tech co-produced the majority of the songs on the album. Deluxe: When Music Worlds Collide was released on July 26, 2016 through SMH Records.
Jonathan Hay is an American publicist and record producer. His music career started from his hometown of St. Matthews in Louisville, Kentucky. Hay is most known for his work with "Pon de Replay", the debut single from Rihanna. He has produced six albums and a single that topped the Billboard charts in multiple genres including hip hop and jazz. Hay's Follow the Leader , a collaboration album with Eric B. & Rakim ended Michael Bublé's 38 week reign at the top of the Billboard charts and remained for 11 consecutive weeks.
The 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards was held on October 11, 2011 at Atlanta Civic Center in the ATL. The show were hosted by Mike Epps. The most nominated act of the ceremony was Lil Wayne with 18 nods, followed by Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa with 9. Rick Ross was the third most nominated with 8 nods, while Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj each scored 6.
Mike Smith is a Cuban American recording artist, record and television producer. He is a Number 1 Billboard charting artist and his music has had over two billion streams with over five million units sold. He is best known for being one of the stars and main judge on BET's original programming series One Shot and for co writing the hit song "A Hard Working Man" by Snoop Dogg, Billy Ray Cyrus, and The Avila Brothers. This song has been featured on NFL Thursday Night Primetime and CBS NFL Today. He is also well known for numerous hit singles including the Top 5 Billboard hit "Beautiful Day" and Billboard Top 40 hits "Hardworking Man" and "You're My Kind Of Beautiful".
The 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards are a recognition ceremony held October 6 at the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach, Florida, and aired October 10 on the BET cable channel. The nominations were announced on September 15, 2017.
Terry Parker, known professionally as MC Juice, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois.