Daddy Kev
Kevin Marques Moo[1] (born 1974),[2] better known by his stage name Daddy Kev, is an American DJ,[3] Grammy Award-winning audio engineer,[4] record producer and executive from Los Angeles, California.[5] He is the owner of Alpha Pup Records[6] and the founder of Low End Theory.[7] As an audio engineer, Daddy Kev has mixed and mastered albums by Flying Lotus,[8] Thundercat,[9] Kamasi Washington,[10] and Leon Bridges.[11]
Daddy Kev | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Kevin Marques Moo |
Born | 1974 (age 47–48) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | |
Years active | 1998–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts | |
Website | www |
Early life
Daddy Kev was born and raised in the Harbor City neighborhood of Los Angeles.[12] As a child, he played piano and trumpet.[13] At the age of 13, he started playing turntables.[13] He graduated from Narbonne High School.[13] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from University of California, San Diego.[14]
Career
In 2001, Daddy Kev released an EP, Lost Angels, on Celestial Recordings. It featured guest appearances from the rappers Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Busdriver, Awol One, and Circus.[15][16] In that year, he also released Souldoubt, a collaborative album with Awol One, on Meanstreet Records.[17][18] Another collaborative album with Awol One, titled Slanguage, was released on Mush Records in 2003.[19] 2004 brought Busdriver's Cosmic Cleavage, which was produced entirely by Daddy Kev and released on Big Dada.[20]
In 2006, Daddy Kev founded the weekly Low End Theory club night at the Airliner in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.[21]
In 2012, Daddy Kev founded the studio Cosmic Zoo in Los Angeles along with the rapper Nocando.[22]
At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2016, Daddy Kev was nominated for the Best Dance Recording award for mixing the Flying Lotus song "Never Catch Me" featuring Kendrick Lamar.[23]
At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards held in 2021, Daddy Kev won the Best Progressive R&B Album award for mixing the Thundercat album It Is What It Is.[24]
Style and influences
Pitchfork called Daddy Kev "one of the Los Angeles underground's most visionary producers",[25] while Fact called him "one of underground hip-hop's most respected engineers".[26]
Discography
Studio albums
- Souldoubt (2001) (with Awol One)
- Number 3 on the Phone (2002) (with Awol One)
- Slanguage (2003) (with Awol One)
- Reefer (2008) (with Nicholas Thorburn, as Reefer)
EPs
- Lost Angels (2001)
- Sound Advice (2003) (with The Grouch and D-Styles)
- Killafornia (2005) (with Awol One)
Singles
- "Rhythm" (2001) (with Awol One)
Productions
- Phoenix Orion – "Scanners", "Millennium Fever", "Dead Men Don't Download", and "Blade Runner" from Zimulated Experiencez (1998)
- Supernatural – "Seven Minutes of Understanding" (1999)
- Alien Nation – "Unicorn" (1999)
- Sole – "Famous Last Words" from Bottle of Humans (2000)
- Naptron – "Marvin Meets Seymour Frye Pt. I" (2000)
- Mikah 9 – "First Things Last" from Timetable (2001)
- Abstract Rude – "Frisbee" from P.A.I.N.T. (2001)
- Busdriver – "Mindcrossings", "Suing Sony", and "Single Cell Ego" from Temporary Forever (2002)
- Existereo – "Four Way Window Pain" from Dirty Deeds & Dead Flowers (2003)
- Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique – "Flow and Tell" from Showtyme (2003)
- Neila – "Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves" from Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves (2003)
- Busdriver and Radioinactive – "Winthorp & Winthorp" (2003)
- Existereo – "Same Breath" from Crush Groove (2004)
- The Shape Shifters – "Rockin' These Mics", "Kreye Inn", and "Futuristic" from Was Here (2004)
- Busdriver – Cosmic Cleavage (2004)
- Sage Francis – "Dance Monkey" from A Healthy Distrust (2005)
- Awol One – "Everything's Perfect" from The War of Art (2006)
- Subtitle – "Restructure/Reroute" from Terrain to Roam (2006)
- Acid Reign – "Too Kool for Skool" and "Here Comes Trouble" from Time & Change (2008)
- The Grouch – "Shero" from Show You the World (2008)
Awards and nominations
Award | Year of ceremony | Nominee / work | Category | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grammy Awards | 2016 | Flying Lotus featuring Kendrick Lamar – "Never Catch Me" | Best Dance Recording | Nominated | [27][28] |
2021 | Thundercat – It Is What It Is | Best Progressive R&B Album | Won | [29][30] |
References
- Walker, Chris (August 29, 2014). "How Daddy Kev Uses Low End Theory as a Talent Incubator". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "Daddy Kev". Resident Advisor. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Bourgelle, Fabrice (April 2, 2014). "Slinking In LA: Daddy Kev Plays Tour Guide". Clash. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Bloom, Madison (March 14, 2021). "Thundercat Wins Best Progressive R&B Album at 2021 Grammys". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- Rubin, Mike (May 28, 2010). "Lost, With Laptops, in Psychedelic Space". The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- "Episode 100: Daddy Kev". Kinda Neat. 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Fintoni, Laurent (February 11, 2013). "Interview: Daddy Kev". Red Bull Music Academy Daily. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Fintoni, Laurent (August 26, 2015). "How Flying Lotus Built Brainfeeder, His Spiritual Little Empire". The Fader. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (February 24, 2017). "Here Are The Full Credits For Thundercat's Drunk Album". The Fader. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
- Dwyer, Alex (May 3, 2017). "How The LA Beat Scene Brought Jazz Back". Forbes. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
- Bromwich, Jonah (July 23, 2021). "Leon Bridges: Gold-Diggers Sound". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
- Pirone, Kristy (February 3, 2015). "Sounds of LA: Daddy Kev". Daily Bruin. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Bell, Max (May 16, 2016). ""I'm Going To Make Records Until I'm Dead": An Interview with Daddy Kev". Passion of the Weiss. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Bell, Max (May 4, 2016). "When It Comes to L.A.'s World-Renowned Beat Scene, Daddy Kev Does It All". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- DiBella, M.F. "Lost Angels – Daddy Kev". AllMusic. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Juon, Steve (May 29, 2001). "Daddy Kev – Lost Angels E.P. – Celestial Recordings". RapReviews.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Van Groningen, Tony (September 1, 2003). "Daddy Kev & Awol One – Souldoubt – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Quinlan, Thomas (May 1, 2001). "Awol One & Daddy Kev – Souldoubt". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Heaton, Dave (June 1, 2003). "Awol One and Daddy Kev: Slanguage". PopMatters. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Dahlen, Chris (July 25, 2004). "Busdriver: Cosmic Cleavage". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Brown, August (October 4, 2009). "Low End Theory: High-concept music". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- Fintoni, Laurent (September 12, 2015). "Inside Cosmic Zoo, the studio at the heart of L.A.'s beat scene". Fact. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Medved, Matt (December 7, 2015). "Grammy Nominations 2016: Dance Nominees Are Deserving, But Can't Catch a Major Category Break". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
- Freiman, Jordan (March 15, 2021). "Thundercat's 'It Is What It Is' Wins Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album". CBS News. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- Shepherd, Julianne (March 27, 2003). "Awol One / Daddy Kev: Slanguage". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "Daddy Kev drops essential mastering advice on Twitter". Fact. June 21, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard. December 7, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "Grammy Awards 2016: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. February 15, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "Grammy.com page for Kevin Marques Moo". Grammy.com. February 1, 2022. Retrieved Feb 1, 2022.
- "Thundercat Wins Best Progressive R&B Album For 'It Is What It Is'". Grammy.com. March 14, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.