Krafty Kuts -- A Golden Era

So finally after 4 years I bring to you The Golden Era of Breakbeat Volume 2.

After the overwhelming response to Volume 1 I knew that doing Volume 2 was a tough challenge, so it took a while to make sure this mix lived up to the success of the first one. Some of the finest moments of my career have been playing Breaks out, I feel that’s what makes this genre so special.

I have met some of the most amazing people and experienced incredible highlights in my career, from running 2 record labels, club nights and traveling the world and sharing Breakbeat so please enjoy this podcast with a great interview with one of the scenes most influential figures, Justin Rushmore, 1 half of Soul Of Man and co owner of seminal Record Label Finger Lickin.

James Brown for me is the biggest influence in my career.


The first record I ever owned was A James Brown 7”  on People records Breakin Bread.
I started collecting all things James Brown related and simply became obsessed with the JB groove. He really was an incredible character and unfortunately passed away 2006 Christmas Day so I felt this was the perfect time to pay tribute to the Godfather of Soul & Funk. This mix encompasses a mixture of James Brown and his Funky People: Fred Wesley, Marva Whitney, Lyn Collins, Hank Ballard, Maceo Parker, The JB’s and more. Without doubt the hardest working man in show business, he toured the world constantly with his band and dancers and performed to millions bringing the Funk to the masses. Who would think back in the 60’s & 70’s that his music would be sampled and be the backbone of Hip Hop,music. The influence his music has had on so many peoples lives is extraordinary and without James Brown and his Funky people I don’t think Hip Hop and even Dance music would be the same. Thank you James RIP the original Funk Soul Brother 

Krafty Kuts Presents - A Tribute To James Brown Volume 1

For this mix I wanted to give everyone a little look into music from all genres that has been a major part of my life since the day I played my first record. Making DJ mixes is something I don’t take lightly, this mix once again took the best part of 3/4 months to put together and I loved every minute. Taking influences from Disco, Hip Hip, Funk, Breaks, Acid Jazz & House I wanted to showcase a taste of the incredible tunes that have made me love the Funky side of Things !!!

Grab your Ltd Edition "Funky Side of Things" T-shirt here:

https://kraftykuts.databeats.com/group/funky-side-of-things

DirtyTwo - Last Night
Rick James - Give It To Me (Acapella)
Daft Punk - Da Funk
Missy Elliot Ft. Pharrell Williams - WTF
Shalamar - Take That To The Bank
Bel Biv Devoe - Poison (Acapella)
The Prodigy - Poison
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Poison
Ronnie Hudson - West Coast Poplock (Nick Bike '909 Thunder' Break)
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - The Basement (Acapella)
Bobby Bland - Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City (Naughty NMX Refix)
Cash Money - Let The Funk Flow
A Tribe Called Quest - Let The Rhyme Flow - (Acapella)
Gang Starr - Blowin Up The Spot (Instrumental)
Lateef & The Chief - Best Of Me (Acapella)
The Roots - Stay Cool (Krafty Kuts Edit)
Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain (Acapella)
Erule - Listen Up (Instrumental)
Warren G - Regulate (Acapella)
Gramatik - A Bright Day
Clipse - When The Last Time (Acapella)
Krafty Kuts - Slow Funk
20Syl Ft. Rita J - Voices (Instrumental)
Rihanna - Kiss It Better (Acapella)
Rihanna - Kiss It Better (Pomo Remix)
Les Mcann - Go On & Cry (Jim Sharp Edit)
Big Daddy Kane - Any Type Of Way (Acapella)
La Funk Mob - Ravers Suck Our Sound (N.O.W. Mix)
Wu Tang Clan - Clan In Da Front
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg - The Wash (Acapella)
Big Daddy Kane - On The Move
TroyBoi Ft. Diplo & Nina Sky - Afterhours (Quix Remix)
Method Man & Redman - Cereal Killer
The Nextmen Ft. Dynamite MC - Big Woman
3D - Once More (Acapella)
Gramophone Soul - Press Repeat
Ronny Jordan Meets DJ Krush - So What (Tuff N Smooth Mix)
Gang Starr - Movin On (Acapella)
Beastie Boys - Flute Loop (Instrumental)
Organized Konfusion - Fudge Pudge (Acapella)
Michael Wycoff - Lookin Up For You
Bentz - I Make It
Take 6 - Feels Good
The Funk Hunters & Chali 2na - Oh Shit
James Brown - Funky Drummer
Grid Division - Get Up (Wuki Edit)
Koan Sound - 80's Fitness
Krafty Kuts Ft. Dynamite MC - Real Big Deal (Acapella)
Wsahl - Boom
A$ap Ferg - Plain Jane (Dr. Fresch Remix)
Krafty Kuts Ft. Dynamite MC - Ain't No Doubt
Noisy Freaks - Lose Control
Justice - D.A.N.C.E (Acapella)
Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman (Krafty Kuts Edit)
Krafty Kuts Ft. Sporty-O - Good Times (Instrumental)
Blackalicious - Make You Feel That Way (Acapella)
In Deep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (Acapella)
Run The Jewels - Call Ticketron
Born Dirty - Crazy
Freestylers - Saturday Night Flava
Featurecast - Lose Your Mind
Notorious B.I.G - N**gaz Bleed (Acapella)
Break - Who Got Da Funk
Un-Cut Ft. Jenna G - Midnight (M.I.S.T Remix)
S.P.Y - Midnight Blue
Dossa & Locuzzed - Serenade
Ed Rush & Optical - Funktion
High Contrast - Racing Green
Peshay - Jazz Lick
Nas - Got Yourself A Gun (Acapella)

So after months of careful preparation and hours of digging I bring to you the final installment of my Golden Era Hip Hop series Vol 3. This mix I spent longer on and rather than give you interviews with legends of the scene I have delivered an extra 15 minutes of classics. It has been one of my favorite pieces of work compiling these mixes and no expense is spared into finding all those hidden gems. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did compiling my own personal favorites

Notorious B.I.G. - Sky’s The Limit
Nas - The World Is Yours (Instrumental)
Big L - MVP (Acapella)
Funkdoobiest - Im Shitting On Em (Instrumental)
Cypress Hill Ft. Erick Sermon, MC Eiht & Redman - Throw Your Hands In The Air (Acapella)
De La Soul - Itzsoweezee (Instrumental)
Notorious B.I.G. - 10 Crack Commandments (Instrumental)
Black Rob - Whoa (Acapella)
Ghetto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks On Me (Instrumental)
Method Man Ft. Blue Raspberry - Release Yo Delf (Acapella)
Verbal Threat - Reality Check (Instrumental)
Jay-Z - I Just Wanna Love U [Give It To Me] (Acapella)
Notorious BIG - Hypnotise (Acapella / Instrumental)
Dr Dre Ft. Snoop Dogg - The Next Episode (Instrumental / Acapella)
Fat Lip - Joe’s Turkey (Instrumental)
MF Doom - Vomit (Acapella)
Cypress Hill - When The Ship Goes Down (Instrumental)
Kid Capri, Slick Rick & Snoop Dogg - Unified (Acapella)
Charli Baltimore - Everybody (Instrumental)
Bizzie Boys - Droppin’ It (Instrumental / Acapella)
Beastie Boys - Sure Shot (Acapella)
KMD - Stop Smokin’ That Shit (Instrumental)
Gang Starr - You Know My Steez (Instrumental)
Das Efx - Real Hip-Hop (Acapella)
Black Attack - My Crown (Instrumental)
EPMD - Never Seen Before (Instrumental)
Jurassic 5 - Unified Rebelution (Acapella)
Naughty By Nature - OPP (Instrumental)
Ludacris - Stand Up (Acapella)
Q Ball & Curt Cazal - Repertoire (Instrumental)
Rakim - The Saga Begins (Acapella)
Foreign Legion - Let Me Tell You Something (Instrumental)
Jay-Z - Who You Wit (Acapella)
Roots Manuva - Witness (Instrumental / Acapella)
Eminem Ft. Dr Dre - Guilty Conscience (Instrumental)
Gang Starr - Soliloquy Of Chaos (Instrumental)
Mobb Deep - Survival Of The Fittest (Acapella)
Dilated Peoples - Worst Comes To Worst (Instrumental)
Pete Rock & C.L Smooth - Ghettos Of The Mind (Acapella)
Xzibit - Paparazzi (Instrumental)
Raekwon Ft. Ghostface Killa - Criminology (Acapella)
Atmosphere - Trying To Find A Balance (Instrumental)
Dilated Peoples - The Platform (Instrumental)
Busta Rhymes Ft. Mariah Carey & Flipmode Squad - I Know What You Want (Acapella)
M.O.P - Cold As Ice (Instrumental)
Onyx - Slam (Acapella)
Rascalz - Dreaded Fist (Instrumental)
MC Lyte - I Go On (Acapella)
Gravediggaz - Mommy What’s A Gravedigga (RZA Remix Instrumental)
Lord Finesse Ft. Big L - Yes You May Remix
Smif-N-Wessun - Bucktown (Instrumental)
Jeru The Damaja - Come Clean (Instrumental)
Black Moon - I Gotcha Opin (Remix Acapella)
D&D All-Stars - 1, 2, Pass It (Instrumental)
Gravediggaz - Nowhere To Hide (Acapella)
Gravediggaz - 1-800 SUICIDE (Instrumental)
Nas - Nastradamus (Acapella)
Shurik’n - Samurai (Instrumental)
Public Enemy - Arizona Assassination Attempt (Acapella)
EPMD - Let The Funk Flow (Instrumental)
Lord Finesse - Keep The Crowd Listening’ (Remix Acapella)
Nas - It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Instrumental)
Master Ace - Slaughterhouse (Acapella)
Notorious B.I.G. Ft. Redman - Rap Phenomenon (Instrumental)
Channel Live Ft. KRS One - Mad-Izm (Acapella)
The Beatnuts - Duck Season (Instrumental)
Nas - Get Down (Instrumental)
GZA - Shadowboxing - (Instrumental)
Mobb Deep - Drop A Gem On ‘Em (Acapella)
Method Man Ft. Mary J Blige - I’ll Be There For You (Puff Daddy Remix Instrumental)
Busta Rhymes Ft. Zhané - It’s A Party (Acapella)
Eminem Ft. Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit & Nate Dogg - Bitch Please II (Instrumental)
RJD2 - Ghostwriter (Instrumental)
Beastie Boys - Body Movin’ (Acapella)
Crooklyn Dodgers ’95 - Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers (Instrumental)
Big L - Flamboyant (Acapella)
NORE - Nothing (Instrumental)
Eric B & Rakim - Eric B Is President (Acapella)
Paula Perry - Extra Extra (Instrumental)
Jay-Z - 99 Problems (Acapella)
Apani B - A Million Eyes (Instrumental)
Public Enemy - Give It Up
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud - Girls I Got 'Em Locked (Acapella)
Missy Elliot - Work It (Instrumental)
Snoop Dogg - Deep Cover (Instrumental)
Dr. Dre Ft. Snoop Dogg - Still D.R.E. (Acapella)
Mark B & Blade - The Unknown (Instrumental)
The High & Mighty Ft. Most Def & Mad Skillz - B-Boy Document (Acapella)
Justin Warfield - K Sera Sera (Instrumental)
Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick - La Di Da Di
KRS-One - Wannabemceez
All City - The Actual (Instrumental)
Main Source - Fuck What You Think (Instrumental)
A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again (Acapella)
Notorious B.I.G. Ft. Redman - The Funk (Acapella)
Copywrite - Fuck Soundcheck (Instrumental)
Non Phixion - Rock Stars (Instrumental)
Mark B & Blade - Don’t See The Signs (Instrumental)
Adam F Ft. M.O.P. - Stand Clear (Instrumental)
O.C. - Times Up (Acapella)
KRS-One - Rappaz R N Dainja (Instrumental)
Redman - Funkorama (Acapella)
KRS-One - A Friend (Instrumental)
Pharcyde - Passin’ Me By (Acapella)
Cypress Hill - I Wanna Get High (Instrumental)
Diamond D - Check 1, 2 (Instrumental)
Beatnuts - Props Over Here (Acapella)
Eminem - My Name Is (Instrumental / Acapella)
Method Man - P.L.O. Style (Acapella)
Busta Rhymes - Woo Ha [Got You All In Check] (Instrumental)
Public Enemy - Rebel Without A Pause (Instrumental)
Lords Of The Underground - Psycho (Acapella)
Ice Cube - No Vaseline
Eazy E - Eazier Said Than Dunn (Instrumental)
King Tee - At Your Own Risk (Acapella)
Busta Rhymes - Turn It Up (Instrumental)
ODB - Got Your Money (Acapella / Instrumental)
Run DMC - Beats To The Rhyme (Instrumental)
Wrecks & Effect - Rump Shaker (Acapella)
House Of Pain - Jump Around (Pete Rock Remix)
Pete Rock & C.L Smooth - T.R.O.Y (Acapella)
Wu Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck [The Jump Off] (Instrumental)
Method Man - Bring The Pain (Instrumental)
Method Man & Redman - Tear The Roof Off (Acapella)
Main Source - Live At The BBQ (Instrumental)
Redman - Da Goodness (Instrumental)
Gang Starr - Dwyck (Instrumental)
Beastie Boys - Flute Loop (Instrumental)
Beatnuts - Off The Books (Acapella)
Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain (Instrumental)
House Of Pain - Jump Around (Acapella)

The next instalment of my Golden Era Podcast series is here, Including an interview with Legendary British Funk act Cymande. These are Funk tracks from the 60's - 70's which are my personal favourites and inspired me to do what I do today.

Funk is a style, genre a way of life that has been the biggest influence in my career. In this mix it takes in everything that I love about how Funk can be Latin, Jazz, Folk, Rock but if it's Funky then it can fit under that bracket !!

For me, some of the most exciting and fresh sounding music has been with the breakbeat scene over the years. Playing to 40,000 people at the Exit Festival, headlining shows across Australia and New Zealand, to big festivals in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada. So many great artists have been a part of the Breaks scene - Freq Nasty, Plump DJ's, Stanton Warriors, Adam Freeland, Evil 9, DJ Icey, Deekline, Prodigy, Meat Katie, Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Rennie Pilgrem, Soul Of Man, Squarepusher, Pendulum, DJ Zinc and many more are all featured in this podcast.

This was a trip down memory lane and I remember watching people lose their mind to so many of these tunes over the years and it's really good to see the Breakbeat scene still flourishing once again.

After one of the best weeks of my life I decided I would dedicate my week at the Redbull 3style World Mixing finals with a Podcast. Being alongside some of the greatest DJ's in the world, some amazing up and coming talent, and some incredibly cool people in Baku, it was the perfect opportunity to work on something that was inspiring to me. This mix showcases all of the various styles of music I like to encompass in a Krafty set in the typical style of the Redbull competition. Utilising 3 styles of music (and in my case a lot more) I had the opportunity to dig deep and pull out some funky tunes and blend, scratch, mix a heap of Kraftyness. Throw into the cooking pot interviews with legends like Q-Bert, Z Trip, Four Coloured Zack and the new World champion Eskie83 this is one of my favourite projects ever.

Being a judge at this event and spending time with the likes of Jazzy Jeff, Skratch Bastid, D-Styles, Q-Bert and Shortkut, I came away feeling blessed and inspired by all of these incredible artists. A big shout to the organiser Kenny Macintrye from Redbull.. I cant thank everyone involved for helping me become a better DJ and witness some of the true masters at their craft..

Krafty Kuts, real name Martin Reeves, is the multi-award winning DJ/producer and the undisputed King of breaks. From humble beginnings, Krafty has an enviable career which boasts accolades ranging from eight times Breakspoll Winner, Best International DJ and Best Single of the Year by DJ Mag. He’s played alongside everyone from The Prodigy to Fatboy Slim and even the Rolling Stones. Brighton based Krafty Kuts developed his passion for DJ'ing in the late 1980's after winning a DJ competition at aged 12. Martin then opened his own record shop, through which he identified a sound for his DJ style, a hip hop funk infusion of up-tempo beats.

With his roots deeply entrenched in Hip Hop, this mix has been 15 years in the making and it features not just a collection of all of the music that has inspired Krafty Kuts in his career, but exclusive interviews from such Hip Hop legends as Kurtis Blow, Z-Trip, DJ Numark and Complex. Hip-Hop was the first music to truly touch Krafty Kuts soul, there’s not a day that goes by that he doesnt listen to it. Put together like a mind-blowing hour-long DMC final this mix is his homage to the music that has inspired his life, lead his career and touched his soul.

After another 3 months of hard work in the studio I am back with my next instalment of Golden Era goodness. With the overwhelming success of the 1st podcast I wanted to once again dig in the crates for some more of those classic jams that touched my soul. Hip Hop has played a major role in my career as a DJ and producer and I learned my trade as a turntable DJ back in the day. After countless hours of beat juggling, scratching and searching thousands of record stores for that perfect beat Hip Hop became part of my life. After years of collecting tunes it was the perfect time to piece together all my favourite tracks in one mix. This 2nd instalment picks up where the last one left of, as there were so many tracks that didn't make it into Vol 1. With legends Jazzy Jeff and Q Bert taking time out to chat about their views on Hip Hop's Golden Era, this podcast is a continuing testament to the profound effect that Hip Hop has.

Tracklisting: KRS-One - KRS-One Attacks
Diamond D - Best Kept Secret
Beatnuts - Hot (Acapella)
Notorious B.I.G - Kick In The Door (Inst)
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Take You There (Inst)
Q-Tip - Breathe & Stop (Acapella)
The Alkaholiks - Make Room (Inst)
Raekwon - Glaciers Of Ice (Inst)
EPMD - Strictly Business (Acapella)
Masta Ace - Music Man
Rob Swift Dope On Plastic - (Inst)
Dimples D - Sucker DJ (Acapella)
A Tribe Called Quest Ft. Busta Rhymes - Oh My God (Main/Inst)
Busta Rhymes - Woo Hah (Acapella)
Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz - Uptown Baby [Déjà Vu] (Inst)
Cypress Hill - I Ain't Goin' Out Like That
Schooly D - P.S.K [What Does It Mean?]
Wu-Tang Clan - M.E.T.H.O.D Man (Inst)
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Brooklyn Zoo (Acapella)
Snoop Doggy Dogg - What's My Name (Instrumental)
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message (Instrumental)
DAS EFX - Real Hip Hop (Pete Rock Remix Instrumental)
Super Lover Cee - Do The James (Instrumental)
Sunshine Anderson - Heard It All Before (Acapella)
Apache - Gangsta Bitch (Instrumental)
Gang Starr - Full Clip (Instrumental)
Big L - Put It On (Acapella)
The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By (Instrumental)
Method Man & Redman - How High (Acapella)
Nas - Made You Look (Instrumental/Acapella)
Big Shug - The Jig Is Up (Instrumental)
Dr. Dre & Ice Cube - Natural Born Killaz (Instrumental)
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
Dr. Dre - Keep Their Heads Ringin' (Instrumental)
Eazy-E - Boyz N The Hood (Acapella)
Sound Providers - Get Down (Instrumental)
Crooklyn Dodgers - Crooklyn Dodgers Pt.II (Acapella)
Gang Starr - Love Sick (Instrumental)
Lords Of The Underground - Chief Rocka (Beat-A-Pella/Instrumental)
Dilated Peoples - Work The Angles (Instrumental)
Lords Of The Underground - Tic Toc (Acapella)
De La Should Ft. Chaka Khan - All Good (Acapella)
Gang Starr - The ? Remains (Instrumental)
Notorious B.I.G - Unbelievable (Instrumental)
Black Moon - How Many MC's? (Acapella)
Big L - Flamboyant (Instrumental)
Jungle Brothers - Jungle Brother (Acapella)
Fat Joe - That White (Instrumental)
Danger Mouse & Jemini - The Only One (Instrumental)
Stezo - Bring The Horns
Souls Of Mischief - 93 'Til Infinity (Instrumental)
Gang Starr - Just To Get A Rep (Acapella)
East Flatbush Project - Tried By 12 (Instrumental)
Mos Def - Ms. Fat Booty Pt.II (Instrumental)
Notorious B.I G - Ft. Sadat X - Come On (Acapella)
Common - Soul By The Pound (Thump Mix Instrumental)
Redman - Tonight's Da Night
Black Rob - Whoa! (Instrumental)
Organized Konfusion - Bring It On (Acapella)
QBall & Curt Cazal - Boon Dox (Instrumental)
Group Therapy - East Coast/West Coast Killas (Acapella)
Jay Z - D'evils
Beatnuts - Hit Me With That (Instrumental)
Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says (Acapella)
Gang Star - Work Pt.II (Instrumental)
Eve Ft. Gwen Stefani - Let Me Blow Ya Mind
MC Lyte - Cold Rock A Party (Acapella)
Raekwon - Criminology (Instrumental)
Rakim - Guess Who's Back (Acapella)
Raekwon - Ice Cream (Instrumental)
The Herbaliser Ft. What What - The Blend (Instrumental)
Run DMC - My Adidas (Acapella)
Marley Marl - The Symphony Pt.II
Sadat X - The Lump Lump (Instrumental)
Masta Ace Ft. Biz Markie - Me & The Biz (Instrumental)
Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy
Fugees - Ready Or Not (Instrumental/Acapella)
Mobb Deep Shook Ones Pt.II (Instrumental)
Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See (Acapella)
Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta Fuck With (Inst)
De La Soul Ft. Redman - Ooh (Inst/Acapella)
Mos Def & Macy Gray - I've Committed Murder (Inst)
Cypress Hill Ft. Fugees - Boom Biddy Bye Bye (Remix Acapella)
Group Home - Livin' Proof (Instrumental)
Jurassic 5 - What's Golden (Acapella)
Royce Da 5'9 - Boom (Instrumental)
Brand Nubian - All For One (Instrumental)
Rok One - Certified Superior (Instrumental)
The Pharcyde - Soul Flower [Remix] (Acapella)
Public Enemy - Do You Wanna Go Our Way (Nextmen Remix Instrumental)
Public Enemy - Bring The Noise (Acapella)
Public Enemy - Fight The Power (Instrumental)
Run DMC - Peter Piper