DJ Low Cut discovered Hip-Hop in the early 90’s, it is a revelation, intrigued by the DJ'ing, he decided that his place is behind the decks. Influenced by the New York sound, this native of Paris’s suburbs turns to beat-making around 2000 and made his debut with French groups as OLG and K.O..
He drops then mixtapes series dedicated to his musical roots: the US Hip-Hop ("Prison" in 2007 and "Rugged Soundz" Part.1, 2 and 3 in 2008 and 2009 and 2011 and the series of four mixtapes in association with LeBanlieuzart.com site). It is in these mixtapes series you can listen to the first productions of DJ Low Cut with US MC’s as Smiley The Ghetto Child ("718 G Code" and "Down") and Dirt Platoon feat. Nutso "Double Shot." He’s also seen on the Paris scene during his residences at the Tape Bar and the Downtown Café but also during warm-ups of Heltah Skeltah, EPMD, Army Of The Pharaohs, Sean Price, or Lord Lhus vs Al'Tarba.
After two months spent in the mecca of Hip-Hop, New York, during the 2011’s summer, he recorded more than twenty titles there, and drops, at his return, his first album "NY Minute" on his label Rugged Records in 2012, which features artists such as Guilty Simpson, Ruste Juxx, Blaq Poet, Reef The Lost Cauze, Dirt Platoon, King Magnetic, Jojo Pellegrino. This album will be remixed the year after by best French beat-makers (Astronaut, Al'Tarba, Kyo Itachi, Dj Brans ...) "France's Finest NY Minute Remix".
His latest project "In the Cut" is an EP created in collaboration with the rapper from Queens, Nutso which also features Rasheed Chappell, AG da Corner, Timeless Truth, spring rolls, C-Rayz Walz.
OK-Tho:
Whats good homie, so tell us how long have you been producing for?
DJ Low Cut:
I brought my first drum machine 12 years ago so yeah basically 10 years I would say.
OK-Tho:
How did you come up with your name Low Cut?
DJ Low Cut:
I was studying sound engineer in college and Low Cut is a button that is on every mixing board, I liked how it sounds and the writing of it. Then as I was already DJing and as a scratcher we often cut the low when we do scratch so I thought it was suiting pretty well.
But I had another name before, DJ Blunt for some other reason… ;)
But never drop anything by this name.
OK-Tho:
Haha I might have like that one better. So being from Paris, what was the hip hop scene like when you were growing up?
DJ Low Cut:
Pretty big actually, there were some big French rap band like NTM, Assassin and IAM that really brings the hip-hop at the top of the charts in the late 80’s early 90’s. They really make it popular. Many French DJ’s, break dancers and graffiti artists also were one of the best in the world in their categories. So it really pushed me to get involve in the movement as a listener first. Thing that is enjoyable in Paris is as a capital, every rap band that tour in Europe as to come here, so I had the chance to go to many shows.
OK-Tho:
Oh word! I actually heard of NTM, they did the Affirmative Action remix with Nas and AZ, never actually knew what they were saying lol but you can't go wrong with that beat. It seems you started out DJing at first with a few mixtape releases from you, then you started releasing your own produced material. What got you into producing?
DJ Low Cut:
In my opinion it’s the following logic, after playing someone else music I wanted to do mine. But I think Scratch documentary by Doug Pray really helped me to focus on producing, seeing DJ Shadow in the basement with all these vinyl diggin’, made me understand how producers were doing their music.
OK-Tho:
Dope documentary by the way. So what producers inspired you?
DJ Low Cut:
DJ Shadow is one of my biggest influence. Sample and drums he uses just sound exactly the way I like. RZA, DJ Premier and Alchemist, like every beat maker at my age I guess, also.
I really like stuff from Marco Polo, Oddisee, Apollo Brown and my good friend Al’Tarba. They’re all very talented beat maker in their own style.
OK:
DJ Shadow is a very underrated producer especially for all his work. If you check homie out on whosampled.com you'll see mad tracks he sampled! Never heard of your boy Al but Im'a check him out. Now what does session consist of for you making a beat, equipment and what not?
Low Cut:
90% digging, in record store or home on the web (Im diggin’ right now, listening stuff as I answer you). If I found something on the web I always look out for the vinyl record then.
I don’t really pay attention on the equipment, I think everybody can make good music with so much different set up. I’ve seen people making dope stuff with just a computer and other making shitty music with huge studio full of hardwares. Personally I have a basic set up, MPC 2500, Pro Tools, and Microkorg..
OK:
Very dope bro! Your beats are heavily sampled influenced, do you limit yourself to a certain genre of music or era?
Low Cut:
In a way yes cause most of what I sampled come from the 70’s but Ive been sampling so much different stuff, from classic afro Soul to Bollywood soundtrack or Japanese pop music so like the equipment, there is no recipe I guess…
OK:
Name some of the artists you've produced for?
Low Cut:
Guilty Simpson, Blaq Poet, Ruste Juxx, Nutso, Jojo Pellegrino, Smiley The Ghetto Child, Reef The Lost Cause, King Magnetic, Dirt Platoon, Ag Da Coroner…
OK:
Are there any French rappers that you associate with yourself?
Low Cut:
Yes, Im about to drop a 4 tracks EP with my homie Phett which is part of the French rap band I use to be in too called K.O.
I’m also working on several tracks with Sëar Lui-Même and a EP with Murasamé who’s from K.O. too.
OK:
Is the hip hop out in France now as commercially projected as it is here in the USA?
Low Cut:
Maybe not as big but pretty close yeah, it’s not really inked in culture yet as it is in the US. I would say it’s like it was 10 years ago in the US.
OK:
So you've been to New York the birthplace of Hip Hop and that raw 90's sound. Is there anywhere else you have been in the US and if so what is your favorite place you've visited?
Low Cut:
I was staying in NY for two months recording most of NY Minute their on summer 2011 and came back the year after to shoot videos in NY and Boston, Ive been to Phily too, and Vegas also, Atlantic city too also but for other reasons once again… ;)
OK:
You have produced many singles and projects in your time in hip hop, is there a specific project that you released that really put you on the map?
Low Cut:
I would say my first album NY Minute and especially the track “Worldwide Roughness” ft. Ruste Juxx. It’s the first video I ever dropped with a US MC and it still is the most viewed. Also “Pop” which is on EAG 3 of King Magnetic more cause I wasn’t expecting it, so many people went crazy about the beat and I would never have put it in my top beats made even if I like it.
OK:
I'd have to say NY Minute was a classic album. The music was so in sync that I can't find a flaw in it, the production was incredible. So what artists do you enjoy and would like to work with in the future?
Low Cut:
I would love to have cuts from DJ Revolution on a track! About Mc’s I would enjoy working again with Guilty Simpson. I also like Action Bronson but now I’m pretty far from a wish list of Mc’s cause I want to stay focus on my production and I would like to drop a instrumental/abstract album.
OK:
Word that would be dope, and yes Action is the man! What producers do you like today?
Low Cut:
Q5
OK:
How is the food out in France? Is it the best out of everywhere you've been?
Low Cut:
For sure! Seriously french food is awesome and I can talk about it, my grill work in a great restaurant but I also love Italian food. Wait, who cares about what food I eat!
OK:
Haha, do you limit yourself to who you produce and work with? Are there artists out there that you refuse to produce for?
Low Cut:
Not really I always enjoy working with someone I didn't work with before but lately I try to focus on an instrumental abstract album, and even if it’s pretty hard to say no to artist I've been working with I'm actually saying no to many people but I wont mention names! ;)
OK:
You seem to have been working with Nutso a lot lately, can we expect more from you guys in the future?
Low Cut:
We didn't talk about it but I think even if we don’t work on another joint album we’ll def work on some tracks again. PPM is family.
OK:
Bet! Name 5 of your favorite beats from other producers?
Low Cut:
Hard to do so I’ll pick in the classics, no order:
The Red, by Dilla
Incarcerated Scarfaces by RZA
Heavenly Divine by Stoup
Shook Ones Part 2 by Havoc
The Wake Up Call by DJ Premier
OK:
Cool, cool. If I had to pick the best from Stoup it would be a toss up between Heavenly Divine and I Against I. Do you have a favorite beat of yourself?
Low Cut:
It depends of my mood, Worldwide Roughness or It’s A Party, really like Skeleton Key also…
OK:
J Cole or Jay Electronica? Which do you like better?
Low Cut:
Jay Electronica by default.
OK:
What can we expect from DJ Low Cut in the future?
Low Cut:
A 4 tracks EP called “Intramuros” with my French homie Phett (29th octobre). Another EP (6 tracks) with Akin Yai (Cyne), we hope to drop it beginning 2014. And many tracks on different project like King Magnetic, M-dot, Absouljah next album also a track with Mykill Miers and CF on the first compilation of Sick Digger Recordz…and many other stuff I'm waiting to be confirmed before I talk about it!
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