Background By Myspace Codes
DJ/Producer, Koo-C and Mic Controller, Absnt met in 1994, later to form Contaminants; A paradox as in contaminant of all the clean, healthy corruption in the world. Around that time, Absnt became a council member for the Universal Zulu Nation’s Bay Area chapter. While commuting once a weak from his home town of Fairfield (Cali) to San Francisco for chapter meetings, Absnt met a youngster named DJ Koo-C. Since high school, Koo-C was known for turning out local house parties within the Bay’s DJ-Mecca, Daly City. At post-Zulu meeting freestyle sessions Koo-C quickly gained appreciation for Absnt’s lyrical abilities. Unknowingly, Koo-C would go on to evolve from DJ to producer and thus the Contamination begins.
In 1991, DJ Koo-C received his first set of turntables as a gift from his grandmother. After four years of honing his skills in his garage or at local house parties, he started DJing for artists: San Francisco Street Music, Inner Space Crew, and Who Cares. This gave Koo-C the experience of performing within the local scene along-side groups such as Hieroglyphics, Blackalicious, and Hobo Junction. In 96’ DJ Koo-C was hired at Cue’s Record Shop (Top of the Hill, Daly City). This gave Koo-C the chance to spin records all day and help host in-store, promotional appearances from artists such as Common, Goodie Mob, Red Man, and Method Man. He also practiced with local DJs/Cue’s customers such as Apollo, Vin Rock, and Joe Quix. DJ Koo-C would later go on to feature Apollo and Vin Rock on one of his many mix-tapes. Koo-C bought his sampler in 1998 and picked up the beat making process quickly. After several years of diligent practice and small-scale production work for various underground artists, Koo-C knew he’d found his niche as the Contaminant producer/DJ. Currently he’s also actively involved as leader of SF’s ’All Tribes’ chapter of the Universal Zulu Nation. With an ASR 10 by his side, DJ Koo-C is defintely a force to be reckoned with; One of the baddest beat-makers in the Bay.
At thirteen, Absnt was introducing opponents to a new brand of humility amongst massive lunch time cyphers. But it wasn’t about MCing in Junior High. It was about clownin; Your moms is so ugly, your mamma’s so fat, etc. The same year (88’) Absnt wrote his first rhyme in Art class and eventually would rock the high school crowds in a different way. In 1992, Absnt joined forces with fellow Fairfield artists, Mental Prizm. Absnt now had a production team and was mutually backed by YZ’s 720 Management. A demo was recorded and Absnt, along with his crew (Infectious Identity) were performing regularly and pushing cassettes. However, Mental Prizm was in the midst of internal problems that led to their break-up in 95’. This left Absnt solo again and three years later he moved to Berkeley, then Oakland, a few months after that. After several experiences with unreliable producers, Absnt bought an ASR 10 and started creating beats for himself. About a year later Koo-C copped a used EPS and the two became a production duo for a short stint. Soon, with good work ethics in place, Koo-C’s production skills advanced and gave Absnt the chance to step back (from production) and focus on his true passion, lyricism.
In 2003’ Contaminants recorded their first few songs professionally, but meticulously deemed them unsatisfactory and they were scrapped. After a brief hiatus, DJ Koo-C and Absnt came together to record the Kill It Before It Grows EP in 04.’ Eventually satisfied with their development and chemistry as a group, Contaminants realize they have a bright future ahead of them. Especially with a follow-up album currently in the works that has the most critical insiders in awe. In the words of DJ Nytkrawler (KCSF) "If any group can resurrect the feeling of the golden era in Bay Area Hip Hop (94’, 95’, 96’) Contaminants can." The group’s outlook, musically consists of keeping the connection with Hip Hop’s foundation, but bringing an innovative element to the table as well. The intangible balance of this duality is the formula for Contaminant’s sound.
