There’s not too many of 'em left. It’s a different game nowadays, and standards have left the building. DJ Enki is not one to buckle either. There’s something to be said for standing your ground and leaving the arena with your reputation intact. With that something being said, let’s welcome to the stage ...
The man has been DJing for almost 15 years. He’s shared the stage with the likes of Z-Trip, J-Rocc, Melo-D, Kid Koala, Rob Swift, Shortkut, Apollo, Jazzy Jay, Peanut Butter Wolf, Lyrics Born, Brother J (X-Clan), Zeph, Romanowski, Doc Fu and a host of others. He was the main resident for the infamous Money$hot weekly in San Francisco for two and a half years, during which it got named one of the top 5 Hip-Hop weeklies in the country by URB Magazine. How’s that for starters?
Born and raised on the East Coast, Enki grew up listening to DJ Red Alert’s show. Like most DJ’s who started their obsession with the turntables in the late '80s to mid 90s, the local hip-hop show was church, hence the religious practice of sitting down and listening intently as soon as the clock struck. He attended college in North Carolina, where he connected with long time friends and music cohorts Faust & Shortee, with whom he now shares membership with as part of the renowned Citizenz collective.
But it's not just about playing shows, it's about what's in your musical arsenal, too. These days, the digging is more serious than ever, putting Enki in the big leagues when it comes to the elusive un-used breakbeat, especially with him being all about the sampling when it comes to producing -- a take on the art form that is slowly heading toward nonexistence in the synth-heavy rap music world. Guess you just have to dig a little deeper. No problem. Enki's debut cut, "Kung Fu Kwaku," went pretty deep. And there's more where that came from.
Enki moved to Northern California, the Bay Area to be exact, 10 years ago. He’s lasted more than 2. That makes him official. The fact that he’s the newest member of the Oakland Faders doesn’t hurt either. Catch him rockin’ the party these days like a true master, making you nod to that joint that you had no idea was about to be your favorite. It’s likely to be self-produced.
Bio written by DJ Platurn
