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
Daddy Kev at Cosmic Zoo studio in 2018
Daddy Kev at Cosmic Zoo studio in 2018
Background information
Birth nameKevin Marques Moo
Born1974 (age 48–49)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
Years active1998–present
Labels
Websitewww.alphapuprecords.com

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, he founded the weekly Low End Theory club night at the Airliner in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.[21]

In 2012, he founded the studio Cosmic Zoo in Los Angeles along with the rapper Nocando.[22]

At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2016, he 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, he won the Best Progressive R&B Album award for mixing the Thundercat album It Is What It Is.[24]

In July 2021, he started the weekly Scenario club night in Los Angeles, which showcases upcoming artists in the local scene.[25]

In 2022, he self-published a book on audio engineering entitled Audio Dynamics: Compression Techniques for Modern Mixing and Mastering.[26]

At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2023, he was nominated for the Best Historical Album award for mastering the Freestyle Fellowship album To Whom It May Concern....[27]

Style and influences

Pitchfork called Daddy Kev "one of the Los Angeles underground's most visionary producers",[28] while Fact called him "one of underground hip-hop's most respected engineers".[29]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

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)

2000s

2010s

2020s

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 [30][31]
2021 Thundercat – It Is What It Is Best Progressive R&B Album Won [32][33]
2023 Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom It May Concern... Best Historical Album Nominated [34]

References
  1. Walker, Chris (August 29, 2014). "How Daddy Kev Uses Low End Theory as a Talent Incubator". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  2. "Daddy Kev". Resident Advisor. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  3. Bourgelle, Fabrice (April 2, 2014). "Slinking In LA: Daddy Kev Plays Tour Guide". Clash. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  4. Bloom, Madison (March 14, 2021). "Thundercat Wins Best Progressive R&B Album at 2021 Grammys". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  5. Rubin, Mike (May 28, 2010). "Lost, With Laptops, in Psychedelic Space". The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
  6. "Episode 100: Daddy Kev". Kinda Neat. 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  7. Fintoni, Laurent (February 11, 2013). "Interview: Daddy Kev". Red Bull Music Academy Daily. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  8. Fintoni, Laurent (August 26, 2015). "How Flying Lotus Built Brainfeeder, His Spiritual Little Empire". The Fader. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  9. Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (February 24, 2017). "Here Are The Full Credits For Thundercat's Drunk Album". The Fader. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  10. Dwyer, Alex (May 3, 2017). "How The LA Beat Scene Brought Jazz Back". Forbes. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  11. Bromwich, Jonah (July 23, 2021). "Leon Bridges: Gold-Diggers Sound". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  12. Pirone, Kristy (February 3, 2015). "Sounds of LA: Daddy Kev". Daily Bruin. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. DiBella, M.F. "Lost Angels – Daddy Kev". AllMusic. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  16. Juon, Steve (May 29, 2001). "Daddy Kev – Lost Angels E.P. – Celestial Recordings". RapReviews.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  17. 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.
  18. Quinlan, Thomas (May 1, 2001). "Awol One & Daddy Kev – Souldoubt". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  19. Heaton, Dave (June 1, 2003). "Awol One and Daddy Kev: Slanguage". PopMatters. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  20. Dahlen, Chris (July 25, 2004). "Busdriver: Cosmic Cleavage". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  21. Brown, August (October 4, 2009). "Low End Theory: High-concept music". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  22. Fintoni, Laurent (September 12, 2015). "Inside Cosmic Zoo, the studio at the heart of L.A.'s beat scene". Fact. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. Weiss, Jeff (2023-03-16). "After the death of the Airliner, who are the next heirs to L.A.'s underground throne left behind by Low End Theory?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  26. Lejarde, Arielle (November 10, 2022). "Low End Theory founder Daddy Kev publishes book on mixing and mastering". The Fader. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  27. Willman, Chris (November 15, 2022). "Grammy Awards nominations 2023: The complete list". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  28. Shepherd, Julianne (March 27, 2003). "Awol One / Daddy Kev: Slanguage". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  29. "Daddy Kev drops essential mastering advice on Twitter". Fact. June 21, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  30. "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard. December 7, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  31. "Grammy Awards 2016: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. February 15, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  32. "Grammy.com page for Kevin Marques Moo". Grammy.com. February 1, 2022. Retrieved Feb 1, 2022.
  33. "Thundercat Wins Best Progressive R&B Album For 'It Is What It Is'". Grammy.com. March 14, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  34. "Grammy Awards 2023: The Full List of Nominees". The New York Times. November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
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