CoN&KwAkE

CONFUCIUS MC HAS BEEN EMBEDDED IN UK HIP HOP SINCE THE EARLY 2000S AND SPENT OVER A DECADE AS A MUSIC EDUCATOR IN A PRIMARY SCHOOL, RUNNING THE AFTER-SCHOOL RAP CLUB, BRINGING ARTISTS LIKE KWAKE’S SPEAKERS CORNER QUARTET TO MEET THE CHILDREN. THE CLUB INCLUDED KIDS WHO BECAME ENIGMATIC RAPPER JESSE JAMES SOLOMON AND EARLY DRILL PIONEER LOSKI. CON WAS THE SUPPORT OF CHOICE FOR MOS DEF, AND THIS YEAR HE WAS TOURING WITH UK HIP HOP STALWART JEHST.

KWAKE BASS IS MUSICAL DIRECTOR FOR SAMPHA AND KAE TEMPEST. BACK IN 2006 HE TURNED HIS BEAT-MAKING INTO LIVE DRUMS FOR SPEAKERS CORNER QUARTET, THE HOUSE BAND AT THE MUCH-MISSED BRIXTON OPEN MIC NIGHT OF THE SAME NAME. HE STARTED PLAYING DRUMS AGED FIVE, WAS PLAYING SESSIONS WITH HIS MUSICIAN DAD IN HIS EARLY TEENS AND SWITCHED LIVE DRUMS FOR BEAT MAKING AGED 14. HE GOT BACK BEHIND THE DRUM KIT WHEN HE WAS 21 AND HAS BECOME THE PLAYER OF CHOICE FOR TRAVELLING US HEAVYWEIGHTS, PLAYING WITH MF DOOM, THE ROOTS AND JOEY BADA$$ AS WELL AS UK MAJOR PLAYERS LIANNE LA HAVAS AND MICA LEVI.