Rod Sepand (born June 30, 1968), better known professionally as King Tech, is an American DJ, B-boy, VJ and audio engineer.[3] He is one half of the duo Sway & King Tech.[4]
King Tech | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rod Sepand June 30, 1968 |
| Occupation(s) | B-boy DJ VJ and audio engineer |
| Years active | 1986–present[1][2] |
Career
editDJ King Tech began his career in the hip hop scene as a B-Boy in the Bay Area. He initially joined the musical crews "Master City Breakers" and "Flynamic Force," performing with them regularly. As the popularity of B-Boy crews started to decline, he met Sway Calloway, and the two formed a dynamic partnership.[5] With King Tech handling the turntables and Sway on the microphone, they represented Flynamic Force on their debut single, "We Wanna Rock You," which sold 20,000 copies in the Bay Area. Their second single, "Follow For Now," sold over 40,000 copies.
Well-known on the local scene,[6] Tech and Sway chose to start their own record label, All City Records, rather than signing with an existing one. This venture allowed them to release their music independently. Their indie release "Follow 4 Now/Time 4 Peace" achieved significant success, leading to a major label deal with Giant Records and the release of their LP "Concrete Jungle."
Upon entering and winning a local competition, the duo were given a one-shot deal for a 40-minute mix on local radio station 106.1 KMEL. Radio execs realized that the show can be a success with DJ King Tech on the mix and Sway as the front man. The show was named The Wake Up Show, featured music and interviews with well-known hip hop artists as well as up-and-coming ones.[7][8] The show became very popular and later became NYC’s premiere Hip Hop outlet which aided Eminem to get his start at a very early stage.[9][10] King Tech is also noted for helping out Wu-Tang Clan and Jay Z’s career in their early stages.[11][12] The duo from The Bay Area were changing the face of not just urban radio but popular music in general and the way that it was played and appreciated on regular FM dials across the planet. King Tech was named one of the 50 Most Influential DJ’s of all time by BET.[13]
The popularity of the show helped duo in getting another major label record deal with Interscope Records. The album, This or That, reached #30 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #1 on the Top Heatseekers chart in 1999.[14]
In 2016, King Tech is one of the four main judges on the reality show One Shot. The show will be aired on BET in August 2016.[15][16][17] In 2017 Tech, RZA and Mike Smith relaunched Razor Sharp Records.[18]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Album details | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Concrete Jungle 5 versions |
Giant Records |
| 1994 | Best Of The Wake Up Show Free Styles '94 Vol. 1 6 versions | All City Records |
| 1996 | The Wake-Up Show Mix Tape 2 versions | |
| 1996 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 3 3 versions | |
| 1998 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 4 2 versions |
360 Enterprizes |
| 1999 |
Sway & King Tech featuring DJ Revolution - This Or That 5 versions |
Interscope Records |
| 1999 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 5 2 versions | |
| 1999 | The Wake Up Show 9th Anniversary Live Album ?(CD, Album) | |
| 2000 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 6 2 versions | |
| 2001 |
Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 7 2 versions |
|
| 2004 |
Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 8 2 versions |
Bolo Entertainment |
| 2005 |
Back 2 Basics 3 versions |
Bungalo Records |
| Hip Hop Wars ?(LP) |
Ground Level Distribution |
Singles & EPs
edit| Year | Album details | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Flynamic Force 3 versions | All City Records |
| 1990 | Follow 4 Now / Time 4 Peace 9 versions | All City Records |
| 1991 | In Control / Devastating / Bum Rush The Sound 2 versions | Giant Records |
| 1999 | Sway & King Tech Featuring DJ Revolution - The Anthem / Underground Tactics 4 versions | Interscope Records |
| 1999 | Get You Mad 3 versions | Interscope Records |
| 2001 | Sway & King Tech, Crooked I - Wake Up Show Freestyles | |
| 2004 | Trouble / Everything 2 versions | Up Above Records |
| 2004 | Sway & King Tech feat. Chino XL - Trouble (CD, Single, Promo) | Bungalo Records, Bolo Entertainment |
| 2004 | I Don't Think So / I Wish U Would (12") | Up Above Records |
| 2004 | Back 2 Basics: Watch Closer 3 versions | Up Above Records |
Compilations
edit| Year | Album details | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Wake Up Show Unreleased Project Vol. #1 (CD, Album, Comp) | All City Records |
| 1996 | Wake Up Show Freestyles Vol. 2 3 versions | Not On Label |
References
edit- ^ Jost, Matt (July 24, 2007). "King Tech & MC Sway Flynamic Force All City Records". RapReviews.com. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
- ^ Christopher O'Connor (1999-06-17). "RZA, EMINEM PAY HOMAGE TO HIP-HOP ON THIS OR THAT". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
- ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (15 May 2009). "Eminem's 'Wake Up Show' Start: Sway And King Tech Look Back". MTV. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016.
- ^ Bobb, Maurice (18 January 2013). "Sway & King Tech Bring The World Famous 'Wake Up Show'". MTV. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016.
- ^ Kyles, Yohance (30 September 2014). "Crooked I, Sway & King Tech Announce New Aspiring Rapper Competition Show "One Shot"". Allhiphop.
- ^ Entzminger, Angela. Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting Hosts Second Annual Careers in Television Event The Animator's Journal: April 28, 2007.
- ^ Meyer, Frank (2 April 2008). "Wake Up Show Online Rap Battle". G4tv. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ^ Hook, Skyy (7 October 2013). "The World Famous "Wake Up Show" Gets Unplugged". Allhiphop.
- ^ Mosi Reeves, Simon Vozick-Levinson. "20 Insanely Great Eminem Tracks Only Hardcore Fans Know". Rollingstone. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ "Wake Up Show about page". Archived from the original on 2016-08-13. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
- ^ Paine, Jake (11 May 2011). "How Sway & King Tech's "This Or That" Introduced Eminem, Tech N9ne & Crooked I". Hiphopdx.
- ^ "King Tech talks Eminem's freestyling & Crooked I making a whole album in one flight". 28 July 2016.
- ^ "The 50 Most Influential DJs". BET. 30 October 2012.[dead link]
- ^ Sway & King Tech singles charts history at Allmusic
- ^ "BET Announces New Hip Hop Show One Shot Executive Producers: Mike Smith, Sway, King Crooked, & King Tech". 5 May 2016. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ^ "One Shot: See How Sway Made the Most of His One Shot". BET. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016.
- ^ "One Shot: Check Out This Sneak Peek Of 'One Shot'". BET. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016.
- ^ The Hype Magazine™ [@TheHypeMagazine] (6 July 2017). "Video: Mike Smith 'Alibi' Ft. RZA, Chanel Sosa and DJ King Tech (premiere): Mike Smith…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.