DJ Kurupt: Breaking Boundaries and Shaping the Music Scene

For years, DJ Kurupt has captivated audiences as one of the industry’s top DJs and a phenomenal mixtape artist. His unparalleled skills have not only entertained us, but they have also catapulted numerous artists into the mainstream spotlight. Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, and Joe Budden are just a few of the talents he has helped launch through his groundbreaking work. In an exclusive interview with DJ Kurupt, we discovered that his influence extends far beyond mixtapes. Not only has he provided us with a vast majority of the songs we cherish today through his worldwide mixtape platform, but he has also recently released a single called “At The Bag” featuring FerQuan. However, the excitement doesn’t end there. We’ve learned that he is currently producing his next single titled “Running” and plans to contribute his own bars to the track.

Tha Culture Report: You wear many hats within the culture, DJ, Content Creator, Producer and more. Which one do you love more?



DJ Kurupt: The most loved gift that I posse is to create. I really feel that I can create anything. It’s a mindset that allows me to believe as strongly as I do and so that to me is my most loved.



Tha Culture Report:  What motivated you to become a DJ?



DJ Kurupt: The motivation of wanting to become a DJ comes from the love that I have for music itself and I often look at it as a coloring book. Being able to see a vision in your mind and then creating it or drawing it out on a piece of paper or canvas is pure art, an art that I cannot live without. And DJ also gives me that creative ability to put things together as I see it.



Tha Culture Report:  You’re known for your legendary mixtapes. How important was the mixtape culture in Atlanta?



DJ Kurupt: The mixtape culture was and still is extremely important in Atlanta and all around the world. When you hear that term “Mixtape” you immediately anticipate hearing a few things: the first thing is an awesome DJ putting a few of your favorite records together and presenting that mixtape to a large audience in an attempt to grow their brand. This one in particular has worked so well over the years that it extended out to other industries looking to gain more views to their brands as well and guess what, it works. You’ll also learn about new music and new artists through this same powerful mixtape circuit.



Tha Culture Report:  Do you remember the first mixtape you did that took off?



DJ Kurupt: Wow, honestly there were so many. One that I remember was a live concert mixtape featured by the late great DMX, RIP King. Yeah, I’ve had mixtape projects that came up big in the streets, another one was my “Street Corner Radio” edition featuring Joe Budden. I was also one of the DJ’s that made the R&B blend mixtapes and those were really big for me at those times as they showcased a skill of putting certain records together and pleasing these same large groups of people by that sound.



Tha Culture Report:  What’s your opinion on playlist? Do you feel playlist and mixtape are the same?



DJ Kurupt: Yes, pretty much. I feel like the term playlist is just a digital version of this same thing that millions of people love; the mixtape.



Tha Culture Report:  How important is it for artists to have placements on a playlist?



DJ Kurupt: It is very important to be on playlist today as it is a driving force to getting your music heard in large amounts of streams. And it all goes back to the mixtapes. When one of your favorite DJ’s would drop a new mixtape, everyone wanted to hear those exclusive records first and then those songs would go on to become hit records, not all but many.





Tha Culture Report:  You have established yourself as a force in the industry with the moves you make on the forefront and behind the scenes. Let our readers know some of your accomplishments and moves you made that they might not be aware



DJ Kurupt: You know something I really appreciate you saying that. Because honestly, I hadn’t really done much of looking back and realizing how far I’ve come because of thinking of the current moments and where I’d like to be tomorrow, and with that said I do love everything that has helped me to make it this far. Really connecting the dots behind the scene as I have done feels really good at the same time. I remember me and my team doing promotional CD duplications for some of today’s mainstream artists in the event to assist them in becoming famous. Not solely but, [Job well done.]





Tha Culture Report: This year Hip Hop turns 50 years old. Which era of Hip Hop is your favorite?



DJ Kurupt: I will say that the 90’s and 2000’s has inspired me mostly being it’s what I’ve developed my style from so those times to me would be my most favorite Era of Hip Hop.



Tha Culture Report: Who are your top 5 MC’s of all time?



DJ Kurupt: Jay Z, Biggie, Nas, Jadakiss, LL Cool J





Tha Culture Report: Who are your top 5 producers of all time?



DJ Kurupt: Swizz Beats, Timbaland, DJ Premier, JD, DRE



Tha Culture Report: Who are your top 5 rappers from today’s era of hip hop?



DJ Kurupt: Lil Baby, Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, Latto, J Rock



Tha Culture Report: Memphis is killing the industry right now. Which market do you feel is currently running hip hop?



DJ Kurupt: Actually, there are a lot of areas that are doing big things. I feel like Detroit is one, Denver has some creepers so don’t sleep on them, and Arizona is bubbling up for sure. Then of course NYC is making dope records again and we cannot forget about ATL. TBA there’s a lot happening out there man.




Tha Culture Report: You’re always creating content. How important is creating content in today’s era of hip hop?



DJ Kurupt: Content is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT when it comes to HipHop. Everything in HipHop today moves off of content and the inspirations it gives.



Tha Culture Report: What’s next for you and your brand?



DJ Kurupt: What’s next for me and the entire brand is to continue creating as much as I can and promoting all projects that I am involved with and helping people around the world to smile.



Tha Culture Report: What’s your overall goal? What do you want your legacy to be?



DJ Kurupt: I would love my legacy to inspire others to never give up and also to remember when you think of an idea and keep on striving until that idea becomes a reality.



Tha Culture Report: Lastly, we deal with a lot of upcoming artists, what advice do you have for new artists trying to make it in this industry?


DJ Kurupt: 1st thing I would say is to remember why you started into this journey and that if it’s something that you really want know and believe that it can happen, then when faced with the many different challenges simply revert back to WHY you started and use that as momentum and motivation to proceed past the challenge.



Secondly, to book a consultation with DJ Kurupt and hear creative ways to promote you and your brand.

FOLLOW DJ KURUPT



Twitter

https://twitter.com/djkurupt?s=21

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/djkurupt/



TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@djkurupt?lang=enhttps://twitter.com/djkurupt?s=21



Spotify

At The Bag

https://open.spotify.com/track/5RpdvzhZBR9aNIQwktKBTA?si=NApq1d-OR6-cPWV5G35kaw





Apple Music

At The Bag

https://music.apple.com/us/album/at-the-bag-feat-ferquan/1619177018?i=1619177020

.