King Of The Beats: Interview with Pritt Kalsi

SBS: Hello Pritt, welcome on "Stitch By Stitch" blogspot. Please introduce yourself to the audience!

Pritt: My name is Pritt Kalsi, I used to write Graff under the name Arcade and produce and DJ under the name Key Figures. Born and bred in Birmingham City, UK. Ive been involved in Hip Hop from 1983 as a Graffiti artist and wanna b B-Boy. I honestly wasn't that interested and deep into the music sides until a little later. These days im known for my film making, and creation of the KING OF THE BEATS thing. The first "Beat Challenge", which has now lead to me running the KOTB record label.

SBS: In 1997 you founded your label KOTB Records. What's the concept of your label and how do you set apart from others?

Pritt: Well infact 1997 was when i started the King of the Beats thing. From forming the concept and then developing that into a real film. The record label was really only launched a few years ago. It's all part of the package of King Of The Beats. It was born from the events and challenges I hold and out of the relationships I've made whilst making my films. I'm all about as my man Sparkii put it's, 'Cultural Preservation'. I put my films online free for everyone. I work a factory job, this is all passion. I can't get this out my system, I love it. I'm not funded, never had financial sponsorship. Basically the label is about putting good music out, everyone involved is on the same page. It's about a love for records, and real diggin' and making good Hip Hop music. In my eyes the right way. How all the greats made it. Fuck all them dudes who are using downloaded drum libraries and sampling from downloading trying to be Dilla thinking they are Hip Hop. They are just producers. I'm about Hip Hop and this label is about that. It's a shared platform for people who share the same view, who come from the same school. New or old, legends or pioneers who make music the Hip Hop way this is that label. I do 300 copies, at reasonable prices, get the money in and drop the next record. There is no shortage of music it's run like a club.

SBS: I really like the concept of new talented artists on one hand and hip-hop veterans on the other hand. How do you recruit so much young talented people?

Pritt: All the younger and new talent comes via the KING OF THE BEATS events and challenges. There a lot of younger cats out there that do get it. Who are doing there homework, who will go out and dig for records, know their history, know their drums and produce really great peaces of music. Along side members of the crew, we tend to be able to home into the individuals who not only have the music but have that HIP HOP CHARACTER that we are in tune with. KOTB provides a great avenue to put them out. What some of them do after is up to them. I think its really important to be able to pass on the torch, help develop newer artists. Hip Hop is serious to me, and as a ZULU it's a responsibility to help pass on knowledge so that we can help preserve this. Perfect example is Solomon Caine and Myke Forte, Obie and Saucless mark my words watch out for them.

SBS: Are there any famous artists you would like to work with in the future?

Pritt: Well they are all famous to me, But you will see LONS for sure and the return of my brother MIKEY D. I would love to do a record with Diamond Shell. King of Chill, Doctor Butcher, Too Tuff, A.G, Johnny Juice and Jazzy J, Casanova Rud, P-Brothers, Chuck Chillout, DJ Q-Bert and DJ Disk the list goes on for ever.

SBS: Who inspires you? Any role models in hip-hop?

Pritt: There are too many to mention, I'm a true artist I get inspired by a lot of things and people. Ive been inspired by all the artists I've worked with over the last 29 years. I come from Hip Hop culture, and thats life thing, not a fan thing. For example I see things like this. 'Greatful Dead American Beauty' is Hip Hop to me, it's part of my life. My biggest inspiration is my father, hes' like the true Hip Hop story. Hip hop is about defeating the odds and still being here. Going through the shit and still doing your thing. When knows one there for you and they don't understand what your doing, Fuck it, get on with it, how ever hard it is. Anyone's that knows me, knows my work ethic, thats from having that B-Boy mentality and that comes from him. Always gonna give it up to Jazzy J and A.dee.

SBS: I am following your releases since day one. Please talk about something special that happened back on the scene?

Pritt: I can talk about one of the records that came out, and that was the Marley Marl Dedication. Back in 2002 I was at Marley's Crib. He gave me a lot of time then. He's supported my work and my mission. He gets it. We worked on my film the 'THE MEN & THEIR MUSIC'. Anyhow THA 4ORCE was a producer who won one of our events. What was out standing for me listening to his music was the time and attention spent on his mixes. I had a trip planned 2 years ago to NYC and I wanted to give Marley a gift to say thanks for all your support over the years. So I set challenge to 4orce to reproduce some of Marley's joints. The strength of Marley's music was in his mixes, and to be honest a lot of him hop these days, little time and attention is spent on the mix. So i challenged him if he can mix as good as Marley, can you achieve his sound? See if we can get 2 thumbs up from the man. Well it did. Now thats schooling. So anyone that's got that joint, well that's a special one to me. You got to share in something that came out of friendship with one of the greatest.

The other little secret is that on the Psycho Les 7' some of them beats are gonna be on the next Beatnuts LP. It's the only way your gonna get the Instrumentals. Thats coming from Les.

SBS: Maybe you like to give a little hint to the crowd about what's coming next?


Pritt: I've been working with Ultramagnetic's very closely since 2002. Thanks to the P-brothers who introduced me to Moe Love a few years before that. I've really been behind the scenes person in Ultra. If anyone's one seen the last 2 Ultra Foundation videos and the full movie, I did that. When I was in NYC a few years ago I struck up a GREAT friendship with Fred Beanz who has also been in the background of the Ultra crew. I love Moe and TR thats my people, so I'm always working with them. The next record on KOTB is gonna be Ultra Foundation 7'. Featuring FRED BEANZ. It is a very hardcore record. For me BEANZ is the BRONX!! No pretense, just real grit.

After that i will be dropping a 7' with Maurizio 'The Nextone' you may know him formally of the Rock Steady Crew. But what people don't know how sick a producer he is. Im currently editing a peace on him. Other than DJ Premier no body's drums SMACK like his do. It's all S950. He's probably the most gifted producers out there that know one knows of. As a digger not many people can fuck with him. I've just come back from Turin and selected 2 joints from him. It's now my job to search out who to rhyme on it. I also have to digital projects to drop. With so many good people coming through i can't put everyone out on VINYL.

There will be an album by THA 4ORCE titled setting standards. The current single KOTB-0006 is off that. There will also be a project dropping from Sparkii Ski one of the legendary UK producers. It's a mix that him and DJ Grazzhoppa have put together. I can't go to much into it, but that will be dropping soon. 


SBS: What else do you like to let people know?

Pritt: Keep checking out the site. I'm soon to be puttng all my movies on there. There will be official PAUL C movie on there very soon. Some people may of seen my rough edits. but I've filmed a lot more since. I've got a lot of movies I've done over the years that ive been re-editing that will be on my site. I'm gonna drop the full MEN AND THEIR MUSIC film, thats like 7 hours right now. It's been a big part of my life that I've held dearly to my self, I became seriously addicted to making that film as I got more and more interviews I got deeper and deeper into it. I need to stop and let it go.

I would love to thank everyone who has supported my work, my films, my music, the label, the team and the artists. You are not just buying a record, you buying into and supporting a culture. The label allows me to put out music by artists that I truly believe at that time was all about what I'm representing. Keep supporting the label. It's what allows me to continue making these films. This is not just a record label it's a whole movement!

SBS: Thanks for taking the time Pritt. For those who didn't follow the KOTB releases yet check all release details here, buy your copies and spread the word. PEACE !!!