# K-Cut

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{{Short description|Canadian music producer and DJ}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = K-Cut
| image            = 
| caption          = 
| birth_name       = Kevin McKenzie
| alias            = The Golden Boy
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1971|7|25}}
| birth_place      = [Toronto](/source/Toronto), [Ontario](/source/Ontario), Canada
| genre            = [Hip hop](/source/Hip_hop_music)
| occupation       = Record producer, disc jockey
| years_active     = 1989–present
| label            = [Wild Pitch Records](/source/Wild_Pitch_Records), [EMI](/source/EMI), Tumblin' Dice Productions
}}
'''Kevin McKenzie''' (born July 25, 1971),<ref name="thestar"/> professionally known as '''K-Cut''', is a Canadian record producer and DJ, most notably as a member of [East Coast hip hop](/source/East_Coast_hip_hop) group [Main Source](/source/Main_Source).

==Early life and family==
Born in [Toronto](/source/Toronto) to a Jamaican father and an Afro-Guyanese mother, Sandra McKenzie, K-Cut's family moved to [Queens](/source/Queens), New York City, when he was a child.<ref name="views">{{cite web|url=https://hiphopcanada.com/views-k-cut-of-main-source/ |title=Views Before The 6 Ep. 3: K-Cut of Main Source |website=HipHopCanada |date=March 6, 2017 |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="thestar">{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2016/08/15/main-source-a-hip-hop-classic-with-toronto-ties-turns-25.html |title=Main Source: A hip-hop classic with Toronto ties turns 25 |website=[Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star) |date=August 15, 2016 |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> He and his brother Sir Scratch (Shawn McKenzie) were both DJs and attended [John Bowne High School](/source/John_Bowne_High_School) in [Flushing, Queens](/source/Flushing%2C_Queens), where K-Cut met future group member [Large Professor](/source/Large_Professor).<ref name="vmp"/><ref name="now">{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/raps-main-source |title=Rap's Main Source |website=[NOW](/source/Now_(newspaper)) |date=December 19, 2002 |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> His mother was very supportive of her sons' aspiring hip hop careers, funding their studio time and becoming the manager of their group [Main Source](/source/Main_Source).<ref name="thestar"/><ref name="vmp"/>

K-Cut is the cousin of fellow producer [Rashad Smith](/source/Rashad_Smith_(producer)), as well as musician [Eddy Grant](/source/Eddy_Grant).<ref name="now"/><ref name="views"/> His maternal grandfather was a Toronto-based soul/disco singer in the 1970s.<ref name="thestar"/><ref name="vmp"/>

==Career==
In 1989, Main Source released their first independent [12" single](/source/twelve-inch_single), "Think" [b/w](/source/b%2Fw) "Atom", under the mentorship of producer/engineer [Paul C](/source/Paul_C).<ref name="thestar"/><ref name="vmp"/> On July 17, 1989, Paul C was murdered in his home; K-Cut later stated that Main Source "basically inherited Paul C's style" and strove to "carry the torch" of his sound going forward.<ref name="views"/> During this period, K-Cut helped teach [DJ Premier](/source/DJ_Premier) sampling techniques on the [E-mu SP-1200](/source/E-mu_SP-1200).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/main-source-mn0000237949/biography |title=Main Source – Biography & History |website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="thestar"/><ref name="now"/> After self-releasing their second 12" single "Watch Roger Do His Thing" in 1990, the group signed to [Wild Pitch Records](/source/Wild_Pitch_Records).<ref name="vmp">{{cite web|url=https://magazine.vinylmeplease.com/magazine/breaking-atoms-legendary-album-invented-sound-classic-new-york-hip-hop/ |title=Breaking Atoms: The Legendary Album That Invented The Sound Of "Classic" New York Hip-Hop |website=Vinyl Me Please |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref>

In 1991, the group released their debut album, ''[Breaking Atoms](/source/Breaking_Atoms)'', which is regarded as one of the  greatest hip hop albums of all time.<ref name="thestar"/><ref name="vmp"/> Although Large Professor produced the majority of the album, K-Cut was praised for his "creative, energetic scratching", particularly on the track "Peace Is Not the Word to Play", which he produced.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/breaking-atoms-mw0000262514 |title=Main Source – Breaking Atoms |website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="vmp"/> Also that year, K-Cut's production appeared on [Queen Latifah](/source/Queen_Latifah)'s album ''[Nature of a Sista'](/source/Nature_of_a_Sista')'', and he produced the bulk of ''[The Black Tie Affair](/source/The_Black_Tie_Affair)'', an album by Toronto rapper [Maestro Fresh Wes](/source/Maestro_Fresh_Wes), which was certified gold in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_blacktieaffair.html |title=Maestro Fresh-Wes – The Black Tie Affair |website=RapReviews |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="views"/>

The following year, K-Cut produced the Main Source single "[Fakin' the Funk](/source/Fakin'_the_Funk)", which appeared on the ''[White Men Can't Rap](/source/White_Men_Can't_Rap)'' soundtrack and peaked at number one on the ''[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))'' [Hot Rap Singles](/source/Hot_Rap_Songs) chart.<ref name="vmp"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/rap-song/1992-08-22 |title=Hot Rap Songs – Fakin' the Funk |magazine=[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> In 1993, he produced the [Fu-Schnickens](/source/Fu-Schnickens) single "[What's Up Doc? (Can We Rock)](/source/What's_Up_Doc%3F_(Can_We_Rock))", featuring [Shaquille O'Neal](/source/Shaquille_O'Neal), which peaked at number 39 on the [''Billboard'' Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) and was certified gold in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/shaquille-oneal/chart-history/HSI |title=Shaquille O'Neal Chart History (Hot 100) |magazine=[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Fu-Schnickens#search_section |title=Gold & Platinum – Fu-Schnickens |website=[Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America) |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> That year, Large Professor left Main Source due to business differences, with K-Cut taking over as the main producer for their 1994 album ''[Fuck What You Think](/source/Fuck_What_You_Think)''.<ref name="now"/><ref name="views"/> The album's single, "What You Need", was sampled for [Madonna](/source/Madonna)'s 1995 worldwide hit "[Human Nature](/source/Human_Nature_(Madonna_song))", which credits K-Cut as a songwriter.<ref>{{cite book | last = O'Brien | first = Lucy | title = [Madonna: Like an Icon](/source/Madonna%3A_Like_an_Icon) |page = 289| year = 2008 | author-link = Lucy O'Brien | publisher = [Bantam Press](/source/Bantam_Press) | isbn = 978-0-552-15361-4}}</ref>

By the late 1990s, K-Cut moved back to Toronto, further contributing his production to the city's hip hop scene.<ref name="thestar"/><ref name="views"/> In 1997, he produced the [Infinite](/source/Infinite_(rapper)) single "Gotta Get Mine" (featuring [Divine Brown](/source/Divine_Brown)) and contributed to [Citizen Kane](/source/Citizen_Kane_(band))'s EP ''[The Epic](/source/The_Epic_(EP))'', both of which were nominated for a [Juno Award for Best Rap Recording](/source/Juno_Award_for_Rap_Recording_of_the_Year).<ref name="views"/><ref name="junos">{{cite web|url=https://junoawards.ca/awards/past-winners-nominees/?search_year_val1=1998&search_year_val2=2000&search_category_val=225&search_wins_val=no&tag_search_val=&submit=submit |title=Junos – Past Nominees + Winners |website=[Juno Award](/source/Juno_Award)s |accessdate=July 24, 2021}}</ref> He also produced two tracks for [Choclair](/source/Choclair)'s 1999 debut ''[Ice Cold](/source/Ice_Cold)'', which won the aforementioned Juno Award.<ref name="views"/><ref name="junos"/>

In the early 2000s, K-Cut mentored a young Toronto producer named [Watts](/source/Watts_(producer)).<ref>{{cite web |title=Watts Interview on HHC |url=http://www.hiphopcanada.com/2007/08/interview-austin-watts-garrick/ |website=HipHopCanada |access-date=July 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509142348/http://www.hiphopcanada.com/2007/08/interview-austin-watts-garrick/ |archive-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref>

As of 2016, he served as the touring DJ for Canadian singer Kiki Rowe.<ref name="thestar"/>

==Musical style==
K-Cut drew inspiration from the [reggae](/source/reggae) music in his grandparents' record collection.<ref name="ebony">{{cite web|url=https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/breaking-atoms-main-source-hip-hop/ |title=[90s 'Til Infinity] 'Breaking Atoms,' An Unsung Hip Hop Classic |website=[Ebony](/source/Ebony_(magazine)) |date=February 2017 |accessdate=December 20, 2021}}</ref> When producing music, he visualizes an artist performing over the beat, before presenting the beat to said artist; one such instance was when he produced "How We Roll '98" for [Big Pun](/source/Big_Pun).<ref name="ebony"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Main Source}}

Category:1971 births
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century Canadian male musicians
Category:21st-century Canadian male musicians
Category:20th-century Black Canadian musicians
Category:Canadian hip-hop DJs
Category:Canadian hip-hop record producers
Category:Canadian people of Guyanese descent
Category:Canadian people of Jamaican descent
Category:Musicians from Queens, New York
Category:Musicians from Toronto
Category:21st-century Black Canadian musicians

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [K-Cut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Cut) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Cut?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.