Our first Sunset Coast episode of Residents’ Hour comes from one of the biggest institutions in the hip-hop game. With namesake influence taken from A Tribe Called Quest’s lynchpin album, LA outfit Low End Theory has lived up to the reputation most honorably.
Co-founder, resident DJ and integral part to Low End Theory’s prestigious family, Nobody lets us in on what makes their collective so distinctively LA. Dive in – alongside his two-part mix, overbrimming with tunes. Impressive tracklist logged in full below.
“When Low End Theory began in 2006, it gave a proper home to LA’s burgeoning electronic music scene. At that time, the amount of artists doing laptop-based sets were few. Within a short five years, that would all change – with the norm becoming the artist front and center, using both computer and controller as musical instruments.
“With this new performance aesthetic, Low End Theory became the place to hone your performance and production chops. Hearing your beats on our system for the first time could be an exhilarating or humbling experience, depending on the quality of both the beat and the mix. In addition, your performance had to hold the attention of the audience. Just hitting play and twisting a knob didn’t cut it. You had to find your inner performer to captivate the audience. More than a club, Low End Theory is now a breeding ground for talent, able to hone their craft in front of a real live audience.”
“Naturally, from this aspiring group of artists grew a scene with a unique sound that was at once singular and diverse. Los Angeles is a special place with a vast amount of multicultural influences hitting you from different angles at all times. This is reflected in the range of music we’ve adopted – from the booming bass instilled in us; from gangsta rap to the breezy classic soul that will always be a staple in southern California. All of this plus a desire to have the most banging and heavy track combines to create what is now known as the LA Beat Scene. The sound could only come from Los Angeles, where bass and medical marijuana run free.
“This mix shows both my usual opening and closing style of sets. If I’m up first, I usually like to ease into the evening and not just hit them over the head with bangers. I tend to focus on a lot of modern artists that are making awesome slow music that still packs a punch. Bones is probably my favorite artist right now for that type of music. His mood can vary from delicate acoustic stuff to pounding scream trap.
“About halfway through the opening set, it starts to pick up to set up for the next DJ or act. The second half is the ‘turn up’ part of the evening, as I usually close out the club with a half-hour of whatever I feel will bring the evening to a fitting climax and conclusion. I’m usually following The Gaslamp Killer, so I usually just read the crowd and either continue the ride or take them on a left turn, depending on my mood and how many Pinots were poured.”
Part 1 (Opening Up)
Sonnymoon “Just Before the Dawn”
James Blake “Noise Above Our Heads”
Bones “Cheddar Bob”
G4shi “Day Ones”
Chance the Rapper “Smoke Break (feat. Future)”
Schoolboy Q “Oxymusic”
Bones – HDMI
Great Dane “Devil Dance”
Section Boyz “Trophy”
Kendrick Lamar “Untitled #7”
J. Cole “G.O.M.D.”
Exile “’Til the Dawn”
Portishead “Half Day Closing”
Part 2 (Closing Down)
Vince Staples “Norf Norf”
Clams Casino “Kissing on My Syrup [Squadda B]”
Pusha T “Got Em Covered (feat. Ab Liva)”
Kanye West “Feedback”
E40 “Function/All My Niggas”
Too $hort “Blow the Whistle”
Anderson .Paak “Moonlight”
Mono/Poly “Crypto Bell (Digital Version)”
Kendrick Lamar “King Kunta”
Mausberg “Get Nekkid (feat. DJ Quik)”
YG “Still Brazy”
Schoolboy Q “Whateva U Want (feat. Candice Pillay)”
Jay Rock “Vice City (feat. Black Hippy)”
Tune in fortnightly for a new episode of our Residents’ Hour series.