Ras Kwame
Encyclopedia
Ras Kwame is a British
radio DJ
and presenter. He started in the music industry as a club DJ playing hip hop
, R&B
and reggae
in the early 1990s. He then moved on to promoting for Kiss100
's groundbreaking Starlight Club night and the Mean Fiddler’s Subterranea Club, bringing over talent from the US and promoting local talent. The Subterranea gigs saw Kwame take control of the turntables for artists such as Gang Starr
, Public Enemy, Wu Tang Clan, London Posse
and the Fugees. During that time, Ras also undertook remix work for Chanté Moore
, George McCrae
and The 49ers
.
Kwame founded West London
’s Sugar Shack record shop in 1993 and from 1994-2000 he had formed Baby Shack Recordings and his UK garage
production outfit M-Dubs. As a garage producer, Kwame made several innovative underground club anthems for the flourishing UKG scene, such as ‘Over Here’ featuring Ritchie Dan, ‘Bump and Grind’ featuring Lady Saw
and the underground smash ‘Body Killin’ by The Vincent Alvis Project. In 2001, Kwame launched the International Rude Bwoy Recordings operation, the label maintains a UK black music output with a variety of styles ranging from hip hop to garage.
Ras Kwame joined BBC 1Xtra at launch in 2002 with the 100% Homegrown show every Sunday evening. The show is dedicated to the sound of UK black music and has provided a live platform for talent and given major support to new acts like Lethal B
, Skinnyman
and Estelle
.
In 2004 Kwame won Best Radio DJ at the Urban Music Awards
and started a new music show called Showtime with Ras Kwame on Channel U
.
In February 2005, Kwame was brought into BBC Radio 1
to host one of the three OneMusic shows that succeeded the John Peel
slot. The other OneMusic hosts were Rob da Bank
and Huw Stephens
. Kwame's show now goes out live every Sunday Morning 5am - 7am on BBC Radio 1
and on Sundays from 7pm-10pm on 1Xtra BBC.I t has been announced that Ras is leaving Radio One and One Extra as part of schedule changes in January 2011.
He regularly judges both Open Mic UK
and Live and Unsigned.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
radio DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and presenter. He started in the music industry as a club DJ playing hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
in the early 1990s. He then moved on to promoting for Kiss100
Kiss 100 London
Kiss is a UK radio station broadcasting on FM and Digital Radio, specialising in hip hop, R&B, urban and electronic dance music. It also broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio around the UK & nationally on Freeview, Sky and TalkTalk TV...
's groundbreaking Starlight Club night and the Mean Fiddler’s Subterranea Club, bringing over talent from the US and promoting local talent. The Subterranea gigs saw Kwame take control of the turntables for artists such as Gang Starr
Gang Starr
Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
, Public Enemy, Wu Tang Clan, London Posse
London Posse
London Posse was one of the earliest groups in the British hip hop scene. It was formed by Sipho the Human Beatbox, along with Rodney P, Bionic and DJ Biznezz. They formed for a tour of the US to support Mick Jones' new group, Big Audio Dynamite...
and the Fugees. During that time, Ras also undertook remix work for Chanté Moore
Chanté Moore
Chanté Moore is an American R&B and jazz singer.-Biography:Born to a gospel minister, she grew up singing in the church and was heavily influenced by the music of George Duke and Lee Ritenour. While in high school, she decided to make a career of singing...
, George McCrae
George McCrae
George McCrae is an American soul and disco singer, most famous for his 1974 hit "Rock Your Baby".-Early life and career:...
and The 49ers
The 49ers
The 49ers The 49ers is a hip-hop duo from Newark, Delaware and consists of members Jas Mace and Marchitect. They were also the focal members of another hip-hop group called The Outfit...
.
Kwame founded West London
West London
West London generally refers to the western portions of London, and may refer specifically to:*West *West End of London*W postcode area...
’s Sugar Shack record shop in 1993 and from 1994-2000 he had formed Baby Shack Recordings and his UK garage
UK garage
UK garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the early-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York, United States. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopated 4/4 percussive rhythm with 'shuffling'...
production outfit M-Dubs. As a garage producer, Kwame made several innovative underground club anthems for the flourishing UKG scene, such as ‘Over Here’ featuring Ritchie Dan, ‘Bump and Grind’ featuring Lady Saw
Lady Saw
Lady Saw is a Jamaican reggae singer, known as the queen of dancehall.-Biography:...
and the underground smash ‘Body Killin’ by The Vincent Alvis Project. In 2001, Kwame launched the International Rude Bwoy Recordings operation, the label maintains a UK black music output with a variety of styles ranging from hip hop to garage.
Ras Kwame joined BBC 1Xtra at launch in 2002 with the 100% Homegrown show every Sunday evening. The show is dedicated to the sound of UK black music and has provided a live platform for talent and given major support to new acts like Lethal B
Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle, also known as Lethal B , is a Ghanaian British rapper. His songs are known to satirise modern Gangsta rap; much of the humour comes from the adoption of hip-hop style and language...
, Skinnyman
Skinnyman
Skinnyman is an English rapper who was born in Leeds, Yorkshire and moved to Finsbury Park, London at a young age. He grew up on the Six Acres Estate next to Andover Estate...
and Estelle
Estelle (musician)
Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
.
In 2004 Kwame won Best Radio DJ at the Urban Music Awards
Urban Music Awards
The Urban Music Awards is a HipHop, R&B, Dance and soul music awards ceremony launched in 2003 and now held in six countries annually.The awards ceremony is held annually by Invincible Media Group. The UMA's is now held in 6 countries annually...
and started a new music show called Showtime with Ras Kwame on Channel U
Channel U TV
Channel AKA is a British digital satellite TV channel, owned by Mushroom TV Ltd, available through Sky within the UK and Ireland on channel 370...
.
In February 2005, Kwame was brought into BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
to host one of the three OneMusic shows that succeeded the John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
slot. The other OneMusic hosts were Rob da Bank
Rob da Bank
Robert John Gorham, known by the pseudonym Rob da Bank, is a British disc jockey. He presents a Friday-night/Saturday-morning show, Rob da Bank, on BBC Radio 1 from 5am-7am, focused on promoting new left field music...
and Huw Stephens
Huw Stephens
Huw Stephens is a radio presenter currently broadcasting shows on BBC Radio 1.-Early life and career:Stephens was born in Cardiff, Wales, the son of the author and literary journalist Meic Stephens...
. Kwame's show now goes out live every Sunday Morning 5am - 7am on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and on Sundays from 7pm-10pm on 1Xtra BBC.I t has been announced that Ras is leaving Radio One and One Extra as part of schedule changes in January 2011.
He regularly judges both Open Mic UK
Open Mic UK
Open Mic UK is a live music competition in the UK for singers, vocalists and solo artists. Acts compete at regional auditions to get the chance to perform live at live music showcases to reach an annual national final, which is held at the IndigO2 in London as part of Live Fest...
and Live and Unsigned.