Headliners - DJ KOKO

DJ KOKO

Tokyo’s DJ Koco is a master of the 45, blending the meticulous ear of a beat digger with the flair of a modern turntablist. Drawing inspiration from hip-hop’s pioneers, he cuts and juggles his way across genres with a style that has made him one of the most of talked about artists on the global scene today. And he’s headlining our DMC Sunday in Tokyo…

Early in life you moved to Tokyo and entered college. Who or why did you want to become a DJ?

I’ve been collecting hip-hop 12-inches, and once my collection started to grow, I figured I should try DJing myself. I was influenced a lot by one particular senior in college, I still remember when we went to a record shop — instead of checking the shelves, he’d always go straight to the cheap crates on the floor, saying, “That’s where you find the interesting stuff.” Back then, those bargain bins were full of underground 90’s hip-hop 12-inches.

Why did you call yourself DJ Koco?

I’ve always been a big fan of Kid Capri. I remember seeing him rocking a KC (Kansas City Royals) cap on one of his album covers, and I thought, “Man, I gotta get that hat too.” That’s when I took the “KC” from Kid Capri and combined it with my own name, Kōsuke, and came up with my DJ name — KOCO.¨

How do you prepare for your sets – are they pre-planned?

I’m always running tracks through my head. Then I test them out on the turntables, and if it feels right, I’ll add it into my set. When I play, I try to keep the groove going, mix in different genres, and give the set a flow with a beginning, middle, and end. Since I can only carry so many records, I usually decide most of the structure before the gig — but the actual set always changes depending on the vibe in the moment, haha.

You are appearing at the DMC’s in Tokyo in October (WE ARE SO EXCITED!!). Have you ever tried scratching/turntablism, I know Jazzy Jeff is a friend!

I love turntablism, but I never really thought about entering battles. When I toured the States with Jeff, he even invited me over to his house — that’s where I learned a lot about his mindset and approach to DJing. When we linked up again in Ibiza this June, we ended up geeking out over gear, haha. He’s not just a friend — he’s a true mentor and a big inspiration to me.