This is not to say that Krush, a native of Japan, hasn't paid his b-boy dues. After getting turned on to hiphop culture through the '80s film Wild Style, he was hooked and began DJing, soon becoming a notoriously sought-after DJ in Tokyo. He fronted one of Japan's most critically acclaimed hiphop outfits of the late '80s, Krush Posse, which parted ways in 1992 and marked the beginning of his developing of a new, less traditional sound.
Krush first gained notoriety in the West when he was signed to England's seminal trip-hop record label Mo Wax. A longstanding shot-caller of a label, equal parts pomo pseudo-intellectualism and hipster sauce, Krush's abstract beat mutations fit perfectly with their boundary-pushing directive. He's been relentlessly prolific since his first release with Mo Wax, Strictly Turntablized, cutting singles and albums for many different labels and eventually inking a deal with Sony, a relatively rare feat for an instrumental hiphop producer at the time.
Probably one reason that Krush has popularity that extends beyond most beat makers is that his DJ style is as well received as his compositions. While his albums are mellow excursions into hiphop slumber and solitude, like 1999's spacious and melancholy Kakusi, his DJ sets can work the room, just as any DJ worth his salt should be able to. Owing to that Mo Wax eclecticism, Krush's sets wedge modern hiphop offshoots, such as drum 'n' bass, next to his signature chilled and spooky stuff. So, if you want to dance or just sit on B Complex's pillows in the lotus position, you're in luck.
