Duncan Beiny (born 1977 in London, England), better known as DJ Yoda, is a
hip hop turntablist
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating new music, sound effects, mixes and other creative sounds and beats, typically by using two or more turntables and a cross fader-equipped DJ mixer. The mixer is plugged into a PA system ...
who uses
samples to create an animated musical style.
He is known for several awards and media industry achievements.
Early life and career
After attending
Highgate School, he studied
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
American literature
American literature is literature written or produced in the United States of America and in the colonies that preceded it. The American literary tradition thus is part of the broader tradition of English-language literature, but also inc ...
at the
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
from 1995 to 1998. During this period, he began performing at Mojo, a popular Warwick hip hop and
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
night at the student's union until he graduated. After he left university, he began releasing underground demo mix-tapes to small music shops. Through the popularity of these tapes,
Antidote Records asked him to create an official mixtape, from which ''How to Cut & Paste Mix Tape Vol.1'' was released.
[
He has won a DMC DJ of the Year award in the Scratch DJ category (2001) and was one of six nominees for best ]UK hip-hop
British hip hop, also known as UK hip hop or UK rap, is a music genre, genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban mu ...
DJ in the UK Hip-Hop Awards. He has also been nominated by ''Q magazine
''Q'' was a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1986 by broadcast journalists Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, who were presenters of the BBC television music series ''The Old Grey Whistle Test''. '' ...
'' as one of the "Ten DJs To See Before You Die", has released a series of mix-tapes, and has toured the globe with Goldie
Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ.
Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in th ...
and the Scratch Perverts
The Scratch Perverts are a collective of turntablist DJs from London, formed in 1996 by Tony Vegas, Prime Cuts and DJ Renegade.
World DMC team champions in both 1999 and 2001. Additionally Prime Cuts won 2 consecutive ITF World Scratching tit ...
.
Yoda released his debut album of original material, entitled ''The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda
''The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda'' is the fourth studio album mixed by DJ Yoda.
Track listing
#Intro
#He's A Nutbag
#Wheels
#Fertilizer
#Breakfast Cereal ft. Biz Markie
#Yoda In Reverse
#Playin' Around ft. Jungle Brothers
#Cuban Brothers FM
...
'', on 2 October 2006 on Antidote Records. The album features guest vocalists, including Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall (April 8, 1964 – July 16, 2021), known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and record producer. Markie was best known for his 1989 single "Just a Friend", which became a Top 40 hit in ...
, Sway, Ugly Duckling
"The Ugly Duckling" ( da, Den grimme ælling) is a Danish literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875). It was first published on 11 November 1843 in '' New Fairy Tales. First Volume. First Collection'' ...
and MC Paul Barman
Paul Nathaniel Barman (born October 30, 1974), better known by his stage name MC Paul Barman, is an American rapper. He resides in Manhattan, New York. In 2012, ''LA Weekly'' placed him at number 14 on the "Top 20 Whitest Musicians of All Time" l ...
. In addition to releasing his own material, he has also performed scratches on Danger Mouse and Jemini's ''Ghetto Pop Life
''Ghetto Pop Life'' is a collaborative studio album by Danger Mouse & Jemini. It was released on Lex Records in 2003. It features guest appearances from Tha Liks, J-Zone, Prince Po, and The Pharcyde. In 2004, a reprint of the album with three ...
''.
He has been a regular guest on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
appearing alongside Steve Lamacq
Stephen Paul Lamacq (born 16 October 1964), sometimes known by his nickname Lammo (given to him by John Peel), is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio station BBC Radio 6 Music.
Early life
He attended The Ramsey Academy ...
and Annie Mac
Annie Mac (born 18 July 1978), is an Irish DJ, broadcaster and writer. She hosted a variety of shows on BBC Radio 1, including BBC Switch and ''Future Sounds''. She also DJed in various locations, including hosting her AMP (Annie Mac Presents) ...
. In 2009, he was nominated for a Sony Radio Academy Award
The Radio Academy Awards, started in 1983, were the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. For most of their existence, they were run by ZAFER Associates, but in latter years were brought under the control of The Radio Academy ...
. In 2010, he also won the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards for Contemporary Classic Album with the Heritage Orchestra
The Heritage Orchestra is a British orchestra founded by Chris Wheeler and Jules Buckley. They perform mainstream, cult, experimental and popular music. The orchestra, which ranges between 25 and 65 members, has performed internationally in ve ...
. He has been the hip-hop correspondent for ''IDJ magazines'', and also wrote the DJ page for the now defunct ''Hip Hop Connection
''Hip Hop Connection'' (''HHC'') was the longest running monthly periodical devoted entirely to hip hop culture. It was described by rapper Chuck D as "the best magazine in the world".
History
Under the editorship of Chris Hunt, the magazine p ...
'' magazine, and has been part of the judging panel for the DMC DJ World Finals.
In 2014 he was commissioned to create ''DJ Yoda Goes to the Sci-Fi Movies'' as part of the BFI
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery (United Kingdom), National Lot ...
's ''Sonic Cinema'' event. He presented the first audio-visual radio mix on BBC Radio 6
BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. BBC 6 Music was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. It is available onl ...
Music. As part of their BBC Music Day, Radio 4 invited Yoda to mash-up the entire station, remixing ''The Archers
''The Archers'' is a BBC radio drama on BBC Radio 4, the corporation's main spoken-word channel. Broadcast since 1951, it was famously billed as "an everyday story of country folk" and is now promoted as "a contemporary drama in a rural settin ...
'', the Shipping Forecast
The Shipping Forecast is a BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the coasts of the British Isles. It is produced by the Met Office and broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. ...
, and John Humphrys
Desmond John Humphrys (born 17 August 1943) is a Welsh broadcaster. From 1981 to 1987 he was the main presenter for the '' Nine O'Clock News'', the flagship BBC News television programme, and from 1987 until 2019 he presented on the BBC Radio 4 ...
.
In 2015 he was Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
's first choice to record a guest mix on his inaugural Beats 1
Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), ...
show for Apple Music
Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
, and performed at Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversive epigrams ...
's pop-up Bemusement Park, Dismaland
Dismaland was a temporary art project organised by street artist Banksy in the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England. Prepared in secret, the pop-up exhibition at the Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare, Tropicana, a disused Lido (sw ...
.
In 2016 his "Stranger Things
''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Prod ...
Mix" racked up more than a quarter of a million plays on SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, culminating in his UK tour of Stranger Things: The Mixtape Live. That same year, his ''A History of Gaming'' premiered at the London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1957 and held in the United Kingdom, running for two weeks in October with co-operation from the British Film Institute. It screens more than 300 films, documentaries and shor ...
, charting nostalgic video games from the early 1980s onwards.
In 2019 he released Home Cooking
Cooking, cookery, or culinary arts is the art, science and craft of using heat to prepare food for consumption. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire to using electric stoves, to baking in vario ...
featuring Nubya Garcia, Eva Lazarus, Edo.G, Theon Cross
Theon Cross is a British tuba player and composer.
Background
Born and raised in London to a Jamaican father and Saint Lucian mother, he began taking tenor horn lessons at the age of 8, then switched to tuba when he was in his mid-teens. He stu ...
, Henry Wu and Joel Culpepper
Joel Culpepper (born 25 May 1984) is an English R&B singer-songwriter from London, England. Originally from Peckham, then grew up in Catford. He is known for his distinctive vocal style and well received stage performances.
Career 2009–2015
...
. The album was released on Lewis Recordings
Founded by Mike Lewis, Lewis Recordings is an underground record label that currently has eight artists signed to it. It is primarily a Hip Hop/Rap label, and arguably its biggest artist is Edan, who has released two full-length albums to ...
.
Discography
Albums
* ''The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda
''The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda'' is the fourth studio album mixed by DJ Yoda.
Track listing
#Intro
#He's A Nutbag
#Wheels
#Fertilizer
#Breakfast Cereal ft. Biz Markie
#Yoda In Reverse
#Playin' Around ft. Jungle Brothers
#Cuban Brothers FM
...
'' (Antidote Records) (2006)
* ''Chop Suey'' (Get Involved Records) (2012)
* ''DJ Yoda Presents Breakfast of Champions'' (Get Involved Records) (2015)
* ''Home Cooking'' (Lewis Recordings) (2019)
* ''Prom Nite'' (Lewis Recordings) (2022)
EPs
* ''Wheels'' ( Antidote Records) (2006)
* ''DJ Yoda & Friends'' (2011)
Singles
* DJ Yoda featuring People Under the Stairs – "Quid Control" (2002)
* "Wheels" ( Antidote Records) (2006)
* "Playin' Around" (Antidote Records) (2007)
* "Charlie Sheen" (Get Involved) (2012)
* DJ Yoda featuring Man Like Me – "Idiot" (Get Involved) (2012)
* DJ Yoda featuring A Boy Called George – "Happy" (Get Involved) (2012)
* "And to the World / Click (Radio Edit)" (Get Involved) (2015)
* "Pebble Beach / 2468" (Get Involved) (2015)
* DJ Yoda featuring Scroobius Pip – "Sega RIP" (Get Involved)
* "Open Your Eye" (feat. Rex Domino & Shlomo) (Get Involved) (2015)
* "The Baddest" (Get Involved) (2015)
Mix CDs
* '' How to Cut and Paste Mix Tape Vol.1'' (Antidote Records) (2001)
* ''Fisticuts'' (''Spine Magazine'') (2001)
* '' How to Cut and Paste Mix Tape Vol.2'' (Antidote Records) (2002)
* ''How to Cut & Paste: The 80's Edition'' (Antidote Records) (2003)
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Unthugged'' (Antidote Records) (2003)
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Boxfresh
Boxfresh was a British fashion label founded in 1989 by Roger Wade. The name originated from early hip hop slang for a pair of trainers being "fresh out of the box".
History
The first clothes produced were customised prints on vintage stoc ...
'' (Boxfresh Records) (2004)
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Unthugged 2'' (Antidote Record)
* ''Hey! Wha' Happened?! (2006)''
* '' FabricLive.39'' ( fabric Records) (April 2008)
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Jews Paid'' (2008)
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Jews Paid Too'' (2008)
* '' How to Cut & Paste: Country & Western Edition'' (Antidote Records) (2009)
* '' How to Cut & Paste: The Thirties Edition'' (2009)
* ''How to Cut & Paste: The Asian Edition'' (2013)
* ''How to Cut & Paste: The Halloween Edition'' (2014)
* ''DJ Yoda presents Breakfast of Champions'' (2015)
* ''DJ Yoda presents Breakfast of Champions (Rotty Chimes Remixes)'' (2016)
* ''The Stranger Things Mixtape'' (2016)
* ''Make Mixtapes Great Again'' (2019)
* ''How to Cut and Paste Collection'' (2019)
Vinyl
* ''Piano Breaks (1998)''
* ''Home Cooking (2019)''
Cassette
* ''Jewbonics (1998)''
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Jews Paid'' (1999)
* ''Dan Greenpeace & DJ Yoda – Jews Paid Too'' (1999)
Compositions
* ''Quid Control 2" vinyl' (Antidote Records) (2002)
* ''The Amazing Adventures Of'' (Antidote Records) (2006)
Video game appearances
* ''DJ Hero
''DJ Hero'' is a music video game, developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision as a rhythm game spin-off of the ''Guitar Hero'' franchise. It was released on October 27, 2009 in North America and on October 29, 2009 in Europe. The ga ...
''
DVDs
* ''DJ Yoda Goes to the Movies'' (promotional DVD, 2006)
* ''DJ Yoda Goes to the Movies 2'' (2007)
References
External links
*
*
*
DJ Yoda at Antidote Records
DJ Yoda interview on ilikemusic.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yoda, DJ
Living people
British hip hop DJs
DJs from London
Alumni of the University of Warwick
People educated at Highgate School
Independent Music Awards winners
1977 births