Daddy Kev

Occupation(s)Years active1998–presentLabelsWebsitewww.alphapuprecords.com

Kevin Marques Moo^[1] (born 1974),^[2] better known by his stage name Daddy Kev, is an American DJ,^[3] Grammy Award-winning audio engineer,^[4] record producer and executive from Los Angeles, California.^[5] He is the owner of Alpha Pup Records^[6] and the founder of Low End Theory.^[7] As an audio engineer, Daddy Kev has mixed and mastered albums by Flying Lotus,^[8] Thundercat,^[9] Kamasi Washington,^[10] and Leon Bridges.^[11]

Early life

Daddy Kev was born and raised in the Harbor City neighborhood of Los Angeles.^[12] As a child, he played piano and trumpet.^[13] At the age of 13, he started playing turntables.^[13] He graduated from Narbonne High School.^[13] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from University of California, San Diego.^[14]

Career

In 2001, Daddy Kev released an EP, Lost Angels, on Celestial Recordings. It featured guest appearances from the rappers Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Busdriver, Awol One, and Circus.^[15][16] In that year, he also released Souldoubt, a collaborative album with Awol One, on Meanstreet Records.^[17][18] Another collaborative album with Awol One, titled Slanguage, was released on Mush Records in 2003.^[19] 2004 brought Busdriver's Cosmic Cleavage, which was produced entirely by Daddy Kev and released on Big Dada.^[20]

In 2006, he founded the weekly Low End Theory club night at the Airliner in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.^[21]

In 2012, he founded the studio Cosmic Zoo in Los Angeles along with the rapper Nocando.^[22]

At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2016, he was nominated for the Best Dance Recording award for mixing the Flying Lotus song "Never Catch Me" featuring Kendrick Lamar.^[23]

At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards held in 2021, he won the Best Progressive R&B Album award for mixing the Thundercat album It Is What It Is.^[24]

In July 2021, he started the weekly Scenario club night in Los Angeles, which showcases upcoming artists in the local scene.^[25]

In 2022, he self-published a book on audio engineering entitled Audio Dynamics: Compression Techniques for Modern Mixing and Mastering.^[26]

At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2023, he was nominated for the Best Historical Album award for mastering the Freestyle Fellowship album To Whom It May Concern....^[27]

Style and influences

Pitchfork called Daddy Kev "one of the Los Angeles underground's most visionary producers",^[28] while Fact called him "one of underground hip-hop's most respected engineers".^[29]

Discography

Studio albums

• Souldoubt (2001) (with Awol One)
• Number 3 on the Phone (2002) (with Awol One)
• Slanguage (2003) (with Awol One)
• Reefer (2008) (with Nicholas Thorburn, as Reefer)

EPs

• Lost Angels (2001)
• Sound Advice (2003) (with The Grouch and D-Styles)
• Killafornia (2005) (with Awol One)

Singles

• "Rhythm" (2001) (with Awol One)

Productions

• Phoenix Orion – "Scanners", "Millennium Fever", "Dead Men Don't Download", and "Blade Runner" from Zimulated Experiencez (1998)
• Supernatural – "Seven Minutes of Understanding" (1999)
• Alien Nation – "Unicron" (1999)
• Sole – "Famous Last Words" from Bottle of Humans (2000)
• Naptron – "Marvin Meets Seymour Frye Pt. I" (2000)
• Mikah 9 – "First Things Last" from Timetable (2001)
• Abstract Rude – "Frisbee" from P.A.I.N.T. (2001)
• Busdriver – "Mindcrossings", "Suing Sony", and "Single Cell Ego" from Temporary Forever (2002)
• Existereo – "Four Way Window Pain" from Dirty Deeds & Dead Flowers (2003)
• Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique – "Flow and Tell" from Showtyme (2003)
• Neila – "Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves" from Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves (2003)
• Busdriver and Radioinactive – "Winthorp & Winthorp" (2003)
• Existereo – "Same Breath" from Crush Groove (2004)
• The Shape Shifters – "Rockin' These Mics", "Kreye Inn", and "Futuristic" from Was Here (2004)
• Busdriver – Cosmic Cleavage (2004)
• Sage Francis – "Dance Monkey" from A Healthy Distrust (2005)
• Awol One – "Everything's Perfect" from The War of Art (2006)
• Subtitle – "Restructure/Reroute" from Terrain to Roam (2006)
• Acid Reign – "Too Kool for Skool" and "Here Comes Trouble" from Time & Change (2008)
• The Grouch – "Shero" from Show You the World (2008)

Select works mastered by Daddy Kev

2000s

2010s

2020s

Awards and nominations

Award	Year of ceremony	Nominee / work	Category	Result	Ref(s)
Grammy Awards	2016	Flying Lotus featuring Kendrick Lamar – "Never Catch Me"	Best Dance Recording	Nominated	[30][31]
	2021	Thundercat – It Is What It Is	Best Progressive R&B Album	Won	[32][33]
	2023	Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom It May Concern...	Best Historical Album	Nominated	[34]

References

External links

• Daddy Kev discography at Discogs
• Daddy Kev on X
• Daddy Kev on Instagram