If you’re a mixtape fan or follow the underground hip hop scene, the name Buddy Peace might be a familiar one. London resident Nick Budd has been quietly carving a name for himself with a series of handmade mixes that feature MPC sampler edits alongside more traditional turntablism.
In 2003, whilst working at Banquet Records, he formed a formidable partnership with Dylan Richards aka ZILLA. The result was A Friendly Game of Chess - a cut and paste masterpiece that successfully blended a barrage of musical styles and spoken word samples into something truly original. The buzz created by this mix, along with residencies at nights like Shoreditch’s Wheels Instead of Hooves and a main stage slot at the Dedbeat Festival caught the attention of Warp Records and the pair were given the honour of reconstructing their back catalogue for the Warp Vision DVD release.
His reputation as one of London’s finest DJs continued to grow and a position as Lex Records resident DJ resulted in performances at the European festival Sonar and a musical career highlight, providing DJ backing for hip-hop legend Prince Po (Organized Konfusion).
2006 saw the debut of Buddy Peace the producer, with his first solo material appearing on a label sampler for the AI offshoot SRL. Not pausing for breath, Buddy was soon commissioned by online store Boomkat to put together an exclusive release. The mix that followed, entitled A Crew Called Self, was a critically acclaimed patchwork of hip hop beats and accapellas, considered by many to be his finest work to date.
Word of his phenomenal mixtapes soon spread across the pond and resulted in call from Canadian based Bully Records. Turning his talents to their back catalogue, the resulting mix was released on an exclusive limited edition 7”. Capitalising on this exposure, he self-released a beautifully packaged collaboration with Canadian producer Carlo Cossette under the name The Commonwealth Kids.
His production skills continued to grow and this was reflected in a Subtle (Lex Records) remix competition victory, being asked to remix Bracken (Anticon) and slots on compilations released by 2600 Recordings and The Secret Life of Sound. During this period Buddy had begun work on what he considered his definitive mixtape statement, compiling nearly a years worth of edits, remixes and studio production. The result was the truly stunning Wolf Diesel Mountain (Last.fm, 2010).
About Buddy Peace
written by Sage Francis
Depending on how far he wants to take this, Buddy Peace has earned a lifelong position as SFR’s resident remix/scratch/mixtape DJ. His talents don’t end there, but that is how we were introduced to him. SFR now has the honor of releasing the first official Buddy Peace digital album, “Late Model Sedan.”
Time and time again Buddy volunteered his DJ services to our projects and every single time he threw the fuck down. Hard. Whether contributing to a remix contest, a mega-mix, or a self-produced CD with hand-written artwork (meticulously detailed), Buddy Peace always went above and beyond the call of duty. Case in point, feel free to download his “Holy Chrome” EP on SFR’s digital store. It’s new, it’s free, and it’s just a taste of what he’s bringing to the table in 2009. For further evidence, check out his handiwork on the new B. Dolan mixtape, “House of Bees Vol. 1.”
I first met Buddy Peace in London, England (his hometown) around 2004. His demeanor was ultra humble. I was like, “Wha? Come on, fool. This ain’t real. You’re motherfucking BUDDY PEACE! When you shake my hand I want it to hurt.” It’s almost as if he doesn’t really know that he’s as great as he is. And that’s probably true, which makes him even more awesomer. Bearded, lanky, smiley and nasty as hell on the decks.
Everything that Buddy Peace does displays a great knowledge and understanding of hip-hop in all its incarnations. Old school, new school, whatever…there’s great expansive knowledge there and he utilizes it well. His love for music doesn’t stop at hip-hop though. As with most crate diggers, and as anyone who has followed his career knows, his contributions to hip-hop are the result of understanding what’s great about all genres of music and MAKING them hip-hop.
Buddy Peace has put in some serious work over the years, doing DJ gigs around the world and playing some of Europe’s biggest festivals. Some of his most notable efforts as of recent include the beats he did on Buck 65’s “Dirtbike” trilogy, DJing for Prince Po on tour, and contributing remix work for labels like Warp Records, anticon and Needlework.
Currently, Buddy Peace is helping out with various SFR projects, including my “Sick of Wasting” CD and B. Dolan’s “Fallen House, Sunken City” album. You can also hear a contribution of his on our free download of the SFR posse cut “Sea Legs” on my “Sick of Wasting” mixtape at www.StrangeFamous.com (Francis).
You can listen to Buddy Peace's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Buddy+Peace
Released Albums:
Buddy Peace - Wolf Diesel Mountain
Buddy Peace - Late Model Sedan
Reference:
(2010). Buddy Peace. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Buddy+Peace
Francis, S. Buddy Peace. Strange Famous Records. Retrieved from
http://www.strangefamousrecords.com/buddy-peace/
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