INTRODUCING NEW BRAND ‘DIGGERS’

Posted on April 17, 2014 by prittkalsi

To mark Record Store day may I introduce you to my all new Brand ‘DIGGERS’. Apparel for lovers of digging in those crates.

Diggers will be the parent name of my clothing line. King of the beats Clothing falls under the banner of DIGGERS APPAREL. Over the past year along side my long time creative brother Chris Malbon who I went to school with looked at the items I was selling on the site, concluding we was well out of touch.

After a few brain storming sessions and meeting with local family based printers AM Screenprint. Together we was able to develop and improve our product.

On my mission to head back to NYC we created a new range to support the film ‘looking for the perfect beat’. Although we sold a few items, I didn’t expect for miracles to happen over night. I’m in it for the long hall and I firmly believe in the product. We have great story and history within this scene.

On a personal note, I get to spend a bit more time hanging out with my mother who is ever so proud to show me her sewing skills, giving me ideas on what I can do.

Seriously with so many brands out there, I wanted not to compete but lead creatively, where I don’t have a budget to go into mass production I must make up with for it with ideas and real history within this culture of Hip Hop.

So here it is, I have created the DIGGERS Boot. No more corporate kicks for me. I will have to just wear what I got left in my collection. For my self I want to have some fun with product.

This is sales pitch.. The boot costs £100, it comes with a DIGGERS BRANDED Sweat shirt only available with the boot plus a Diggers 45’. A breakbeat or groove dug out by yours truly and sometimes some very special guests. If that’s not a cosmic idea I don’t know what is.

Diamond D’s first Single from the Album ‘Diam Piece’

Today marked the release of the lead single from the album Diam Piece from one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. D.I.T.C legend Diamond D.

The reason Im posting this, firstly because this is album that brought me and Diamond together on my first official piece for the man. I created the artwork for the new album. Alongside Diamond we came up with the cover.

check out the new video, you will not be disappointed.

The things that are very special.

Posted on March 29, 2014 by prittkalsi

Today i received this pic, it really made my day. Legendary Grandmaster DJ Disk from the Invisible Skratch Piklz had framed one of my pieces and hung it in prime position in his recording studio.

Why this made my day was that Disk is someone that i believe is borderline Genius, someone who from a very early age and where going back to the late 70s had this vision of a DJ, I have seen sketches he did as a kid, one turntable and mixer, this was long before he got turntables. He then went on to become a DJ, but unlike most DJ’s he focused on the one turntable and this new thing called scratching. Along side his crew the Sratch Piklz took scratching to new heights, somewhere i think to this day no body has still come close. They developed innovated styles, creatives will always create. Beyond that me and Disk kept a great friendship. We would talk over and still talk over ideas, concepts, here is someone that i can bounce off, and him likewise.

He is a serious record collector, very in tune with me and my older brother. He surrounds him self with art and creative things. We all had our up and downs and came out bigger men and we are still here.

One great memory was that Disk had been telling me about his band ‘Tabla Beat Science’. So I checked them out, my cousin who plays Tabla also checked them out, He was like ‘Pritt that guy is incredible, I can not do that, his level is a master of it’. So i spoke to my father who is 70 plus years who once tried learning how to play them. He broke it down to me, that you learn by a language not music sheet. So I asked him who is the best in the world? his answer was Zakir Hussain, who was playing Tabla in the band non other than Zakir Hussain.

Although we are thousands of mile apart, Diamond D said to me, its really about people who you keep in your circle. So to see my Star Wars piece hanging in this mans studio. It means a lot to me as this one artist recognizing another, in my world that speaks volumes.

Pritt

How my ideas usually start.

Earlier in the week I started work on a new t-shirt idea. Inspired by the 60’s and 70’s poster artwork that was popular in the San Fan, Bay area.

Long before i ever knew about Hip Hop, my house was the home of psychedelic music and art thanks to my older brother and sister. Anyhow recently I saw a poster that I wanted to try recreate, but now to have a little hip hop flavor to it.

The original sketch featured names from the upcoming film ‘looking for the perfect beat’. I posted it on facebook to only get a lot of private messages ‘Pritt, where is my name?’. So yesterday my brother Kool Keithee McKenzie visited me to shoot my whilst sketching out a new idea. 3 years ago I got this slider for my camera, but I haven’t had a chance to use it. I picked up 2 tripods the other day from ebay, so this was the perfect opportunity to have a play.

In between editing my film this is how i spend my time now. either cutting up records or doodling. So here you go, this is quick look at how I usually work, and develop my ideas into a final product.

The poster features the names of artists who have always had my back and to this day stay in touch and support my work, if i missed anyone I’m sorry. I just ran out of paper.

Behind the scenes – Tha 4orce. Good Guys Never Win

Shot straight after completing the video for ‘Good Guys Never Win’ by ‘Tha 4orce’. Myself, Steven Ellington (tha 4orce) and Andy Higgs sat down to reflect on the days going on.

This video was done on a zero budget, but as Tha 4orce is part of the team we came together to try do something different.

The video features Andy Higgs, hailing from South London. He has established his name as an up and coming photographer and videographer. He was also part of the team that headed out to NYC last year to work with me on the King of the Beats film ‘Looking for the Perfect Beat’.

It was a nice day. The sun came out. We was able to shoot, edit and upload the video in a day. Here is our take on the days goings on. enjoy

THA 4ORCE – GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN FROM SETTING STANDARDS DELUXE EDITION ON KING OF THE BEATS

Today I’m proud to drop this video. My Partner in King of The Beats Records Tha 4orce, Steven Ellington had been talking to me about making a trip to the Midlands to pay me a visit.

The Plan was to watch the Edits for the Film ‘Looking for the Perfect Beat’. Discuss and plan our return trip to NYC to complete the movie. Instead we ended up shooting 3 videos.

The first was a video promo geared towards promoting his radio show. Mind Tha Gap Radio is a monthly show dedicated toward new music only. My part in the show is minimal. I helped plan and design the site . To Motivate and be there spiritually behind the scenes.

The second is a video for the song – Good Guys Never Win taken from the Album Setting Standards the Deluxe Edition, the new vocal version produced and featuring Tha 4orce.

Shot on location in Birmingham City we started out sunrise this morning 01.03.2014 without much of a plan. The only idea we had was to make sure the main character would be walking somewhere. Unfortunately things did not work out to plan, the footage just did not come out to plan. So we went back to our old format of stand and rap infront of the camera. We shot 7 scenes returning back to Redditch to start Editing.

We put together a tidy video, but personally it lacked any spark. I felt it needed another layer and that we need to step our game up.

Thankfully Andy Higgs arrived at my place traveling 150 miles to join us on today’s project. We had a open discussion where I aired where I felt the video needed to go, and what I wanted to do. I had mentioned this to Steven earlier the day before.

Im not a fan of Pharrel Williams but I can not say that I do not really admire his work, vision on his Happy single. The video blew me away. I could see that this was going to be a big thing internet not just for its high spirited lyrics, topic and drum patterns, but the video concept. Bringing people together no matter their race, gender, sexuality, size, age or dancing ability. I could that this was going to be a internet sensation with people, groups all over the world being inspired to shoot their own versions of the song. He has lifted the spirits of the people like no president has ever done. its been a week already and look at how many global covers there are, even northen soul versions of the song.

I wanted to do my own spin on that, but unlike the videos that you see from Japan, Russia, Italy and Australia this would be like the answer record, not a diss version but the opposite to happy, Tha 4orce had written a very personal story, expressing his frustrations that many like us feel, how good guys grinding hard always seem to loose out. Hence the opposite to the Happy song by Pharrel.

Andy Higgs after watching the Pharrel Video at my house for the first time suggested that I sit in the back of his van with the doors open and shoot Steve walking around. We would get the smooth shot and maybe we will capture some magic. Steve said that we can do 2 takes, that he would rhyme ever other line and that we edit the 2 scenes together. We did one take of him rhyming the lines as we drove around Winyates shooting.

Returning to my house after 30 mins, I started to put a new video together. We got the magic, adding the element of a story or character to the video. Collectively we sat together as I edited the video. I must say Im very pleased with the outcome. Although we are based here, im very proud to have some great and creative people around me.

As I keep telling these guys at this age this is what I love to do, to be and continue being creative is something I strive and enjoy being / doing. In Rakims words..’I aint not joke’. Thank for your support enjoy our new video, directed by yours truly.

Introducing Julie Schabel.

Posted on February 26, 2014 by prittkalsi

I would like to take the time out firstly to say thank you to the first videographer to contact me and contribute some footage towards the upcoming film ‘KING OF THE BEATS – LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT BEAT’. Julie Schabel hailing from Cleveland was introduced to me by Marlon Williams, one of the main characters in the film. I had put a post up asking for film makers, photographers if they could help by contributing some footage towards the project. Street shots of NYC, Sky Lines and urban symbols and architecture. Marlon recommended that I should get in touch with his friend.

Whilst we was out in NYC last year we didn’t have much time to capture these shots. I thought in preparation for my next and final trip to NYC to shoot for this film this would be a great way of collecting vital footage and also getting people involved at a very grassroots level. For the last 20 so years Ive been plugging away at building a reputation within the hip hop community as a film maker and activist. This is the largest project I have ever taken on. If you measure success on how much money you made then Ive not been very successful. Now into my 40s I can think back to when i was in my early 20s and started making my films and going into NYC shooting. I still feel I have the very same energy and hunger I did back then, but the reality is that time is working against me, so maybe getting a bit of help is not a bad thing.

Hip Hop Culture was always about the underdog to me, that is the story. The one all the odds are stacked up against, but comes out on top. Hence I’m talking about the battle. the challenge I have always faced is that I did everything my self. Im still hungry and I desire to show others that you can take out all these other corporate funded projects through sheer hard work and determination. This is not a funded project, So far its been very organic, funded by my self and those who supported it believing in me so much so they payed their own way to come out to NYC to shoot this film.

I’m very grateful that there are people like Marlon and Julie who can see the bigger picture. Julie her self has been involved in film for some time too. This is what she had to say about her self.

‘I got into music photography in high school when all my friends were in punk bands in Cleveland. I would go to shows with my little cameras (mostly disposable or cheap digital ones I managed to get my hands on) and shoot the shows and my friends at the shows. In college in Chicago I started going to the ghetto house/juke party’s and came up when Cool Kids, Flosstradamus and Kid Sister were doing mad shows and throwing parties. I was really influenced by that but wasn’t really going out to shoot at the time, I just have some shitty cell phone pics of parties at sub-t and Town Hall. I started to take music photography seriously when I went to NYC for CMJ in 2011 where I shot ASAP, Danny Brown, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, Main Attrakionz, all artists I continue to work with today. We were all just breaking ground that year and its been cool to see how we all grown in this industry. Now I am shooting videos for artists, working with a few production companies and doing freelance coverage of events and shows related to hip hop and electronic music primarily’.

If you feel that you would like to donate or contribute some footage towards the project, feel free to contact me below.

Calling Videographers in the NYC / Toronto Area

Calling all film makers / videographers, Im looking for your kean filmmakers who would like to contribute some footage towards the film ‘King of the Beats –Looking for the Perfect Beat’.

April last year the crew went over to nyc to start shooting the film conducting interviews. 8am start, finishing 3am. Running out of time we couldn’t take the time out to do the New York /Toronto scenery shots that we liked to.

If you would like to contribute towards the film and take some shots of NYC / Toronto, which would be used exclusively only for this project please feel free to get in touch.

This is non-paid project, but your contribution will get credited. I have added a link below for some of the shots we are looking at. Areas that would be ideal to get shots off, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Toronto (city). Skylines, busy streets, buildings, signs, shopfronts. Traffic, people.

Footage must be H.D. Steady, it does not have to be edited. 10 second shots, unless your doing time lapse.

If you would like further info please feel free to contact me.

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Brand New King of the Beats Jackets and Hats.

Posted on January 29, 2014 by prittkalsi

I’m back on the campaign to raise the money to finish this film. Looking for the Perfect beat. This is a Kickstarter campaign where you get something in return for your investment.

KOTB would like to proudly release our all-new varsity jackets. The official stamp from the original challenge, created and found by Pritt Kalsi almost 20 years ago

King of the beats has grown and stands for the culture of digging for records, the preservation of vinyl and hip hop music. Through films, events, workshops King of the beats has traveled far and wide spreading its message and planting its seed. This was a labor of love. For the last Year Ive been working on my new film along side Jazzy Jay and JFK Aman, with the help of Film Crew Steven Ellington and Andy Higgs we have been really working hard unfunded to make an epic piece.

If you are passionate about this music and culture. Collecting records, making beats, sampling and drum machines please show your support. 2014 looks like a very promising year. Hopefully dropping the new film alongside new events plus the relaunch of the record label. Unlike the ‘legenday grandmaster Jay and the many other fakes this is the real deal for people who are the real deal.

Pritt Kalsi

My Mother Mrs Kalsi has a go at sampling

Christmas Eve 2013 my mother suffered a minor heart attack. Since being released from Hospital she has took it upon her self to get closer to her children. Likewise I’m trying t spend more time with my parents as they are not getting any younger and time is very precious.

My father recently took up oil painting, something that he wanted to do as a child, but in those days totally unacceptable. Mom on the other hand she’s interested in her thing textiles and cooking. Many a time prior to her getting sick they would be calling me to see i wanted to go here or there, my usual response is that Im too busy.

Saturday 11.01.14 she decided to come over to mine and see and experience the things I spend my time doing. I thought it would be fun to make some music. For those that may of seen the 2011 King of The Beats Documentary would of seen her talking about records. After arriving in the UK in 60’s. Many Asian rather then going out would pass time either watching films or listening to music, old Indian soundtracks. My mother collected those records. Something me and my brothers continued to do to this day.

Here is a video from that day. Although i picked the samples she did all the work with my guidance. Operating the Mashine her self. Chopping the samples and arranging them. playing around with EQ to tune sounds she did her self.

What i love about this video is that we often under estimate older people and their understanding and even knowledge of the things we do. Living in the same house as me and my bothers for 20 years she had to put up with us making noise, with our turntables and cassette tapes and drum machines. I think in her subconscious she grasped and had a little understanding of the music.

This video is testament that no matter what your age is, that put your mind to something you can do it, and do it right. This video means a lot to me. She will be turning 70 this year, I would like to share it with friends, family and those that really understand the culture, concept and artistry behind sample based music.