Domino Effect
King of Prussia isn't exactly an area that can be crowned or classified as a breeding ground for Hip Hop. Despite this, Chris aka DJ CCx has latched on and ran with his passion for the culture. Born and raised in the Philadelphia suburb, Chris graduated from Upper Merion High School in 1997. During his education, he wasn't musically inclined, "I tried to play drums in the 5th grade, but that didn't work." CCx's first exposure to Hip Hop came in the form of gangsta rap, "My boy had an Easy E tape that started me off." Since he was not surrounded by the portrayal of gangsta rap, he gravitated towards it out of curiosity and the instant attraction to the genre. He began to fall in love with the fundamentals of the lyrics, beats, and representation of life. Once he heard artists like The Fresh Prince, Rob Base, RUN DMC and Public Enemy on the radio, he found out that Hip Hop music comes in all forms. In addition, he noticed that music he considered worthy and substantial wasn't getting exposure to the masses. That was a driving force on his choice to put out mixtapes.

Recently, his creative talent has birthed a mixtape called QUALITY, Vol 1. It includes tracks from The Masters, Jazzy Jeff featuring Slum Village, Thee Phantom, and Digs Darklighter. If you don't own this, you're missing out. Did I mention that QUALITY Vol.1 is free of charge to people in the Philadelphia area? Even better! It's also being sold at most major Hip Hop outlets such as undergroundhiphop.com. His first mixtape was released earlier this year entitled SOUND RECORDER Vol. 2. Be on the lookout for QUALITY Vol. 2 to be released in a few weeks. CCx has ties in the electronic music scene, and is trying to incorporate that with Hip Hop, which some classify as Abstract Hip Hop. Good music is good music, so bring it on! CCx has linked up with Jayson Ducketts to form Cued Up Productions. Between the two up and coming Hip Hop DJ's, you can believe we will be experiencing some grooves that will keep the head nodding. The talent of CCx stretches far beyond mixtapes. He is a moderator, contributing writer and photographer for PhillyHipHop.com, as well as a member of the Greater Philadelphia Hip Hop Alliance. Whew! Just talking to him makes me tired, but it's a glimpse into the world of someone who is ready to grow on every level.

Hey Mr. DJ
It's rare to find someone who doesn't think or claim they are the best, especially in Hip Hop. CCx is an exception, "In my work, I'm never trying to pull wool over anyone's eyes." Criticism to him is just motivation. "If I don't have certain skills, I'll fix that and come back and see you." Taking steps to strengthen himself and his craft is high on his priority list. The lurking cloud over Philly Hip Hop seems to be one that CCx believes is partially due to our neighboring city of New York. "Philly needs to worry about Philly and represent this city for what it is. We should put investment into being a good culture." According to CCx, we have so much dope talent that we should support. In that bunch, he includes The Arrakis Squad, 40th Dimension, The Flight Brothers, Prophets Of The Ghetto., Reef and Adlib. He also has some suggestions to fixing the current state of commercial representation of Hip Hop, "We should go on strike like baseball, and start from scratch. MTV and FM Radio are overdone and I don't get down with none of them." See, my issue isn't with the artists that are on the mainstream path, it's the disrespect shown to those that are making better music than them." We'll save that for the time and the place.

Right Mindset
CCx is someone who wants to positively create, spread and participate in Philly Hip Hop. Just about every show I've attended, CCx has been there. He plays and spins local underground artists, and has notoriety for actually buying the wax instead of asking a label to cough it up for free. Don't smirk; you know you are guilty for trying to get something for nothing! Between the tolls, the cover charges, drinks, and music, CCx puts his share of money into Philly Hip Hop. It isn't about that; it's simply about the love. Behind every good man, there is a good woman, and CCx has been fortunate enough to find someone that understands what he does, and is real supportive, "I'll get married eventually." In the meantime, he's concentrating on putting out mixtapes, and collaborating with anyone who is down to make things happen. He admits, "Right now, if music paid as much as my 9-5, I'd do it full time." He doesn't get paid a lot for gigs, but it's what he likes to do, so the sacrificing is seen as a requirement, not an obstacle. Like his 11 tattoos, CCx's place in the underground is permanent, based on the qualities he brings to the table. There's no hidden agenda, no hidden meaning. In this business, genuine people are rare. Hip Hop is big enough to be inclusive of all styles, people, and environments. Although he wasn't set out to prove anything to anyone, CCx has shown us all that his love for Hip Hop is strong, true and ongoing. What else could we ask for?

Article by Deesha Dyer
PhillyHipHop.com
October, 2002