One of the more underrated producers and DJs in the West Coast, KutMasta Kurt initially made a name working with Kool Keith, during which time he first donned his trademark Mexican wrestling mask. Kurt (b. Kurt Matlin) had been DJing in the Bay Area since the mid-'80s, getting his start as a teenager on a Santa Cruz community radio station. In 1988, he moved on to the Stanford University college station, and also mixed live at events & frat parties around Stanford, and the University of California-Santa Cruz campuses. As his reputation grew, local MCs began to approach him about producing tracks, and he bought some basic studio equipment and taught himself to use it. After a few remixes for the likes of Tim Dog, Buju Banton, Mic Geronimo, and Tung Twista (now know as just Twista) along with a few small independent releases, Kurt's friendship with the groundbreaking, underappreciated Ultramagnetic MC's paid off when, in 1994, ex-leader Kool Keith tapped Kurt to handle DJ and production duties for his new solo career. Kurt produced the lead tracks on Keith's landmark Dr. Octagon album, and their first full project together was 1997's Sex Style, the first album released under Keith's own name. Kurt also helmed Keith's album as Dr. Dooom, 1999's First Come, First Served, worked behind the scenes on 1999's Ruffhouse/Sony Records Black Elvis album, and 2000's Matthew.
Spring of 2000 saw the duo as an opener on a 16 show leg for The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication Tour also featuring the Foo Fighters. By the time the Matthew album was released, Kurt had begun to excel at building his own career apart from Keith. He had already provided remixes and production for the likes of the Beastie Boys, Planet Asia, Rasco, DJ Spooky, Luscious Jackson, Buffalo Daughter, and Blackalicious, among others. He also formed his own label, Threshold, and in 2000 released the full-length album KutMasta Kurt Presents: Masters of Illusion, a collaborative and conceptual project that featured Kool Keith and Bay Are Rhyme Bomber MC Motion Man. At this juncture Kurt also needed to put His relationship with Keith on hold for a few years, and as a result Kurt's career was actually ratcheted up a few notches thanks to his production of Dilated Peoples' 2000 breakthrough single, Work the Angles. He soon went on to work with Hieroglyphics members Souls of Mischief and Del The Funkee Homosapien, As well as The Pharcyde (on the National Cali Comm Tours in 2001 and 2002) and did a high-profile remix for nu-metal band Linkin Park's smash single In the End in 2002. That same year, he also produced Motion Man's well-received solo debut, Clearing the Field which featured, guest appearances by E-40, Planet Asia, and of course Kool Keith. Kurt was a busy man in 2004, releasing Diesel Truckers back with his man Keith and his own, career-spanning compilation Redneck Games on Waxploitation which included some of his greatest and also some rare and prized musical gems.
In 2006 Kurt and Motion Man brought the heat with Motion Man's sophomore release Pablito's way. The lead single One Time For Your Mind had a great video clip that was added to MTVU with guest rapper Gift Of Gab from Blackalicious. The Album featured, other guests such as Too $hort, DJ Qbert and of course Kool Keith.
in late 2007 Kurt released the amazing album Sex Style Unreleased Archives. These vintage recordings spanned from '93-'95 and feature Kool Keith at his prime during the Dr Octagon and Sex Style Era, And of course Kurt's tracks never skip a beat. A limited edition and individually serialized release, it caused a bit of a commotion at retail and over the internet, as fans frantically sought to stake claims to their copy before they were no longer in print.
January 2008 Kurt received co-billing, and toured Australia and New Zealand with Kool Keith on the Big Day Out Festival (Bjork and Rage Against The Machine Headlined) along with a string of sold out side shows.
Later in the year, Keith and Kurt found it necessary to bring back the Dr. Dooom character to assinate Dr. Octagon (once and for all?) due to the 2006 release of The Return Of Dr. Octagon unde dubious circumstance...Dr. Dooom2.
The following 2009 US Tour had many packed dates, including sellouts in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, SF, Austin, and more. The Dynamic Duo recently returned from touring this summer in Japan, where Kurt premiered his additional VJing elements into the Set for the first time, that has taken the show up a notch and to another level.
Kurt, dope video for RIP Dr. Octagon. I was there will yall freezin' my ballz off! W/ Pimpin Rex & Denis & the camera crew just havin' fun in the canyons. Was well worth it fam. Came out dope as hell. 1 ~Fil "Proph"
Umm... Get Keef & Paul in the studio... You need to make MOI 2 already! Seriously... Right now ps... dope new profile pic... looks like a John Deere 4020 with forks!
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