Mister Ken Sport Aka Been There, Done That

Mass X Ken Sport:
I Contact The Man To Join The Corporation
For Blessing Us With A Lesson
He Told Me That He Don't Do Mixtape Anymore
But Blessed me With An Interview
Ken Sport Is A Man Who Definitly Understand The TRUE philosophy Of Hip Hop

can you introduce yourself to the readers who (most of )don't even know who you are(what a shame)?
where you from?

I'm from The Land Of The Rising Sun.

where did you get that name: the original shogun assassin?

My name "Ken Sport" was given by My Mentor & Soul Brother, Legendary Artist Clothing Designer "Alyasha", Peoples in the Industry know his name

(Alyasha Named and Designed "Phat Farm", "Mecca Usa", among others classic hip hop brands)


Some Of You might know a 70's Album called "Hustlers Convention" 's by lightnin' Rod
to me it's still one of the best albums of all times.
well on this album there is this song about a Character named"Sport" that's where ken sport came from actually


and Original Shogun Assassin came from the movie



how long have been in the game and more specifically in the crates diggin' game?:

I never been in no game.

It's my LIFE, I hate peoples playing games so I don't call it a game.
That's one of the reasons why Music Bizness is Wack and Screwed up!
Kids nowaday talking about game, game this, game that!
Play ur playstation or nintendo in ur Crib if you wanna play games!

To Me it all begans in the Early 90's when we started hang out at SOUL KITCHEN, one of the legendary Party of NYC.
(everyone who were involved in hip hop at that time would go to that party at S.O.B.)


When It Comes To Diggin' Life, I Take It more seriously.
It's a Journey of Discovery & Enjoying Good Music.

My everyday life was just diggin',diggin', diggin' in the 90's period!
I remember that I used to Rent a Car & Drove down to South just to dig
I will cross over the USA, Flew to CALI,do whatever it takes to get records
It Was All About Diggin'

Me & and my other Mentor "Dev Large"

(Who basically put me into Diggin' Life, He Taught me about Good Music, he is one of the best MC, Producer & DJ in Tokyo)
we Drove to Chicago & Michigan even in the Snow in the early 90's,we would go anywhere just to find records.

Once I dug up "Hustler's Convention" Original copy with Inner Sleeve mint condition for $5.00 at Detroit's Salvation Army!
and I found a mint copy of "JADE" in North Carolina.

Big up to MY otha Brotha ELI, HE Showed me all the secret spots from the south back in the 90's.

I Also used to hang out with my Partner in crime FUSION, he showed me many spots, and we used to go RECORD CONVENTIONS together
I would say HE has the Best Producer's Record Collection in EastCoast!
and of course DA DON BENI BRONCO (abb records) who has the Best West Coast collection.
we found a lots of stuff in South.

Also My Man Yasushi who taught me & gave me many Incredible Records! People in the Music BIZ know what i'm talking about......Yasushi collection is in Mint Condition!!!!!!!

I wanna give A Shoutout to All The Real Diggers :
Fusion, Beni B, SoulMan, Spinna, Dev Large, San, Yasushi, Bobbito, Stretch, Eli, Ski, Fanatic, Itruth, Tahleim, Marlon B, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Premier, Pete Rock, Amir, Beatnuts, Q TIP, DJ ELI.
Mad Props They are True real Diggers!

It Was Just About Diggin' For Us In The Nineties


when did you started doin'Your tapes, the 'original' serie who used to be available only in a few selected shops in new york, in sneakers shops like union and bobitto footwork i think ?
and what give you the idea to do this type of tape?

I started making Original mixtapes Naturally!
It Was All About Passion and Love of Music, Original Music, period
It was just between My friends and circle.
Back in early 90's I was a Clothing Buyer, Fashion Designer and met Soul Brothers like Alyasha, John Forte, Dj Itruth, Dj Tahlim, Eli, Ski, Fanatic, Bobbito, Stretch, Dj Marlon B, Dev Large, Yasushi, Dj Etcha Sketch, Joe(Former Union), Chris (Former Union), Camella, Jeff Staple, Lord Sear, Vaz, Eli Esco, Riggs, Dau Yi, Hawai Mike, Beni Bronco, then peoples started asking friends, on and on, and started to sell at our spots such as my Favorite Shop "UNION" Thanx to Marian.
and One of Best Koolest Spot in NYC ever Legendary "Bobbito's Footwork". Staple Design, and Japanese Best Records Stores "CISCO Music"
Thanx to Mr Sato & Mr Kajimura.

The Most important part of it, was that it was only for Cool People who loves music!

I had some offers from other Stores, distributions, but I didn't do it.
Nahhh I should say "Fuck You!"

I always liked the idea to produce Limited series from the beginning,
I didn't started this ,Because i wanted to make money out of it,
I understand that it's all about the money nowadays,
But To Me it Has Ever Been about Art, Music
The LOVE of music


how many records do you own (if you're still able to count them)?

I'm not sure of How many records I own.
But I used to own a lots, lots of records, and I sold a lots of them in late 90's and early 2000, at Bobbito's Footwork,(most of The Used Records Sold in the store were from my Collection). also some friend sold a lot of them for me on internet.

It's not about how many records you own, it's about quality of music, and what you like,
You might have Zillion Records but most of them are Ceap!
or you have a few Thousands records and ALL are Good Music & in MINT condition!
everyone has a different collection, it's all about your style.
and Endless Music!


you're still in contact with dj fusion another pioneer in the original breaks mixtape game,
do you stay in touch with any other fellow djs
like soulman (another true pioneer)?

Of course I'm Still In Touch with my partner Fusion,

we were talking about doin' The next Come Into Knowledge Mixed Cd.
(volume 4)

Oh Soulman...
He is the Original Mixtape King!

I would definitly say he is The Real True Pioneer & King of Diggin' Original!


what do you think of muro claiming to be the king of diggin'?

Muro is A Super Star in Japan, and Also A Great Businessman.


what's up with the japanese and the crates diggin' madness?
even some of your tapes are still on sale in japan on yahoo auction?

I have no idea about that.
is someone sellin' my tapes on Auction? Let me know about that!!@#$%^&*



what is your favorite record of all time (you can name Five if it's too hard to pick up one)

No Question,
Any James Brown Record
All Roy Ayers
All Quincy Jones
All Curtis Mayfield
All Donny Hathaway
All Kool & The Gang
All Barry White
Hustlers Convention
All Marvin Gaye
All Dewolfe
All KPM
All Bruton
Dr Dré
Jay-Z
Anthony Hamilton
Scarface
Gang Starr
D.I.T.C.
Pete Rock
D.P.G.
Stevie Wonder
Ahmad Jamal
Leon Ware
Bob James
Cal Tjader
There are way Too many!
I could Continue Like This For Ever
I Just Love Music


what is the weirdest place you ve ever been to buy records?

I went to The Illest Places to Buy Records All over the USA,
Crack Head House,
Storage in the Middle of Nowhere at Night,
No Light , Can't see anything, but Diggin', Keep Diggin'
that was somewhere in Virginia? or Washington?
oh And also One of DOLO Record's Dealer in Maryland.
his Basement was like Our Drug Store!

Have you been selling records to producers, And If Yes can you name us a few of your buyers?

I don't really sell Records to producers,
but I hook 'em up on a lot of Samples.
Trade it, or somethin', I Used to take Hot Samples from my Jersey City APT to SKI's Crib in BK Everyday,

when i was working with him for ROC A BLOK RECORDS.
and SKI would chop them up and put it together.
He showed me a lot of things about Music Equipment and Producing Music.

but The First Person to teach me how to use The MPC60 was My Brother JOHN FORTE



how did you hook up with jeff staple for the original future tracks mixes?




Jeff Staple is a Great guy & Genius Business Man in Fashion Bizness.
I don't remember how i met him, but I know him for a long time,
he used to come around, when i was working at 555soul store as A Store Manager in The 90's.
and we started some Tees first and at that time time I talked to him of my idea of makin hot tapes and we just made it happen.


Staple Prescription One
Staple Prescription Two

but my first collabo mixtapes was with UNION,

Union Mix Part One
Union Mix Part Two
YOU MUST DOWNLOAD TH TWO PARTS TO GET THE WHOLE MIX

and The First mixed cd was with Mecca USA.



what's the present and futur of ken sport aka kenneth de wolfe ?
how does it goes now that you re a producer?

I'm working on some new project for my friends.


your mixes are still available (well some of them) in secret spots on the internet,
you're the most mysterious of all the djs,
it s like nobody really knows your face
it s almost impossible to googlize you (unless you speak japanese)
but still for the crates mix lover like me you're definitly a legend how do you feel about that?

I should be mysterious or whatever.

why you have to be famous?
what's the point? I just live my life & do what i do,
and love music, if peoples know me that's good,
but i don't care how many peoples know me or how famous i am...

It's Just About Good Music & cool Peoples around, Living The Good Life is the only thing that matters to me.

and Let me know who is selling my tapes on internet?
where and what site?
I should know them right???

do you think you ll ever quit diggin for records?

I haven't diggin as much as i used to nowadays, but
i will be diggin' till i Die for sure!
Why?
Because I LOVE MUSIC!

One Last Word?

Peace to all SOUL BROTHERS!

Day 5 : Originals not Counterfeit

ken sport started workin' in clothing business
for brands like triple five soul among others
so he definitly understand the meaning of originals


the interview is almost finished
and for any true hip hop activist
you'll get a fresh spicy slice of true fresh hip hop
No Additives No Preservatives

But since i'm busy,
today you just get lucky enough to get your hands on another of those precious tapes
number 37 to be precise

Part One
Part Two
You MUST Download The Two Parts To Get The Whole Cassette


Do You Feel This Original Insanity
Just can't get enough of this funky stuff

Day 4 : Trick Or Treats

Today Is Halloween Day
I Leave Up To You
It's All About Trick Or Treats

On One Side You'll Find Treats With another ken sport gem
ORIGINAL 35
Again one hour 30 minutes of incredible breaks

on The Other Side what it's gonna be?
a Bad sneaky virus for your computer?
some country music mixtape?

Just one clue it's Ugly, supa ugly

we'll you be strong enough to challenge me

many links
but only two of those are good
others are super evilish

Trick Or Treats

Trick or treats
Trick or treats
Trick or treats
Trick or treats
Trick or treats
Trick or treats
You MUST Download The Two Parts To Get The Whole Cassette

You Can Hate me now, But I Won't Stop Now...
Happy Halloween Kids

Day 3 : For Your Listening Pleasure

A Little More Than 90 mns
Again With This Original
Number 34 straight from 2002
how many original records ken have
this is never over
incredible
Part One
Part Two
You MUST Download The Two Parts To Get The Whole Cassette

More Tomorrow
and ken sport interview should be online at the end of the week
for those of you who still don't get it you'll see how much hip hop means to the original shogun

ask bobbito aka mister cucumber slice,
the man who defines hip hop by himself
or any hip hop activist of new york in the 90's

Day 2 : Do You Know What Is A Mixtape?

In The Term Mixtape
You Can Find the term MIX which means it's mixed
most often by a Disc Jockey

and the Word TAPE
which means it's on tape, on cassette


yes before cds there was tape,
everywhere tapes tapes tapes,
even before people start thinkin "i could get money out of this tape",
Djs Used to do tapes for their friends,
Friends who may spread them to their block
then their friend's block copy those tapes to other friend's block and so on
so some tapes could spread real fast like virus
no proper artwork or design
just an old recordable tape with
sometimes something written on it
sometimes a graffiti from a friend of the dj
but definitly no cover

and at that time nobody was concerned about
what's the name of this track
who's playing this one
it was just for listening pleasure
enjoying music with your ears
cause you don't have enough money to buy records
or you don't know which records to buy

so a good mixtape is all about the taste
of the dj who precisely made that tape

Ken Sport is a man of great taste for sure
this guy loves to play the originals
strictly the originals
only the originals
and he got tons of originals

so like anyone else he used to do tapes for his friends only
who copy them to some friends ...
then everybody was asking him tapes
more tapes,
we need your tapes,
we want your tapes!

that's when he hooked up
with the legendary Union shop in SoHo,


The Now Closed 'bobbito's footwork' in the East Village


Cisco Records In Shibuya
the district of tokyo where you can get all the records you re dreamin' of


and Staple design

where he will later produce a serie of mixtape and cds
for the super hype brand

Some Places definitly affiliated with hip hop
those shops are HIP HOP actually

then others shops wanted to get their hands on those precious tapes
but ken didn't do this for the love of cash like many others
so he gently said something like
'fuck off I'm Only Selllin' to my people'

Limited is the best way
I mean,Hip Hop Is All About limited edition
limited sneakers
limited gears
limited give you the feeling that you're part of something

That's Why Those Tapes Are in a way Legendary...

So Now That You Know A Little Bit more about the Original Shogun Assassin
You get blessed with original number 33 released in 2002
1 h 30 of Pure Originals buddah blessed Tracks
Part One
Part Two
You MUST Download The Two Parts To Get The Whole Cassette

'Ken Sport' Week Aka Mister Original

This whole entire week is dedicated to
Mr Ken Sport
Aka The Original Shogun Assassin
Aka Kenneth de Wolfe



So You'll Get Blessed By One Of His Original Serie Tapes Every Day
And You'll Even Get Blessed with an exclusive interview by Mister misterious Sport himself
like I Say It's All About Education

Most Of You, Youngsters
don't know shit about Ken Sport
Damn Kids, You Got To Know Your Classics
Open Your Books
It's Time To Learn

The Man Is A True Underground Legend
And Definitly part of Hip Hop Culture
And original funk breaks Mixtape game

Stay Tuned For More Info About the original shogun assassin
The Man with way too many records
the Man who has never been about makin' money
but more about sellin' tapes to good peoples only



But For now Enjoy Original mixtape Number 24 release in 1998
(Yes 1998! where were you at that time?)
Part One
Part Two
You MUST Download The Two Parts To Get The Whole File

More than 90 minutes of incredible original funk, soul and jazz
for your listening pleasure

no tracklist, who need names anyway!
either you want to impress your friends
by doin' name dropping
or just enjoy dope music

The Choice Is Yours