Most artists have a hard time rising to the top in just one genre. There are few people that I can think of off the top of my head that can do it. Rich Medina does it, so does DJ Spinna. These cats have broken into several genres with ease. However, the dude who is synonymous with doing it and doing it well across the board, is Kenny Dope. He has made his share of classics. There is a good chance you may have heard one of his beats, re-edits, mixes, or original records in your lifetime. With his hands in multiple genres: Funk, Soul, House, Latin, Jazz, Pop, and Hip Hop, the man has been cranking out bangers since the beginning of his career. If you need to know just how much this man has put out, his Discogs profile is 84 pages long. We are excited here at Flea Market Funk for this new release from Kenny, a limited Edition 45 box set of Kenny Dope Classic Breakbeats.

Featuring six 45s, this box set runs the gamut in Dopeness (pun intended). Each record is a KD anthem, and a must for all fans of his work and good music in general. “Blood Vibes” is a demo that has Masters At Work re-licking the Junior Reid famous sample, while the flip side has House Brigade putting some Latin vibe into a Hip House track. MAW also get another 2 sider with the extended mix of “Get Up” (oh those drums and the filter on them just bang!) and the Original Mix of “The Buddah Chant”. Straight fire for the dance floor, and proof of great producing once again. “Supa” flips the “Don Dada” sample two different ways: one side is the B-Boy Edit that runs through some classic breaks until the end while The Deep In Brooklyn Edit is just as the title suggests, a bit deeper with the back beats. Trust me, you will know these drums and samples, you can’t miss the selection. His unreleased projects get two records as well. “That Gangsta Shit” (12 Inch Mix) bangs just as hard as it should, and the flip, “Pick It Up” (Original 1/4 Mix) is chock full of original Hip Hop samples and party anthems. You’ll know the hook before it’s even spoken. The second unreleased record features “Get On Down” (Demo Mix), has Mister Mef reppin’ this head nodder to the fullest, and the flip “Gunshot” features Shaggy. A lick-a-shot Dancehall meets Hip Hop track that brings you back to the 90’s. Get your backpack and Carharts out on this track. Finally, we have two tracks by N.M.C (Blinko) & A.D.J. (Mace), another alter ego of KD. Taking it back to ’89, you get a the Five Four Edit of “Messiah”. Upbeat, it’s a Hip Hop beat made as it should be. Forget those slow, crunky, beats of today. “Not all Puerto Ricans eat rice and Goya beans” the track declares, and not all Hip Hop tracks slow ride. This one knocks, and gets more props for the Brazilian Rhyme outro as well. The final side, “Insane”, starts off with a mouth harp, before KD drops another hot beat and goes to work. One common denominator on all these tracks is that the drums are h-a-r-d. No joke.

All in all, if you’re a fan of good music, this box set is for you. Done straight up with white labels (like any good record should be), it’s great to see Mr. Dope dig into his massive vaults and pull out some goodness to press into some 45s. Don’t let the 45 pressing fool you either, KD was down with the 45 game way before most people, and this nod to the 7 inch is just as much Funk and Soul as it is Dance 12 inch. He’s a walking encyclopedia of music knowledge, and whether it be DJing or producing, he’s got both on lock. Right now, it’s just available on the Kay Dee website in limited quantities, so grab one before it’s gone. A welcome edition to your 7 inch case, and a reminder how good his music really is.

Get the box set here.

Check out his latest Defected Radio Mix here.

Keep Diggin’!