KG B2Beats Hagan: Rhythm Lords in Lockstep
kg-b2beats-hagan-mix-london
March 20, 2020
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# KG B2Beats Hagan: Rhythm Lords in Lockstep
*EB's B2Beats mix series spotlights creative bonds between selectors
and, in doing so, advocates for collectivity during these reclusive
times. For decades, electronic music has united entire subcultural
communities, but scene-building often grows out of those initial
close-knit collaborations. Find joy in isolation when listening to this
hour-long mix.*
[KG][1]{: target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="KG
(opens in a new tab)"} is someone you want to have in your corner,
hyping you up, and showering you with an abundance of roaring praise. To
tell the truth, she's not afraid to get loud. "I'm screaming my way into
the club and then making sure they see me at the front. I will make sure
that you know that I'm here," she jokes.
KG's status as a UK funky heavyweight is undeniable. For almost a
decade, London's "Rhythm Goddess" has released her Afro-infused house,
which she self-describes as "sassy with tribal elements," on labels like
Goon Club Allstars and Hyperdub. So imagine someone of her caliber
backing your music---that's what laid the foundation for her friendship
with [Hagan][2]{: rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Hagan (opens in
a new tab)" target="_blank"}, an Afro-bass producer and her *b2beats*
partner. As London natives with Ghanian heritage, both of them grew up
absorbing their home's rich musical tapestry, listening to radio
stations like RinseFM, and taking influences from their diasporic family
life---making their synergistic styles the perfect b2b match.
Hagan's admiration for KG began way back after hearing her earliest
tracks on the now defunct blog, [ukfunky.net][3]{: rel="noreferrer
noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"}. He
reached out to her immediately, blown away by the way she programmed her
sub basses and drum patterns. Her low-end club sounds, to put it simply,
just bounced. "I clicked play, heard 'Rain', \[and\] I was like, what is
this? I was like, no. This is sick. This is *sick*. From there, I was
like I need to find out who this person is," Hagan remembers.
All this happened before he came into his own musical full swing, now
defined by [hefty bass and tight-knit percussion][4]{: rel="noreferrer
noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"} that's
robust with a laidback, soulful melodies. In the past, he's collaborated
with American producer [Sángo][5]{: target="_blank" rel="noreferrer
noopener" aria-label="Sángo (opens in a new tab)"}, and also
partnered up with [Cruda Volta Radio][6]{: rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"} on the short
documentary titled, [*Yenkyi Taxi*][7]{: rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"}---where he traces
the origins of Ghanaian electronic music and its links to the country's
cultural history.
But what bonds the two most is how they navigate sounds to represent
their shared roots, incorporating unique rhythmic references from their
youth. "It's all derived from my love for African music. When I was
younger, I used to listen to a lot of (classic soulful Ghanaian)
highlife, to (newer underground) HipLife music, which is kind of funny
because it's Ghana Independence Day today," Hagan tells me. On the other
end, KG quickly chimes in, "Ayyy!"
KG and Hagan's riffs are endless. They're quick to rave about the
other's accomplishments and recognize the similarities between their
personal histories---for example, the musical households responsible for
shaping their most influential years. "I used to
support my uncle when he used to DJ," Hagan remembers. "I would tag
along with him and help him with the speakers, but, as time went on, I
actually managed to get a little bit of time where I used to play on the
decks with him."
For KG, it was her dad who played the major role in broadening her
taste. "I was pretty much born into a household that had very heavy
eclectic tastes," she says. "My dad's musical tastes were very
multidimensional. He would go from listening to Phil Collins to a Shabba
Ranks reggae track, so I was subjected to a lot of musical styles." And
she gives credit to her mom for her singular West African sensibility.
By the age of eight, KG was already playing with drum machines, guitars,
and programming music. On birthdays, she remembers her dad gifting her
gear instead of Barbie dolls. "The majority of these machines had
presets within the house element of things, jungle presets, et cetera,
so my love for electronic music began and was established very early
on," she remembers.
[1]: https://soundcloud.com/karennyamekg
[2]: https://soundcloud.com/haganuk
[3]: https://web.archive.org/web/20110825034147/http://www.ukfunky.net/
[4]: https://soundcloud.com/haganuk/sets/hagan-yenkyi-ep
[5]: https://soundcloud.com/SangoBeats
[6]: https://www.facebook.com/crudovoltaradio
[7]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojmirG0TFk&t=1s
[YouTube Content][1]{: target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"}
That's why it was so shocking when she decided to take a step back from
production in 2011. UK Funky had stagnated at the time and, "I quit
music," KG admits, frankly. "I kind of took my foot off the pedal a
little bit and I disappeared." She finally rekindled her love
for music when she signed with [Goon Club Allstars in 2018][2]{:
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new
tab)"}. Hagan, who for years was so invested in her sound, was elated to
hear that she was back at it. KG and Hagan became closer as she
reestablished connections within the evolving scene and they linked up
at parties helmed by all-stars such as LR Groove, DJ Lag, and Oneman.
There's one night in particular at a 2019 Night Slugs takeover that both
of them will never forget. "It was a family affair: Ikonika was playing
with [Scratcha DVA][3]{: rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Scratcha
DVA (opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"}, Girl Unit, and [Bok
Bok][4]{: rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Bok Bok (opens in a new
tab)" target="_blank"}," she rattles off. "Then the DJ played Hagan's
song, and Ikonika played mine. Yeah, we were flexing and that!"
Hagan and KG have finally reached a point of relying on one another to
advance their respective crafts. "I literally did not like the first
version of[ Obsession][5]{: rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="
(opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"}, and I thought, let me layer it.
It has to be percussive, it has to be that Hagan-esque groove." After
adding those drums, someone mistook the track for Hagan's--something
she's more than happy to boast about. For Hagan, it's the same. "All I
need to do is make a track and get someone to ask me, is that KG song?
Is that a KG track? Then, I'll know I'm doing something right," he
shoots back.
Even though KG was already releasing music while Hagan was still trying
to define his style, she now has deep admiration for his skill and how
far he's come. "Hagan's production style is so detailed and it's
something that I'm in awe of---I just can't even explain. I would make a
song and I'd be like, all right, I'm just going to loop this a few times
and send it out to the DJs. Then I'm like, 'Hmm, would Hagan want to do
that?'" They often need to have a seal of approval from the other before
hitting the 'send' button on their email blast.
Given their interwoven styles, it might be tough to decipher whose track
is whose on the mix. Overall, Hagan and KG boil their synergistic sound
down to soul, power, and rhythm, with a dose of adrenaline. Expect dips
and dives in this b2b; it's a percussive journey between old friends,
certain to reverberate your speakers.
Listen to KG's newest EP [*Sensei*][6]{: target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"},
released on Goon Club Allstars earlier this month. Also check out
Hagan's latest singles [*Right Here / Shape Shift*][7]{:
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new
tab)"}*. *
*Jazmina Figueroa is a writer based in Berlin and is currently
completing a masters in anglophone modernities in literature and
culture. Her published work spans topics of arts and culture, politics
of technology*, *and digital media theory. Follow her on Twitter
[@Jazmazzzz][8]{: target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="
(opens in a new tab)"}.*
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/embed/yaXHmO7hm0E?feature=oembed
[2]: https://gooncluballstars.bandcamp.com/album/gca008-kg-ep
[3]: https://www.electronicbeats.net/eb-listening-stream-scratcha-dvas-new-mad-hatter-ep/
[4]: https://www.electronicbeats.net/dis-track-ed-vol-3-shots-not-fired/
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM8t7rwtsNQ
[6]: https://gooncluballstars.bandcamp.com/album/gca011-kg-sensei-ep
[7]: https://hagan.bandcamp.com/album/right-here-shape-shift
[8]: https://twitter.com/Jazmazzzz
---
id: 31e15ec7-3c34-49cd-b1b0-ae20c6e6e14e
blueprint: article
title: 'KG B2Beats Hagan: Rhythm Lords in Lockstep'
date: 2020-03-20T12:56:44+01:00
wp_id: '183687'
slug: kg-b2beats-hagan-mix-london
teaser_image: legacy/kg-b2beats-hagan-mix-london/Artboard-2.png
contents:
-
type: text
text: '<p><em>EB’s B2Beats mix series spotlights creative bonds between selectors and, in doing so, advocates for collectivity during these reclusive times. For decades, electronic music has united entire subcultural communities, but scene-building often grows out of those initial close-knit collaborations. Find joy in isolation when listening to this hour-long mix.</em></p>'
-
type: text
text: '<p><a href="https://soundcloud.com/karennyamekg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="KG (opens in a new tab)">KG</a> is someone you want to have in your corner, hyping you up, and showering you with an abundance of roaring praise. To tell the truth, she’s not afraid to get loud. “I’m screaming my way into the club and then making sure they see me at the front. I will make sure that you know that I’m here,” she jokes. </p><p>KG’s status as a UK funky heavyweight is undeniable. For almost a decade, London’s “Rhythm Goddess” has released her Afro-infused house, which she self-describes as “sassy with tribal elements,” on labels like Goon Club Allstars and Hyperdub. So imagine someone of her caliber backing your music—that’s what laid the foundation for her friendship with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Hagan (opens in a new tab)" href="https://soundcloud.com/haganuk" target="_blank">Hagan</a>, an Afro-bass producer and her <em>b2beats</em> partner. As London natives with Ghanian heritage, both of them grew up absorbing their home’s rich musical tapestry, listening to radio stations like RinseFM, and taking influences from their diasporic family life—making their synergistic styles the perfect b2b match.</p><p>Hagan’s admiration for KG began way back after hearing her earliest tracks on the now defunct blog, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110825034147/http://www.ukfunky.net/" target="_blank">ukfunky.net</a>. He reached out to her immediately, blown away by the way she programmed her sub basses and drum patterns. Her low-end club sounds, to put it simply, just bounced. “I clicked play, heard ‘Rain’, [and] I was like, what is this? I was like, no. This is sick. This is <em>sick</em>. From there, I was like I need to find out who this person is,” Hagan remembers.</p><p>All this happened before he came into his own musical full swing, now defined by <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://soundcloud.com/haganuk/sets/hagan-yenkyi-ep" target="_blank">hefty bass and tight-knit percussion</a> that’s robust with a laidback, soulful melodies. In the past, he’s collaborated with American producer <a href="https://soundcloud.com/SangoBeats" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Sángo (opens in a new tab)">Sángo</a>, and also partnered up with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.facebook.com/crudovoltaradio" target="_blank">Cruda Volta Radio</a> on the short documentary titled, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojmirG0TFk&t=1s" target="_blank"><em>Yenkyi Taxi</em></a>—where he traces the origins of Ghanaian electronic music and its links to the country’s cultural history. </p><p>But what bonds the two most is how they navigate sounds to represent their shared roots, incorporating unique rhythmic references from their youth. “It’s all derived from my love for African music. When I was younger, I used to listen to a lot of (classic soulful Ghanaian) highlife, to (newer underground) HipLife music, which is kind of funny because it’s Ghana Independence Day today,” Hagan tells me. On the other end, KG quickly chimes in, “Ayyy!”</p><p>KG and Hagan’s riffs are endless. They’re quick to rave about the other’s accomplishments and recognize the similarities between their personal histories—for example, the musical households responsible for shaping their most influential years.<strong> </strong>“I used to support my uncle when he used to DJ,” Hagan remembers. “I would tag along with him and help him with the speakers, but, as time went on, I actually managed to get a little bit of time where I used to play on the decks with him.” </p><p>For KG, it was her dad who played the major role in broadening her taste. “I was pretty much born into a household that had very heavy eclectic tastes,” she says. “My dad’s musical tastes were very multidimensional. He would go from listening to Phil Collins to a Shabba Ranks reggae track, so I was subjected to a lot of musical styles.” And she gives credit to her mom for her singular West African sensibility. </p><p>By the age of eight, KG was already playing with drum machines, guitars, and programming music. On birthdays, she remembers her dad gifting her gear instead of Barbie dolls. “The majority of these machines had presets within the house element of things, jungle presets, et cetera, so my love for electronic music began and was established very early on,” she remembers. </p>'
-
type: text
text: '<div class="ar-16-9"><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yaXHmO7hm0E?feature=oembed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube Content</a></p></div><p>That’s why it was so shocking when she decided to take a step back from production in 2011. UK Funky had stagnated at the time and, “I quit music,” KG admits, frankly. “I kind of took my foot off the pedal a little bit and I disappeared<sub>.</sub>” She finally rekindled her love for music when she signed with <a href="https://gooncluballstars.bandcamp.com/album/gca008-kg-ep" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Goon Club Allstars in 2018</a>. Hagan, who for years was so invested in her sound, was elated to hear that she was back at it. KG and Hagan became closer as she reestablished connections within the evolving scene and they linked up at parties helmed by all-stars such as LR Groove, DJ Lag, and Oneman.</p><p>There’s one night in particular at a 2019 Night Slugs takeover that both of them will never forget. “It was a family affair: Ikonika was playing with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Scratcha DVA (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.electronicbeats.net/eb-listening-stream-scratcha-dvas-new-mad-hatter-ep/" target="_blank">Scratcha DVA</a>, Girl Unit, and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Bok Bok (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.electronicbeats.net/dis-track-ed-vol-3-shots-not-fired/" target="_blank">Bok Bok</a>,” she rattles off. “Then the DJ played Hagan’s song, and Ikonika played mine. Yeah, we were flexing and that!”</p><p>Hagan and KG have finally reached a point of relying on one another to advance their respective crafts. “I literally did not like the first version of<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM8t7rwtsNQ" target="_blank"> Obsession</a>, and I thought, let me layer it. It has to be percussive, it has to be that Hagan-esque groove.” After adding those drums, someone mistook the track for Hagan’s–something she’s more than happy to boast about. For Hagan, it’s the same. “All I need to do is make a track and get someone to ask me, is that KG song? Is that a KG track? Then, I’ll know I’m doing something right,” he shoots back. </p><p>Even though KG was already releasing music while Hagan was still trying to define his style, she now has deep admiration for his skill and how far he’s come. “Hagan’s production style is so detailed and it’s something that I’m in awe of—I just can’t even explain. I would make a song and I’d be like, all right, I’m just going to loop this a few times and send it out to the DJs. Then I’m like, ‘Hmm, would Hagan want to do that?’” They often need to have a seal of approval from the other before hitting the ‘send’ button on their email blast. </p><p>Given their interwoven styles, it might be tough to decipher whose track is whose on the mix. Overall, Hagan and KG boil their synergistic sound down to soul, power, and rhythm, with a dose of adrenaline. Expect dips and dives in this b2b; it’s a percussive journey between old friends, certain to reverberate your speakers. </p><p><em>Listen to KG’s newest EP </em><a href="https://gooncluballstars.bandcamp.com/album/gca011-kg-sensei-ep" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"><em>Sensei</em></a><em>, released on Goon Club Allstars earlier this month. Also check out Hagan’s latest singles </em><a href="https://hagan.bandcamp.com/album/right-here-shape-shift" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"><em>Right Here / Shape Shift</em></a><em>. </em></p><p><em>Jazmina Figueroa is a writer based in Berlin and is currently completing a masters in anglophone modernities in literature and culture. Her published work spans topics of arts and culture, politics of technology</em>, <em>and digital media theory. Follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Jazmazzzz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">@Jazmazzzz</a>.</em></p>'
---
Chunk #1 (Position: 0)
# KG B2Beats Hagan: Rhythm Lords in Lockstep *EB's B2Beats mix series spotlights creative bonds between selectors and, in doing so, advocates for collectivity during these reclusive times. For decades, electronic music has united entire subcultural communities, but scene-building often grows out...
Chunk #2 (Position: 1)
"I'm screaming my way into the club and then making sure they see me at the front. I will make sure that you know that I'm here," she jokes. . KG's status as a UK funky heavyweight is undeniable. For almost a decade, London's "Rhythm Goddess" has released her Afro-infused house, which she ...
Chunk #3 (Position: 2)
This is *sick*. From there, I was like I need to find out who this person is," Hagan remembers. All this happened before he came into his own musical full swing, now defined by [hefty bass and tight-knit percussion][4]{: rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" target="_blank"...
Chunk #4 (Position: 3)
When I was younger, I used to listen to a lot of (classic soulful Ghanaian) highlife, to (newer underground) HipLife music, which is kind of funny because it's Ghana Independence Day today," Hagan tells me. On the other end, KG quickly chimes in, "Ayyy!" . KG and Hagan's riffs are endless. They'...
Chunk #5 (Position: 4)
"My dad's musical tastes were very multidimensional. He would go from listening to Phil Collins to a Shabba Ranks reggae track, so I was subjected to a lot of musical styles." And she gives credit to her mom for her singular West African sensibility. . By the age of eight, KG was already p...
Chunk #6 (Position: 5)
On birthdays, she remembers her dad gifting her gear instead of Barbie dolls. "The majority of these machines had presets within the house element of things, jungle presets, et cetera, so my love for electronic music began and was established very early on," she remembers. [1]: https://sou...
Chunk #7 (Position: 6)
Hagan, who for years was so invested in her sound, was elated to hear that she was back at it. KG and Hagan became closer as she reestablished connections within the evolving scene and they linked up at parties helmed by all-stars such as LR Groove, DJ Lag, and Oneman. There's one night in partic...
Chunk #8 (Position: 7)
Is that a KG track. Then, I'll know I'm doing something right," he shoots back. . Even though KG was already releasing music while Hagan was still trying to define his style, she now has deep admiration for his skill and how far he's come. "Hagan's production style is so detailed and it's ...
Chunk #9 (Position: 8)
Listen to KG's newest EP [*Sensei*][6]{: target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"}, released on Goon Club Allstars earlier this month. Also check out Hagan's latest singles [*Right Here / Shape Shift*][7]{: target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="...