Degree One
Wordemupskiyo! Degree One has been an integral part of the cultivation of the Vancouver Island hip hop scene for 30+ years. After an early stint in breakdance crews in 1983/84, Degree's real jump into the scene was as an MC for Victoria’s first recognized Hip Hop Group ‘Sound Advice’ in 1989. He then branched out into other areas of the hip hop scene and started his radio career on air at CFUV 101.9 FM hosting ‘Spittin’ Rhymes’ hip hop mixshow in 1992. Through frequent trips to California Degree satisfied the urge to create a real hip hop concert scene on Vancouver Island by throwing his first show in 1998 with Abstract Rude. Flash forward to present day, Degree is now known as Vancouver Island’s foremost hip hop DJ and concert promoter, he has had the great opportunity to work with such incredible acts as….. (alphabetically listed)
2 Live Crew, A-Trak, Abstract Rude, Aceyalone, Afrika Bambaataa, Alkaholiks, Andre Nickatina, AraabMuzik, Arsonists, Atmosphere, B-Real of Cypress Hill, Baby Blue Soundcrew, Beatnuts, Bicasso, Black Attack, Black Eyed Peas, Blackalicious, Blacksheep, Buck 65, Busdriver, Cage, Caribbean Super Stars Steel Band, Cash Money, Casual, Cheech and Chong, Checkmate, Choclair, Classified, Daz & Kurupt, De La Soul, Defari, Del The Funkee Homosapien, Digable Planets, Digital Underground, DJ Cash Money, DJ Craze, DJ Food, DJ Honda, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Nu-Mark, DJ Pump, DJ Rhettmatic, DJ Roc Raida, DJ Skratch Bastid, DJ Vadim, DJ Yella, DL Incognito, El Fudge, Fat Lip, Fatty Down, Flying Lotus, Freestylers, Funkdoobiest, Funk Hunters, Ghostface Killah, Gift Of Gab, Grand Analog, Grouch, GZA/Genius, Herbaliser, Hieroglyphics, Hilltop Hoods, Ice Cube, Ice T, Ishkan, Jedi Mind Tricks, Jeru The Damaja, Jully Black, Jurassic 5, Just B, K-OS, K'Naan, Kardinal Offishall, Keys n' Krates, Kid Koala & Bullfrog Band, Kool Keith, KutMasta Kurt, Kyprios, Lateef, Lil Eazy E, Living Legends, Ludacris, M.O.P., Maestro Fresh Wes, Masta Ace, Micronauts, Mike Relm, Mistah FAB, Mix Master Mike, Moka Only, Mood Ruff, Mr. Complex, Mr. Lif, Nelly, Peanut Butter Wolf, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Pharcyde, Pigeon Hole, Public Enemy, Raekwon, Rahzel of The Roots, Rascalz, Ray Keith, Riddlore?, Rifleman, Rihanna, Saukrates, Scratch of The Roots, Shad, Snoop Doggy Dogg, SonReal, Soul Slinger, Soul Survivors, Souls of Mischief, Sunspot Jones, Sweatshop Union, Swollen Members, Talib Kweli, Team Canada DJ's, The Coup, TI, Ugly Duckling, Visionaries, WC, Whoo Kid, Wordsworth, Young Buck, Z-Trip, Zion I and many more!
Degree ran street promotions for BMG Music, Universal, Virgin-EMI and Sony on Vancouver Island from ’96 – 2000's. He hosted ‘The Clock Radio Show’; Victoria’s first hip hop radio show on Commercial Radio, Friday nights from 12mid. – 2am on CFEX Extreme 107.3 FM for one year from 2001 - 2002 until the station unfortunately decided to flip it's format. Degree also introduced Vancouver Island to the World’s foremost DJ contest, ‘The Technics/DMC DJ Mixing Contest’ for the first time in 1998 which ran as a highly anticipated yearly event through to 2007, and then The RedBull 3Style DJ contest which now runs Worldwide yearly.
As well as concerts Degree has been involved in the creation and promotion of, as well as DJ'd at Victoria's hottest hip hop clubnights, first hitting the decks in 1996...
The Blueprint (at Heaven 17 96 -97), Elevation (at The Limit 97), The Connection (at The Limit 97-2000), Dyn-O-Mite Wednesdays (at The Limit & Axis 99-00), Thurs/Fri/Sat (at Diesel 00-01), Thurs/Fri/Sat (at Diablos 02-03), Caramel Fridays (at red Jacket 04-06), Remedy Tuesdays (at Legends 04-05), Dirty Dirty Thursdays (05), Supreme Saturdays (at Sugar 06), Champion Sound (at Upstairs Cabaret 06), E-Z Thursdays (at Legends 07-08), Royal Saturdays (at The Royal Vancouver 08-09), Element Nation Thursdays (at Element 08-09), Febreeze Fridays (at The Cambie 09), West Coast Tap House Fri/Sat (09-11), Touch (11-13), Maple Room Fri/Sat (at The Strath 13-15), Turnt Up Tuesdays (at The Strath 17-18) Clubhouse After Dark Fri/Sat (at The Strath 15-present), Blackout Sundays on The Rooftop (at The Strath 16-present) as well as DJing numerous one-off festivals, parties, events and concerts, etc. Degree is clocking more than 150 DJ gigs a year, hope to see ya dancing.