Daddy Kev

Daddy Kev
Daddy Kev at Cosmic Zoo studio in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Kevin Marques Moo
Born	1974 (age 50–51) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop electronic
Occupations	DJ engineer producer
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Alpha Pup Celestial
Website	www.alphapuprecords.com

Kevin Marques Moo^[1] (born 1974),^[2] better known by his stage name Daddy Kev, is an American record producer, DJ,^[3] Grammy Award-winning audio engineer,^[4] songwriter and executive from Los Angeles, California.^[5] He is the owner of Alpha Pup Records^[6] and the founder of Low End Theory.^[7] As an audio engineer, Daddy Kev has mixed and mastered albums by Flying Lotus,^[8] Thundercat,^[9] Kamasi Washington,^[10] and Leon Bridges.^[11]

Daddy Kev was born and raised in the Harbor City neighborhood of Los Angeles.^[12] As a child, he played piano and trumpet.^[13] At the age of 13, he started playing turntables.^[13] He graduated from Narbonne High School.^[13] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from University of California, San Diego.^[14]

In 2001, Daddy Kev released an EP, Lost Angels, on Celestial Recordings. It featured guest appearances from the rappers Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Busdriver, Awol One, and Circus.^[15][16] In that year, he also released Souldoubt, a collaborative album with Awol One, on Meanstreet Records.^[17][18] Another collaborative album with Awol One, titled Slanguage, was released on Mush Records in 2003.^[19] 2004 brought Busdriver's Cosmic Cleavage, which was produced entirely by Daddy Kev and released on Big Dada.^[20]

In 2006, he founded the weekly Low End Theory club night at the Airliner in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.^[21]

In 2012, he founded the studio Cosmic Zoo in Los Angeles along with the rapper Nocando.^[22]

At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2016, he was nominated for the Best Dance Recording award for mixing the Flying Lotus song "Never Catch Me" featuring Kendrick Lamar.^[23]

At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards held in 2021, he won the Best Progressive R&B Album award for mixing the Thundercat album It Is What It Is.^[24]

In July 2021, he started the weekly Scenario club night in Los Angeles, which showcases upcoming artists in the local scene.^[25]

In 2022, he self-published a book on audio engineering entitled Audio Dynamics: Compression Techniques for Modern Mixing and Mastering.^[26]

At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2023, he was nominated for the Best Historical Album award for mastering the Freestyle Fellowship album To Whom It May Concern....^[27]

Pitchfork called Daddy Kev "one of the Los Angeles underground's most visionary producers",^[28] while Fact called him "one of underground hip-hop's most respected engineers".^[29]

• Souldoubt (2001) (with Awol One)
• Number 3 on the Phone (2002) (with Awol One)
• Slanguage (2003) (with Awol One)
• Reefer (2008) (with Nicholas Thorburn, as Reefer)

• Lost Angels (2001)
• Sound Advice (2003) (with The Grouch and D-Styles)
• Killafornia (2005) (with Awol One)

• "Rhythm" (2001) (with Awol One)

• Phoenix Orion – "Scanners", "Millennium Fever", "Dead Men Don't Download", and "Blade Runner" from Zimulated Experiencez (1998)
• Supernatural – "Seven Minutes of Understanding" (1999)
• Alien Nation – "Unicron" (1999)
• Sole – "Famous Last Words" from Bottle of Humans (2000)
• Naptron – "Marvin Meets Seymour Frye Pt. I" (2000)
• Mikah 9 – "First Things Last" from Timetable (2001)
• Abstract Rude – "Frisbee" from P.A.I.N.T. (2001)
• Busdriver – "Mindcrossings", "Suing Sony", and "Single Cell Ego" from Temporary Forever (2002)
• Existereo – "Four Way Window Pain" from Dirty Deeds & Dead Flowers (2003)
• Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique – "Flow and Tell" from Showtyme (2003)
• Neila – "Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves" from Vertical Trees with Eternal Leaves (2003)
• Busdriver and Radioinactive – "Winthorp & Winthorp" (2003)
• Existereo – "Same Breath" from Crush Groove (2004)
• The Shape Shifters – "Rockin' These Mics", "Kreye Inn", and "Futuristic" from Was Here (2004)
• Busdriver – Cosmic Cleavage (2004)
• Sage Francis – "Dance Monkey" from A Healthy Distrust (2005)
• Awol One – "Everything's Perfect" from The War of Art (2006)
• Subtitle – "Restructure/Reroute" from Terrain to Roam (2006)
• Acid Reign – "Too Kool for Skool" and "Here Comes Trouble" from Time & Change (2008)
• The Grouch – "Shero" from Show You the World (2008)

• Daddy Kev discography at Discogs
• Daddy Kev on Twitter
• Daddy Kev on Instagram