GUAP Mix 007: [@KirbyT_DJ]

At only 21, Kirby T has grown a cult following in the Grime scene and all the way from his hometown in Essex, Billericay. After getting expelled from school and turning his loss into a win, he has gone from strength to strength in becoming a popular DJ in Grime today. With the resurgence of Grime, he is one to keep an ear out for in 2018.

Read the interview and find the tracklist below.

 Interview :

What can people expect from your mix?

Expect a lot of Grime, a few exclusive dubs, couple of dubplates, mainly tunes & instrumentals that I’ve been feeling lately. You can expect all different grimey vibes thrown in there.

The name Kirby T is that your real name?

Funnily enough no. The T stands for my real name ‘Tom’, I was given the name Kirby in my school years & it kind of just stuck, so I thought I’d add the T on the end as I thought it worked quite well.

How did you get into DJing?

I got into DJ’ing when I was chucked out of school. I always knew I wanted to do music I just wasn’t sure what. When I got kicked out I went to my local community radio station where they offered me a course in radio broadcasting which I took straight away, passed the course taught myself how to mix & got myself a weekly show on there.

What’s the best thing about your job?

To be honest one of the best things is making people happy or catch a vibe off what you do. For example, when you’re playing in a dance with all the right tunes creating a good atmosphere, that’s a really good feeling. Same with radio, the fact people lock into your show because it’s what they want to hear, it’s a blessing really.

What’s your go to song to play in the club?

Depends what I’m doing, I’ve done a lot of set shows this year & one of the biggest tunes that’s gone off would have to be Lewi B ‘Goblin’. That one’s always a wheel up. When I’m playing vocals its tricky, I do love playing Frisco ‘Garn Again’, that always gets plenty of screw faces

What are your highlights of 2017?

I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had this year, there is actually too many to name. I played at Eskimo Dance with P Money in Norwich & also done a show at Motion in Bristol with him. I made my first & second appearance on BBC radio 1Xtra, I was given a prime-time monthly show on Radar radio, I was a  DJ for Izzie Gibbs in Birmingham & Bristol when he was supporting Bugzy Malone on his tour, the list goes on. One of my biggest ones would have to be the fact I’ve pretty much been Manga’s DJ for the year. He’s created a lot of these highlights for me by helping me establish myself more as a DJ.

How would you describe Grime in 2017?

I would say it’s alive & well. I feel like there is more of a platform & there seems to be more opportunities for the up & comers such as myself. There’s also people like Skepta & Stormzy who have taken it to the next level & that’s another reason why we are getting more opportunities because its artists like them that are opening doors for themselves as well as the next generation

Where do you see Grime going in the years to come?

I can see it continuing to grow, almost like Hip Hop in America. I think it will start to become more accepted in all parts of the UK & I would like to think Grime will become an Internationally well-known genre.

Favourite Grime set?

Very tricky question, one that springs to mind straight away is an old Logan Sama Kiss set with Roachee, Ghetts, Rapid & Stutter. That set was special.

Name someone who has influenced you to be who you are today?

Devlin is defiantly someone, he’s the main reason I got into Grime to be honest, my favourite MC.

What’s one meal you can make forever?

I really love seafood you know. I could quite happily live off sea food pasta (Calamari, Muscles, Prawns, Clams)

Favourite show your watching right now?

It’s got to be Power, literally just finished watching season 2 but it’s getting pretty mad.

Tips for budding DJ’s?

The first thing is to just be yourself, don’t force it. Make sure you take every opportunity you can get and do not be that guy that never shows up. It’s all about keeping it consistent & getting lots of practice to master your craft.

Where can people find you online?

I’m one of those awkward guys with a different @ for every social media.

Twitter: @KirbyT_DJ

Instagram: @Kirbytdj

Facebook: @Kirbytofficial

Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/kirbytdj

Tracklist: