Kenny Segal

Although it is his government name, Kenny Segal became the hip-hop alias of Los Angeles drum’n’bass artist Syndakit after coming into contact with West Coast alt-rap troops Freestyle Fellowship at the end of the ’90s. A cellist, keyboardist, and percussionist as well, the Maryland-born DJ/producer moved to L.A. in 1997 to attend college for computer engineering, but before long, he changed his major to audio recording. His stature rising in the L.A. underground, Segal co-founded On Point Records in 1998 as a member of his drum’n’bass collective the Helium Crew, and became a regular staple in the Konkrete Jungle club nights in the city. In those electronic dance circles, Segal first crossed paths with Freestyle Fellowship MC P.E.A.C.E. at L.A.’s Spaceland club circa 1999. That friendship was the catalyst for Segal’s new hip-hop direction and prompted him to work more in the L.A. underground hip-hop scene. Segal went on to produce entire albums by the likes of P.E.A.C.E. (Megabite [2004]) and Phoenix Orion (3080 Flux [2002]) as well as contribute beats to various Project Blowed and Freestyle Fellowship-affiliated projects. Moreover, he was constantly tapped to make beats for other ventures, such as TV commercials and adult films. His first proper full-length (as either Segal or Syndakit), Ken Can Cook, a mostly instrumental LP, arrived in 2008 via Project Blowed. ~ Cyril Cordor