DJ Yoda

British turntablist DJ Yoda maintains close ties to London’s forward-thinking Antidote Records, the hip-hop imprint that has honored him with multiple scratch-DJ awards. Born Duncan Beiny in London in 1977, he attended the University of Warwick from 1995 to 1998, sharpening his turntable technique during those years. One of his demo mixtapes reached Antidote, prompting the label to commission an official mix CD. The resulting DJ Yoda’s How to Cut & Paste Mix Tape, Vol. 1 appeared in 2001, gained modest acclaim, and prompted two sequels: DJ Yoda’s How to Cut & Paste Mix Tape, Vol. 2 in 2002 and DJ Yoda’s How to Cut & Paste: 80's Edition in 2003. Beyond showcasing technical skill, the trilogy stood out for its playful wit.

He next joined hip-hop radio personality Dan Greenpeace on the 2003 project Unthugged, which coincided with a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix aired that June. Thereafter he became a recurring presence on the station, delivering sets for Lamacq Live in February 2004, an Annie Mac Mini-Mix in May 2005, another Essential Mix in November 2006, and a further Annie Mac Mini-Mix in July 2007. For his debut solo album on Antidote, The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda (2006), he assembled an array of guest rappers that included Biz Markie, the Jungle Brothers, and Akinyele while retaining his characteristic humor; “Wheels” and “Playin’ Around” were issued as singles from the record.