YRB Magazine

BY: Dan Reagans

Revisiting the fun/dance sound of Philly that was introduced to mainstream America by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, DJ Diamond Kuts reminds us who does it best. With her latest hit burning up the mixtape circuit, “Strippin' In the Club” ft. Ron Browz, Niki Minaj and Latif, the energy behind the track is a dope reminder that two- steppin' is cool but dancing can be just as fun. Simple but effective, Kuts' perception of the role of a DJ is all about being solely devoted to making the crowd feel good. Like any genre of music, the essence is sometimes lost amongst the glitz, glamour, beef and other types of fuckery that plague this art that was once pure.

It's safe to say that the general perception of the Philadelphia music scene is broken into two popular categories: neo-soul and hardcore hip-hop (i.e. The Roots, Musiq Soulchild, Cassidy, Eve and Beanie Sigel). Thanks to Philly DJs, like DJ Diamond Kuts, who aim to put the “fun” vibe back into the Philly sound, we can all look forward to more classic, fun-loving memorable tunes that describe the times and culture. “A lot of my songs are gonna be feel good records and not so much of the grimy street records that Philly is known for,” says the DJ. Despite her youth, Kuts has managed to maneuver through a male dominated industry, gracefully and successfully. “I feel like the guys respect me just as much they respect the next male DJ. I've always felt that everybody I've worked with has treated me fairly. When you work hard people are gonna see that. I grind just as hard as the guys,” adds Diamond. 

Having her hand in everything from mainstream radio to network television, it’s quite obvious that Kuts is slowly forming her own empire. Undeterred by the ills of the business, she has established herself as a brand as well as gained the respect of other DJs, artists and executives. YRB recently sat down with the Illadelphia multitasker to speak on her upcoming album, how she's discreetly becoming a household name and how she’s bringing the “move your feet” aspect back to Philly music.

YRB: What's the music scene like in Philly?

Kuts: A lot of the artists out here make street records and music about their ‘hoods and their upbringing because it is rough out here. That’s why the general perception of Philly music is real rough and street. We do have a lot of new artists, like Meek Millz, who make great party records as well as street stuff. It's rough out here for a lot of people, so we just make music about how we feel.

YRB: How would you describe the role of a DJ?

Kuts: Our biggest role is to keep the crowd moving. Playing good records, knowing your music history and knowing what to play and what not to play. We're the people that help break records and artists, so we have to have a real good ear and heart for music. A good DJ has to keep the crowd's attention.

YRB: How would you describe your sound?

Kuts: My sound is just real fun and diverse; things you can bounce and lean to. That's what the people can look forward to with my upcoming album HerStory. I'll let you step into my world which is a little bit of everything and not just straight hip-hop.

YRB: What kind of music do you listen to?

Kuts: I listen to a lot of different music. I like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. I listen to a lot of R&B.

YRB: Explain your creative process in the studio.

Kuts: Just being in there inspires me. I get a chance to sit and reflect on my time traveling and rocking out in different cities. My creative ideas also come from hearing different types of music when I'm actually in the studio.

YRB: Which producers would you like to work with?

Kuts: I've been keeping it real local… There's so much talent out here in Philly, a lot more than what the general perception of Philly music is. I haven't even gotten the chance to reach out to any of the big hitters for this project.

YRB: Describe your dream project.

Kuts: I would love to work with Lady Gaga, she's just so creative and her music is so different. I just want to do a real straight pop record with her. I wonder what her creative process is like in the studio!

YRB: What's next for you?

Kuts: I got a mixtape I'm dropping real soon before my album. I’m doing “The Morning Show” with Jonesy on Power 99 FM out here in Philly, and Friday nights I'm on from 8-9pm. Saturdays I do a five-hour show called “Saturday Night Live.” As far as TV, I co-host BET's The Deal with Memphitz and we just wrapped up the first week of taping for our second season… I'm real excited about that. I can't wait for everyone to see it, it’s going to be great because we have a brand new direction for the show.

YRB: What impression would you like to leave on the music world?

Kuts: I just want to be remembered as a great DJ overall.