DJ Roc may have gained most of his recognition from the incredible 2010 Planet Mu release, The Crack Capone, but Clarence Johnson has always been and continues to be an inextricable figure in Chicago footwork. He’s been producing since 2001, is still a regular DJ at Chicago’s weekly footwork battles at South Side’s Battlegroundz, and has continued to release new music, the most recent of which include 2014’s Take ‘em Out the Circle (Shinkaron) and Back to the Tracks v. 1 on DJ Clent’s Beatdown House label, released just a few months ago.
DJ Roc’s latest is a mini-album for Duck N’ Cover titled Practice What U Preach. The Switzerland-based label boasts that the release is a “director’s cut” and “hasn’t been watered down by any compromises towards commercial acceptance or mass appeal,” which makes for a raw, invigorating listen. As ever, the tracks are stripped down to their essential components, with hard-hitting 808s, delirious repetition, and wild sample juxtapositions that still “induce a profound Futureshock.” Listen to Jlin and DJ Diamond, and you’ll hear how far Roc’s influence has spread.
Our first preview of Practice What U Preach came courtesy of The Wire, and now TMT has the pleasure of premiering the entire mini-album in full. Look for the album July 16 digitally and on vinyl and CD, and stream it below:
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• DJ Roc: https://soundcloud.com/djroc-1
• Duck N’ Cover: http://duckncover.co