Joc Max

By the age of 12 he was a resident DJ at the old Skateland roller rink in Kansas City, MO. These days, anybody who knows Kansas City hip-hop knows him as Joc Max. For almost 30 years he’s been a leader, a mentor, a friend, a producer, a party starter to this community.

In the mid-’90s, in addition to DJ-ing and producing, Joc rapped in a group, the Basement Khemist, alongside Taha and J Lee. They scored a deal with Elektra. Although the record was never officially released, the music made it to radio, in Kansas City and New York alike. Back when no one in the city had yet carved out a distinct hip-hop sound, Joc was in his mother’s basement using an SP-1200 and making East Coast, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop music.

Joc had the record deal, a nationally acclaimed remix for 1990s It-Duo Das EFX, producing for De La Soul and a budding friendship and musical partnership with Brooklyn’s legendary DJ Spinna. But through it all Joc remained committed to Kansas City’s scene. These days he still spins at parties around the city.