Skeme Richards is a legend, no way around it. With a career spanning at least 30 years, Skeme has done it all; he’s been part of the legendary Rock Steady Crew and he’s become a renown collector of rare and vintage memorabilia. Never one to rest on his laurels though, Skeme is still very much active in the international bboy and breaking scene, featuring as a headliner on events across the globe, while still finding the energy and time to “hit the shops” during his travels in a never ending quest for fresh treasures. We’re truly ecstatic to be able to share an exclusive mix and interview with the man internationally known as The Nostalgia King.
CF: How and where was this mix recorded?
This mix was recorded fresh off of a 6 week tour in Europe and on a Thursday evening while enjoying a few beers and sorting through the pile of records that I’ve received over the last few months from labels across the globe. All vinyl selections, done in one take with no additional editing necessary.
CF: How did you first get involved with music? What inspired you to start diggin’ and collecting records?
I would first have to say growing up in the 70s music and records was always around at home. My parents had a great selection of vinyl ranging from Soul to Jazz and Gospel, but it wasn’t until around 1980 when I began seeing DJ’s carrying crates of records to spin at neighborhood block parties when I first got bit by the bug. Shortly after seeing that and having first hand experience of practicing myself, I eventually got a set decks of my own in 1982 and started buying records.
Everything from early Hip Hop to Disco Breaks and whatever popular radio hits were out at that time. I then started hearing DJ’s play cuts like “Last Night Changed It All” which we called “the telephone break” because we didn’t know the real name, Bob James “Take Me To The Mardi Gras” and other songs that became classics. Then around 1986 Philly DJ legend, DJ Groove took me under his wing and really schooled me on “hitting the shops” (we didn’t call it diggin’ back then) and finding breaks and records to sample from. I’m a collector by nature so I never set out to start collecting or to build a collection.