Crissy Criss has left a legacy in his wake which many of his counterparts have been unable to match. A DJ, producer and a label owner, his seminal ten-year BBC Radio 1 show put him on the map, but it’s his DJ Skill and releases which followed that have enabled him to stay ahead of the game. After becoming a weekly drum & bass tastemaker, as well as one of dance music’s most notable figures on the decks and on the radio airwaves, he’s gone on to feature across these stations although this time with his own sounds. From his imprint ‘War on Silence’, featuring BBC Radio 1 playlisted records like ‘Real’, his profile has grown considerably and he’s a multi-faceted artist in the truest sense.

 

After being influenced to take up DJing by his stepfather Kenny Ken in the early 90’s, Crissy’s career started in 1995 at the tender age of nine. It was whilst on the road that his DJing skills sought international recognition and soon he found himself on the legendary underground pirate radio station ‘Kool FM’ at age eleven. Attention was drawn more and more to the young DJ, leading to his own show on BBC Radio 1 in 2004, then onto the renowned BBC Radio 1Xtra in 2007. During his time at the BBC - Crissy helped shine the light on record labels and careers of Netsky, Camo & Krooked, Wilkinson, Flux Pavillion, Doctor P, FuntCase, Metrik, Mind Vortex, Fred V & Grafix, SPY, Rene LaVice, Dimension and many more to become iconic names in coming years for those in the know. As well as servicing the underground, the 1Xtra show also attracted many mainstream accolades - including a Sony Radio Award nomination for his 'Story of the Amen Break’ radio documentary. Keeping the BBC’s flagship urban station on the pulse of underground music, Crissy led 1Xtra to 3 Best Radio Station awards at the prestigious Drum&Bass Awards in 2008, 2009, 2013 and also securing himself in the top Best Radio Show category 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Using his undeniable mixing talent and respected position, Crissy Criss has become an ambassador for D&B - representing the genre at numerous 1Xtra Live gigs alongside the likes of Alesha Keys, Disclosure, Chase & Status and more.

 

Since this point his ascent has been unstoppable; with multiple LPs, a record label and an illustrious career as a DJ standing in the backdrop, Crissy Criss has broken boundaries. His marketing prowess, alongside his skillset within the studio and behind the decks have made him a formidable force - classed as one of the technically gifted DJs in the scene solidifying his position as an international top DnB artist smashing festivals and club crowds worldwide.

 

‘Real’ has been one of the markers for Crissy’s success. A collaboration alongside trap duo WiDE AWAKE, it was also awarded a place amongst MTV Music Video’s playlist additions. Released on ‘War on Silence’, named after his label, it drew for the scene’s ground breaking names, including Teddy Killerz, Upgrade, TC, Funtcase, Malux, Erb n Dub, Killer Hertz, Heist, Inja and Carasel. The LP was praised for being such an eclectic package amongst many trend setting names, from the US based Your EDM through to the expansive UKF platform. With weekly continued plays all year round on BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and Kiss Fresh for every single unleashed through the album, figures like Mistajam, Annie Mac, Greg James, Maya Jama and Rene LaVice all showed their support. ‘Real’ even peaked at number two on the Radio 1 Dance Chart and became BBC Radio 1’s ‘Track of the Weekend’. As well as sitting at number nine in the UK Shazam chart – Crissy has managed to break down the border between the underground and the mainstream. This crossover anthem has since solidified his place in the drum & bass history books. 

 

Whether its remixes for the likes of TC (which was nominated in the coveted Drum & Bass Arena Awards), Drumsound & Bassline Smith, Flux Pavillion, DJ Snake, Teddy Killerz and The Prototypes, or his effective approach to being a label owner, DJ and producer, Crissy Criss has managed to master an array of talents. He is a jack of all trades and this translates into his incredible output, something which has gained his respect throughout every corner of dance music, as well as further afield he has a discography encompassing D&B, Dubstep, House, HipHop and a UK Top 40 co-produced track with Shy FX for ‘Yasmin - On My Own’ . With more set to come, there’s no such thing as Crissy Criss’ ‘biggest year’. This is still a work in progress, an intimidating prospect even for the most hardened music professional. But since the beginning, Crissy has taken this in his stride.