#03 DJ MASTERKEY / SP-1200

STREET CONTEXT ARCHIVE
An archive where the 12-bit machine curated by DJ MASTERKEY intersects with memories of the golden age of Japanese hip-hop.

01 ORIGIN

Starting point of constraints

CONSTRAINT AS ORIGIN

E-mu Systems' SP-1200 is a sampler released in 1987 by a California-based manufacturer. It was designed by Dave Rossum. Despite its limitations of 12-bit resolution and 10 seconds of sampling time, the machine was initially intended for creating accompaniment for jazz and funk, not for beatmaking.

However, as a result, the constraints of this machine are what ultimately define the sound's contours. The warm distortion produced by 12-bit quantization. The poverty of a 10-second sampling time. The tenacity of the SSM2044 filter. These were design limitations, but in the hands of Marley Marl, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, RZA, Diamond D, and Large Professor, they became the standard for the golden age sound of '90s New York.

02 ORIGIN

Hands that carried culture

THE HAND THAT CARRIED

This unit was purchased in New York in the late 80s by a Japanese man in his 20s. He would later become a DJ for Buddha Brand and a key member of one of the most important Japanese hip-hop groups.DJ MASTERKEY That's the person.

This unit, brought from New York to Tokyo, experienced in his hands the era when Japanese hip-hop assimilated the sound structures of the East Coast. The act of translation that the SP-1200 underwent was not technical. It carried culture.

The chassis of this unit bears multiple stickers said to have been applied during that period. Peeling corners, faded white, signs of double-layering. These are strata of personal use, not recorded in any individual discography.

03 Connection, not storage

NOT STORAGE, BUT CONNECTION

This unit was transferred to Ishibashi Music in Shibuya, Tokyo, by DJ MASTERKEY. The store's sales records indicate that it was purchased in NY in the late 80s and is an instrument used by the artist himself. Model 7030 (mid-production model), serial number 099302216.

C.r.e.a.m. Team Records welcomed this unit into the archive. Ownership is not an act of storage. This unit, which traveled from New York to Tokyo and passed from hand to hand, is now placed in the physical space of a label specializing in 90s hip-hop. This unit will make sound again.

Do not remove old stickers.Each piece is a stratum of the era through which the Buddha Brand has walked, and the body of this machine itself carries the history of the group.It is from.

ARCHIVE NOTES

Notes on this archive

Location and background of the work
The works and equipment introduced in this series are all private archives owned by individuals and labels, and are not for sale.

We obtained the #03 equipment from Ishibashi Music in Shibuya, Tokyo. The history of this Buddha Brand unit being used by DJ MASTERKEY is based on the sales information and attached documents from the store. Direct testimony from the artist or related parties has not been obtained as of the publication of this article. If it can be obtained in the future, it will be added to this page.
On-site Exhibition Information
Each released archive is scheduled to be exhibited in person at upcoming Cream Team Records pop-up stores and live event venues.
Exhibition Information Announcement
Specific exhibition schedules and venue details will be announced sequentially on this website and our official social media channels once they are confirmed.
Rights and respect
The public release and exhibition of this archive aim to record and connect cultures. We will operate in accordance with ownership rights, with deep respect for the publicity rights and copyrights of each artist and brand.

C.R.E.A.M. Team Records

Alright, to the stage. Cream Team Records is a 90s hip-hop specialty label where anyone can participate in creative activities as an artist or owner.