True Element was founded by rapper, DJ, Producer and co-author of this website DJ Kraze One. The first True Element project was released independently in July 1997 but the roots & foundations of True Element stretch back to the UK hip hop scene of the early 1990s. As Part of the Milton Keynes hip hop history section and as True Element are one of the few crews from the city that have maintained a constant presence on the local hip hop scene I thought it was essential to include the True Element Collective’s story in this section of the website.

Initially True Element started as a recording project but quickly evolved in to a live hip hop crew and eventually transformed in to a live hip hop band similar to The Roots, Spearhead and Urban Species. Most of the vocalists and musicians that have been involved with True Element have grown up, moved to, or lived in the Milton Keynes area of the UK at some point in their lives. Since forming True Element have performed on both the local and national music circuit appearing on radio as well as live at venues and festivals. True Element have also picked up local music awards as well as supporting several established recording artists in their home city of Milton Keynes, England. In the first part of the article we are going to take an in depth look in to the circumstances, life, and inspiration that lead to the birth of True Element in 1997. Continue reading →

This is the second part of Milton Keynes based hip hop collective True Element‘s story. True Element are one of Milton Keynes’s longest running hip hop crews.

Part 1 of the article can be read by clicking here: True Element Part 1 (The Foundation)

In July 1997 DJ Kraze One released the first True Element single and limited edition CD EP “Take a look around” independently on One On One Productionz. The aim of the project was simply to record a representation of the local hip hop scene of which DJ Kraze One with several others had been involved in since the early 90s. The hip hop scene in the Milton Keynes area like the rest of the UK was still very small and hip hop from the UK in general was struggling to be heard. There was very little in terms of record labels support or media support for UK hip hop in the mid 90s.

In fact the majority UK hip hop released in the UK was put out independently by the artists themselves and a release on an independent label was seen as major success for UK hip hop in those times. In True Element‘s home City of Milton Keynes there was no local music industry so the only option was to press up what you could afford and sell independently via local shops, back packs, and events. The aim of the project was eventually to try and get a release on one of the few independent UK record labels that were supporting hip hop.

True Element “Take a look around” 1997 One On One Productionz

“Take a look around” had been somewhat of a success in the eyes of DJ Kraze One. The aim was really to test the water with the music and see what people’s reactions were. The kind of hip hop that True Element were creating was not overly commercial but at Continue reading →