Kenny Dixon Jr., who is also known as Moodymann, is an American musician from Detroit, Michigan. In 1997, he released his first album called Silentintroduction on the Planet E Communications label. He owns two record labels named Mahogani Music and KDJ Records. Additionally, he is part of a music group called 3 Chairs.

Early life

Moodymann was born in Los Angeles, California. When he was three weeks old, his mother returned with him to Detroit, where both of his parents are from. As a child, Moodymann often visited roller rinks. During his teenage years, he played drums at his grandfather's jazz club, which only allowed people aged 55 and older. However, he was asked to leave because he did not have enough skill.

Before working in house and techno music, Moodymann created beats for local hip-hop artists, including A.W.O.L., Detroit's Most Wanted, The Riddler, B-Def, and Smiley. In 2023, he told a journalist from Mixmag, "You would make 10 beats in a day; you used to just have cassettes floating around anywhere. I was just so happy to be producing stuff." At night, Moodymann played music at house parties.

At this time, Moodymann used the name Mr. House. He partnered with rapper Kevin Bailey, who performed as K-Stone, and producer Kahlil Oden, who was known as K9. Moodymann and Bailey grew up in the same neighborhood and, during their late teens and early twenties, lived together in the house of Moodymann's father. Moodymann mostly searched through old records to find music samples and used them to create beats. Bailey explained, "Moody would pick some of the craziest loops, old skool loops from different types of records. He would use breakbeats and vocal samples to create various different hip hop grooves and beats."

In 1989, Warner Bros. Records offered the group a joint record deal. However, two days before they signed the deal, Oden was killed in a shooting. The record label canceled the offer because of concerns about violence, according to Bailey.

Moodymann and Bailey signed with Atlanta's Ichiban Records and toured for several years. Moodymann sent techno and house music recordings to record labels, but when no one responded, he began releasing his music on his own.

Moodymann released his first record under his current stage name in 1992. However, the record did not receive any public attention because Moodymann made a mistake during production. He did not know that one side of a record could only play fifteen minutes of audio, so he recorded thirty minutes on each side. This caused the records to play feedback. At this time, Moodymann did not own any musical equipment. He made all of his music using borrowed instruments or by secretly recording tracks at Guitar Center.

In the mid-1990s, Moodymann worked as a resident DJ at the Outcast Motorcycle Club, a Black outlaw motorcycle club in Detroit, Michigan. While he created music, Moodymann also worked at several record stores, including one owned by early Detroit techno producer Blake Baxter. His coworkers suggested he use the name "Moodymann," which was a variation of his childhood nickname, Moody.

Career

In 1994, Moodymann started his own independent record label called KDJ Records. He began by releasing an EP named Moody Trax. Soon after, in 1995, he released a song called “The Day We Lost the Soul,” which honored Marvin Gaye. He later released “Don’t Be Misled” in 1996 and “I Can’t Kick This Feelin When It Hits” in 1997. Due to limited funds in the early years of the label, some records had different lengths, changes, and versions.

In 1997, Moodymann released his first album, Silentintroduction, through Planet E Communications. This album included tracks previously released on KDJ Records. One of the ten songs on the album was “I Can’t Kick This Feeling When It Hits,” a techno song that uses a sample from Chic’s 1978 disco song “I Want Your Love.” The album also included sounds from jazz music, spoken word, and crowd noises. It reflected Moodymann’s roots in techno music. He later released Mahogany Brown in 1998, Forevernevermore in 2000, and Silence in the Secret Garden in 2003.

In 2012, Moodymann released an album called Picture This as a free download. He followed this with ABCD in 2013 and his self-titled album Moodymann in 2014. In 2019, he released Sinner, and in 2020, he released Taken Away. In December 2020, Moodymann appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto Online as a fictional version of himself. He worked as a DJ at a new nightclub called the Music Locker. In a July 2021 update, he appeared under the name “KDJ.” Alongside his fictional girlfriend, Sessanta, he joined an underground car meet event and offered players contracts. Moodymann also created a playlist called Kenny’s Backyard Boogie Mix, which included music from house, soul, hip-hop, and other genres, for the game.

Soul Skate

Since 2007, Moodyman has held a twice-a-year Memorial Day roller skating party in Detroit called Soul Skate. Moodyman does not perform only at Soul Skate, and the event is not only for disco music; DJs from other large American cities also play house, funk, and hip-hop.

In 2018, Dazed magazine made a short documentary film about the event. Moodyman provided the voiceover for the film, and three of his songs — “Black Mahogani,” “I Got Werk,” and “I Can’t Kick This Feeling When It Hits” — were included in the film.

In 2010, Moodyman worked with Red Bull Music Academy to host a Soul Skate roller-skating event at Renaissance Rooms in South London. Ten dancers from Detroit, aged 8 to 80, performed at the event. Moodyman performed with Horse Meat Disco, a music group from London that plays disco music.

Style and influences

Moodymann is known for mixing different ways to record and perform music, using both old analog methods and modern digital tools. He plays real instruments while also using buttons and technology during live performances. Philip Sherburne from Pitchfork wrote that Moodymann's music uses many samples from artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Chic, as well as gospel music. His beats are based on the lively, smooth sounds of disco.

Critic Ben Cardew says Moodymann helped shape lo-fi house and outsider house music in the 2010s. He also influenced chillwave, a small music style from the 2000s that was inspired by music from the 1970s and 1980s.

Moodymann says his musical influences include Mojo, Marvelous Marv, Robert Plant, and Led Zeppelin. He listened to the WJZZ radio station as a child. He got many of his musical ideas from roller rinks, where he danced to Kraftwerk's song "Trans-Europe Express." For many years, he believed Kraftwerk was a group of Black men from Detroit until he learned they are from Germany.

Personal life

In January 2019, Moodymann posted a video on Instagram, which he later took down, showing Highland Park police officers holding him at gunpoint in his parked car on his property. The Highland Park police department said that during the incident, Moodymann did not show proof that he owned the property or present identification, which led to his arrest. After an investigation proved he was the property owner, Moodymann was released.

Moodymann does not work with major music labels. He wants to help people in his neighborhood by starting his own label. He helps create every release by KDJ Records. He also owns Mahogani Music, a label that releases music made by other artists.

Discography

• Silent Introduction (1997)
• Mahogany Brown (1998)
• Forevernevermore (2000)
• Silence in the Secret Garden (2003)
• Black Mahogani (2004)
• Black Mahogani II (2004)
• Det.riot '67 (2008)
• Anotha Black Sunday (2009)
• Picture This (2012)
• ABCD (2013)
• Moodymann (2014)
• Sinner (2019)
• Taken Away (2020)

• Moodymann Collection (2006)
• DJ-Kicks (2016)

• The Telephone (2001)
• I Guess U Never Been Lonely (2012)

• "I Like It" / "Emotional Content" (1994)
• "Moodymann" (1995)
• "Long Hot Sex Nights" / "The Dancer" (1995)
• "The Day We Lost the Soul" (1995)
• "Don't Be Misled!" (1996)
• "I Can't Kick This Feelin When It Hits" / "Music People" (1997)
• "U Can Dance If U Want 2" (1997)
• "In Loving Memory" (1997)
• "Dem Young Sconies" / "Bosconi" (1997)
• "Silent Introduction" (1997)
• "Music Is…" (1997)
• "Joy Pt. II" (1997)
• "Amerika" (1997)
• "Forevernevermore" (1998)
• "Just Anotha Black Sunday Morning with Grandma" (1998)
• "Sunday Morning" / "Track Four" (1998)
• "Black Mahogany" (1998)
• "Shades of Jae" (1999)
• "The Thief That Stole My Sad Days… Ya Blessin' Me" (1999)
• "Don't You Want My Love" (2000)
• "Deleted Rehearsals" (2000)
• "Analog: Live" (2000)
• "J.A.N." (2001)
• "Nmywagon" (2001)
• "Sweet Yesterday" (2003)
• "Shattered Dreams" (2003)
• "Silence in the Secret Garden" (2003)
• "Untitled" (2004)
• "Ampapella" (2005)
• "How Sweed It Is" (2005)
• "I'd Rather Be Lonely" (2007)
• "Technologystolemyvinyle" (2007)
• "Ol' Dirty Vinyl" (2010)
• "Freeki Mutha F*cker (All I Need Is U)" (2011)
• "Why Do U Feel" (2012)
• "Sloppy Cosmic" / "Hangover" (2014)
• "Neu Geu Jeup" (2017)
• "Pitch Black City Reunion" / "Got Me Coming Back Rite Now" (2018)
• "Korean Caster Meltdown" (2019)
• "Viper Is Above" (2021)
• "LPL >> LCK" (2023)

• Norma Jean Bell – "Yes I Am (I'm Gonna Get You)", "Nobody", and "Mystery" from Come into My Room (2001)
• José James – "Desire (Moodymann Remix)" from Desire & Love (2008)
• Andres – II (2009)
• Rick Wilhite – "Drum Patterns & Memories (Moodymann Mix)" from The Godson & Soul Edge (2010)
• José James – "Detroit Loveletter" from Blackmagic (2010)
• Junior Boys – "Banana Ripple (Moodymann Remix)" from Even Truer (2013)
• Dua Lipa – "Break My Heart (Moodymann Remix)" (2020)