In the 1920s, if you listened to artists like Rae Sremmurd, Wiz Khalifa and Lil Wayne, you were in good company. The same was true for Tape B, the bass and dubstep producer who channels the nostalgia of his timeless hip-hop to cultivate his beloved “Old School x New School” style.
Tape B's real name is Kemal Berk Alkanat, although he will perform as Berk, as his first and middle names were swapped when he moved from Turkey when he was just three years old. Now 26, the DJ is on an upward trajectory towards stardom.
Although his steps into the world of electronic music are fairly recent, Alkanat has been producing music for 10 years, meaning his Tape B project was already underway at the young age of 16. But it wasn't until recently, when he moved to Boca Raton, Florida, due to the pandemic, that Alkanat had a lightbulb moment that led him to create his signature sound.
“I was in a situation where I could make good music, but I didn't know who Tape B was or what kind of music was,” he recalls in a backstage interview at the glitzy concert. Breakaway Festival in Minnesota.
Alkanat says that, listening to dubstep from the iconic UKF channel and a lot of rap from SoundCloud, he experienced something of an epiphany and decided to remix the music he used to listen to in high school, as he was at home and “everything felt nostalgic” at the time. In the end, adding novel sounds to tracks that had been popularised a long time ago seemed to fit with what he wanted: a vibe of his own.
“It all came together right away after I did the first three,” he recalls. “I was like, 'Hey, I'm actually pretty good at doing these remixes.'”
Although the songs he reworks are quite recognizable among fans, Alkanat adds, he chooses the subject matter based on his own perception of nostalgia.
“I always try to keep something that's unique to me and that no one else remixes,” he says.
As his music becomes increasingly popular, Alkanat highlights another element that has become his signature: the vocal bass, the deep, guttural sound he affectionately refers to as “the yoys.” This meandering sound lies in the background of his fan-favorite remix of PEEKABOO and LYNY’s trap hit, “Like That.”
Alkanat acknowledges that fans are beginning to associate his name with the low vowel, but he wants fans to know that he adopted the sound out of respect for his parents.
“I feel like I played a role in bringing that sound back, but it's been an iconic sound for decades,” he explains, crediting dubstep icons Zeds Dead and Doctor P for popularizing it.
Though seismic sound is present throughout much of his lurching hybrid music, Alkanat takes pains to keep the “yoys” in check, emphasizing that he spaces them out both on music releases and in DJ sets.
He identifies Claybrook, SVDDEN DEATH, Space Laces, Getter, and REZZ, among others, as inspirations behind Tape B's other sounds. While he mentions that his sound doesn't quite reflect that of his inspirations, it's the creation of an atmosphere surrounding his music that inspires him. “I think they're extremely unique; they do it really well,” he says.
Another of his main inspirations lies behind his beloved catchphrase, “Yo Tape B, show them how it’s done.” He credits influential trap producer TroyBoi with the idea of splitting up the line and strategically placing its fragments throughout his tracks.
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Now, after sifting through the inspiration to find her own clarity on the direction she wants to go, it’s undeniable that she’s struck the perfect blend of sentimentality, novelty, and bold basslines. And her career has progressed exponentially, recently dropping high-flying sets at Coachella and Ultra Music Festival, just two of a plethora of major appearances. Now she’s gearing up for her own headlining tour in the fall, the biggest of her career to date.
Recounting the shift in direction from “old school x new school,” Alkanat recalls a surreal moment at last year’s Electric Forest that served as a crucial validator.
“When I looked out, I couldn't believe how big the crowd was,” he recalls with a smile. “I had prepared so well for it. I played my first song and I felt so happy straight away. I thought, 'I know exactly what I'm doing, I'm so well prepared.' I was so focused on the moment that everything changed for me that day.”
For many fans of electronic dance music and hip-hop, Tape B’s recent track “Trippy Land,” a collaboration with Mersiv and Juicy J, became a playlist staple upon its release. Alkanat claims that working with the iconic rapper helped legitimize his work in hip-hop.
The song's release also catalyzed reaching out to more artists he hadn't even dreamed of working with yet. Despite his excitement and gratitude, he emphasizes that when it comes to collaborations, he doesn't want to rush.
“I want to make sure I have stuff I'm really proud of before I send a lot of my favorite rappers and influences something to work on,” he says.
Other rappers he dreams of working with include Meechy of Flatbush Zombies, Schoolboy Q, Waka Flocka Flame and A$AP Rocky, the latter of whom tops the list.
For Alkanat, the key to navigating his rapid rise was overcoming the fear of freestyling instead of having his sets planned out. “When I freestyle it’s a lot easier,” he says. “I know exactly what I want to play… it was really just overcoming that fear of freestyling in front of thousands of people.”
He knew freestyling was the best way to get a good job done, but he was afraid of the potential mistakes that come with an unplanned set, so he had to think twice to overcome his doubts. “Back then, all I did was turn up with a laptop and my controller and just analyse the room for four hours. I thought I was so much better at DJing,” he explains. “Now I’m like, ‘I was good back then, why don’t I do this in a bigger environment? ’”
“It was kind of a mental battle, but now I feel really comfortable freestyling there,” he continues, highlighting the connection this creates with his fans. “I think it's more fun for the fans to just be in the moment and play what feels right to them.”
His approach goes further afield, as on his fan-favorite volumes, “Cartunes” and “Driptapes,” released via SoundCloud. According to Alkanat, these mixes pay homage to his best live tracks of the year.
You might be surprised to find out that he sits down and puts together all of these mixes in one sitting. Alkanat says he feels consumed by a “random manic state” when he sits down to work on mixes and longer EPs, and the spontaneity with which he changes elements.
“The VIP part of 'Dopamine,' with Rae Sremmurd's vocals on top, I did the day before the mix came out and I was like, 'I think this would really come out!' And now it's a lot of people's favorite part of the mix,” he reveals with a laugh.
In the same vein of feeling and fun within his own studio, Alkanat wants to foster a sense of community with his nostalgia-laden music. So, as the producer himself says, his music and sets are there for your entertainment and escape, along with the occasional head-nod.
“In the end, the important thing is that everyone respects each other, is kind to each other and has fun,” he says. “We’re all here to get away from the shit of real life and just have fun and listen to music.”
Follow tape B:
X: x.com/tapebbeats
Instagram: Instagram.com/tapebbeats
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@tapebbeats
Facebook: facebook.com/tapebbeats
Spotify: en: tinyurl.com/mwvmuh8v
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