We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Kopkowski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
“With great risk comes great reward” is a quote that’s definitely a perfect way to describe how I perceive risk. From the way I pick out music for my DJ sets (I never play the same set twice or have a chosen setlist in order to create a unique experience each time you see me play), also where I host events (every 2 or 3 months one of my many collaborators Trevor Thornburg and I host an underground music event in a huge drainage tunnel 100 feet long underneath train tracks in the middle of the desert). Risk plays an essential role in basically everything I do as far as the artistic path I’ve chosen. It was risky taking on my first festival gig I played which put me on this current path because it was at the end of quarantine when not everyone was okay with being in a large group of people and the reward from that was creating something from nothing. This experience also helped form my main outlet for creativity. I don’t just take risks to take risks or seem edgy, I’d like to think of myself as a deep thinker and I evaluate each risk from top to bottom and only take it on obviously if the incentive or reward is greater. Taking risks also means you will fail sometimes and everyone deals with failure differently and that’s what puts many people on the sidelines because it’s not easy and can be soul crushing at times, but it’s how you respond to failures and learn and grow, taking the highs and lows in stride is what keeps me humble. Throughout my life I’ve always accomplished or failed my own way. I tend to lean the way of a non-conformist not just to be unique or different, that’s just how I am by nature.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have always been an admirer of many art forms from surrealism to music production to dane, and I respect the process it takes to create such cool and amazing works of art, in all forms. Until recently, I never would have categorized myself as an artist per se but due to recent choices to pivot into the direction of being a creator of art; I now wouldn’t shun away from that category. I think what separates myself from others is I’m multi genre. I’m comfortable playing House, Bass, Break Drum & Bass, Trance, Lo Fi Hip Hop. Most importantly I can and have been doing it all as far as Event production from: Site management to booking, making flyers ( Never Templates) to artist management. Promoting and marketing. I have the audio and visuals needed for events, providing power and preforming as DJ . My overall perception and how I respect the past , definitely helps my creativity in the present. For example, in the field of being a DJ very few people mix or transition from track to track the way I do because I taught myself and had no mentor. I had to read books and had to trial and error by myself which has created my style. The crossfader is an essential tool in my skill set, I’d say 95% percent of DJs do not use this tool.

Being a part of the underground production team of FX3 is what really got me over challenging times because it gave me the confidence I needed to recognize that I belong. Sally Jeriha has helped me through a challenging experience. An event didn’t go as played and I booked her to headline this event and was snubbed in favor of someone else, she was the one talking me off the cliff and gave me such amazing prospective and advice when she was also hurting and she didn’t have to do that, but she did and when you see someone’s true character like that you’ll never forget it. I’ll always respect her as a DJ and more importantly as a person and friend. I would want the world to know this about my story, it’s never too late to follow the path that you’ve always wanted to be apart of I’ve been in and out of the electronic music scene for 20 years mostly as an attendee who just loved to dance, if your heart’s in it, learn and respect your genres history, and go for it because you never know what you can make of it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The first thing I would do is scoop up my very good friend, Justin Hoffman. He’s the equivalent of a 100 person welcoming squad because he is a warm, charismatic ball of joy. I tell people I’m the cool one but he’s the fun one and it’s so true. He’s a great human to have in your life and genuinely care about you. The first stop we’d make after Justin’s house is going to my favorite dispensary, Earth’s Healing on River road to center ourselves and get our minds right. 🙂 Cotton mouth you say? Well my favorite remedy for that is Tap N Bottle just north of Downton. It’s got a cool and laid back vibe with a variety of brews to satisfy any pallet but for some unknown reason we always end up at Bison Witches on 4th Ave. It’s our crew’s home base to have a beverage or a late night meal. On a more sobering trip, we would definitely hit up our established secret spot on Mt. Lemmon to beat the heat of hik up to Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon. Finally, we’d finish off the day at my favorite burrito spot, El NeNe for the best carne asada burrito in town, hands down.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I’d like to shout out or show some love to the home base of my weekly residency, The Kava Bar, because all they have ever shown me is love. I was first made aware of this place by being booked to play a Sunday event called the Decompression Sessions in the Spring of 2021 and I have been playing there consistently ever since. This establishment has provided a cool and chill place for me to basically master my craft. The owners Kevin and Whitney are two of the most generous and genuine people you will find in Tucson and have never stepped in to hinder me creatively and have always greeted me with tremendous gratitude which for me was essential for artistic growth. Admittedly, when I first started playing their it was humble beginnings but because of the great atmosphere Kevin, Whitney, and bartender Marcos provide; they have established an amazing group of regulars which in return now feels close to a family type of vibe. It’s been amazing to see and I’m so grateful to be able to witness and be a part of a growing local small business such as this one.
I’d also like to shout out a friend from middle school Jose Velasquez and his awesome local clothing and T-Shirt company, Bread and Butter. They too established themselves at the peak of the pandemic making clothing for the hard working everyday grinder that hustles their butt off to get ahead. their brand incorporates everything from quirky cartoons to aggressive designs. With every order you get a “homie hookup” as a way to show some love back to the person that’s made a purchase and I think that’s such a cool concept and a great marketing tool. A motto of this company is “you got us, so we got you” and in Tucson where establishing respect is very important, it gives a little of the Tucson flavor that’s in us to the world.

Website: https://www.soundcloud.com/specialk_bass

Instagram: www.instagram.com/special_k.bass

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SpecialK.bass

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRHJ3s6zl_Nq5YZd6djKb3g

Image Credits
Melissa Hoffman, Adrian Ramirez, Nicole Pavicich, Andrew Garcia, James-Garrett Amayi-Kelley, David Marshall, Melissa “minxy” Williams, Coral Elise Amayi

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.