Kemistry
- For the album by Kem, see Kemistry (album).
| Kemistry | |
|---|---|
| Born | Valerie Olukemi A Olusanya October 13, 1963 Birmingham, England, UK |
| Died | April 25, 1999 (aged 35) Hampshire, England, UK |
| Cause of death | Road accident |
| Occupation | Drum and bass DJ, record producer |
| Years active | c.1991–1999 |
| Known for | Kemistry & Storm, Metalheadz |
Valerie Olukemi A "Kemi" Olusanya (October 13, 1963 – April 25, 1999), commonly known by her stage name Kemistry, was a leading English drum and bass DJ of the early 1990s who also produced a number of records on the Metalheadz label, which she co-founded with other artists including Goldie, whom she had introduced to the drum and bass scene.[1]
Biography
Having attended college in Northampton, Olusanya began a career as a make-up artist before giving it up for DJing in the early 1990s. She was half of the DJ and recording duo, Kemistry & Storm, which she formed with an old friend when they both lived in London. With Goldie, they led Metalheadz for two-and-a-half years before leaving the label and later releasing a widely distributed mix album, DJ-Kicks: Kemistry & Storm, which has been described as "paving the way for other, younger, female DJs".[2]
Olusanya died in a road accident at 2:30 AM on 25 April 1999. She was in a car travelling behind a van on the M3 motorway in Hampshire, when she was hit by the steel body of a cat's eye, which had been dislodged by the van and flew through the windscreen of the car in which she was a passenger. The cat's eye hit Olusanya in the face and she was killed instantly. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.[1][not in citation given] A question was asked in the House of Lords about the safety of cat's eyes in light of the incident, and the Highways Agency conducted an investigation into the "long-term integrity and performance" of various types of road stud.[3][not in citation given]
The song "Kemistry" by Goldie on his album Timeless, is dedicated to Olusanya. The song was released originally in 1992, as Goldie was in a relationship with Olusanya.
References
External links
- DJ Kemistry discography at Discogs
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- All articles with failed verification
- Articles with failed verification from April 2015
- 1963 births
- 1999 deaths
- Club DJs
- English electronic musicians
- People from Birmingham, West Midlands
- Road accident deaths in England
- 20th-century English musicians
- Women in electronic music
