KENNY DOPE: ROLLER BOOGIE 80’S

Some mixes just never leave the rotation.

This is one of them.

Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez – Roller Boogie 80’s has been getting plenty of love around the SOUL OF SYDNEY camp for years. A proper crate-digger’s journey through the funk, soul, boogie, disco and dancefloor sounds of the 80s, mixed with that unmistakable Kenny Dope touch.

And with word that Kenny Dope is heading to Australia, we figured there was no better time to put this classic back on.

Originally released in 2004, Roller Boogie 80’s captures Kenny Dope digging deep into the sounds that shaped his musical world, long before the global Masters At Work era cemented his place in dance music history. The mix was actually part of a series of classic Kenny Dope compilations, originally appearing on cassette before being reissued on CD through Dopewax.

Clocking in at around 74 minutes, the selection is stacked with serious 80s dancefloor ammunition.

Mary Jane Girls. Dennis Edwards. Taana Gardner. Gwen McCrae. Alicia Myers. Slave. Odyssey. Central Line. Junior. Fonda Rae. Unlimited Touch. Nick Straker and plenty more.

From All Night Long and Heartbeat, through Funky Sensation, Just A Touch Of Love, Walking Into Sunshine, Mama Used To Say, Over Like A Fat Rat, Search To Find The One and I Hear Music In The Streets, it’s the kind of mix where the next record always seems to make perfect sense.

That is the Kenny Dope thing.

A serious knowledge of records, an instinct for the groove and an ability to connect seemingly different corners of funk, soul, disco, hip hop and house into one continuous musical story.

Before Masters At Work, before The Bucketheads and before The Bomb! became a global dancefloor anthem, Kenny Dope was already a serious DJ and record head. His love of disco, funk, breaks, hip hop and 80s boogie has been a constant thread throughout his career.

And Roller Boogie 80’s is a beautiful snapshot of that.

So with Kenny potentially touching down in Australia, we’re going back to where the groove lives.

Press play. Turn it up. Let the Roller Boogie begin.

🎧 Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez – Roller Boogie 80’s

Tracklist:

1. Mary Jane Girls – All Night Long
2. Dennis Edwards – Don’t Look Any Further
3. Taana Gardner – Heartbeat
4. Gwen McCrae – Funky Sensation
5. Alicia Myers – I Want To Thank You
6. Slave – Just A Touch Of Love
7. Slave – Watching You
8. Odyssey – Inside Out
9. Central Line – Walking Into Sunshine
10. Junior – Mama Used To Say
11. Fonda Rae – Over Like A Fat Rat
12. Jeanette Lady Day – Come Let Me Love You
13. Young & Co. – I Like What You’re Doing To Me
14. Weeks & Co. – Rock Your World
15. Unlimited Touch – Search To Find The One
16. Denroy Morgan – I’ll Do Anything
17. Unlimited Touch – I Hear Music In The Streets
18. Nick Straker – A Little Bit Of Jazz