Kemistry

Valerie Olukemi A "Kemi" Olusanya (13 October 1963 – 25 April 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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