One of the things we value most at 704 Records is being connected to the people and culture around Dutch music. Sometimes that connection leads to a recording session. Sometimes it leads to a collaboration. And sometimes it puts an artist in a room where something bigger is beginning.

That happened with Slim Kofi when he performed live on the very first episode of De DoofPod, the podcast created and hosted by Dutch hip-hop pioneer SugaCane.

The episode brought together artists including Kalibwoy, Sxteen, Jay-Way, Rafello and DJ Game Ova, with Slim Kofi performing live. It was the beginning of a podcast platform that would go on to bring together established and upcoming names from Dutch hip-hop and urban culture.

Being there from the beginning

For us, this moment says a lot about how we work.

SugaCane, also known as Redlight Boogie, has been part of Dutch hip-hop since its early years and is widely recognised as one of the pioneers of the Dutch scene. His DoofPod became another way for him to connect different generations of artists and give people a platform to speak, perform and connect.

Being involved in the very first episode wasn’t something that could simply be booked from a website. It came through relationships, trust and being part of the scene.

That is something we believe strongly in at 704.

More than recording

When an artist works with James704records and 704 Studios, the relationship doesn’t have to stop when the recording ends.

Years of working as a recording and mixing engineer, working with artists and being around the Dutch music scene naturally creates connections. Those connections can lead to conversations, introductions, collaborations, performances and opportunities that might not have happened otherwise.

We don’t see networking as something separate from making music.

It’s part of making music.

Hippy Jack behind the music

Our producer Hippy Jack was also part of the project, bringing his production experience into the session.

That’s something that represents 704 Records well. Our work has always happened through people. Artists, producers, engineers and creatives naturally connect through the music we’re making, and those relationships become part of the work itself.

Hippy Jack is one of the producers within that network, and his involvement in a moment like this is something we’re proud of.

The value of being connected

The Dutch music scene is built on relationships. Artists, producers, engineers, DJs, promoters, studios and creatives constantly cross paths, and sometimes one introduction can lead somewhere completely unexpected.

That’s the environment we’ve always wanted 704 Records to be part of.

The De DoofPod story is one example. Slim Kofi being there for the first episode alongside artists such as Kalibwoy, Jay-Way and Sxteen shows what can happen when music, relationships and the right moment come together.

And for us, that’s still what 704 Records is about today: great music, genuine relationships and being close enough to the scene to know when the next door is opening.