Kevin Ford (born 1968) is a British jungle and drum and bass producer and DJ better known as DJ Hype. Hype began producing in 1989, engineering and co-producing tracks for Kickin’Records, Strictly Underground, and Suburban Base, including “Exorcist” and “The Bee.” Wookie, a UK garage producer, recalls Hype working with The Scientist on “The Bee,” one of the first jungle tunes to chart, following “£10 to Get In” by Shut Up and Dance in 1989. At the time, Hype hosted a show on the London pirate radio station Fantasy FM, and he was well known for his mixing and scratching abilities.
Hype’s Ganja Records label rose to prominence mostly as a result of dance floor fillers including “You Must Think First,” “Tiger Style,” and DJ Zinc’s “Ultra Sharp Shooter.” Their notoriety peaked in 1996, when their first album, Still Smokin’, was published as a label compilation by Ganja and Pascal’s Frontline brand. Its success led to a significant label deal with BMG’s Parousia sub-label and the formation of True Playaz, an MC-led deejay and production team that also included DJ Zinc, Pascal, and Rude Bwoy Monty. New Frontiers, Hype’s 1997 Parousia EP with Ganja Kru, peaked at No. 56 on the UK Albums Chart.