Kemistry

For the album by Kem, see Kemistry (album).

Kemistry
Born	Valerie Olukemi A Olusanya 13 October 1963 (1963-10-13) Birmingham, England
Died	25 April 1999 (1999-04-26) (aged 35) Hampshire, England
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 (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 both found themselves living in London at that time. 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 in the early morning of 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] 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]

The song "Kemistry" by Goldie on his album Timeless, is dedicated to Olusanya.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Kemistry". Fuller Up, the Dead Musician Directory. http://elvispelvis.com/kemistry.htm. Retrieved 2 December 2008. 
2. ^ Potts, Diana. "Kemistry & Storm > Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p200009. Retrieved 2 December 2008. 
3. ^ Parliamentary Debates, House of Lords, 13 December 1999, column WA20.

Persondata
Name	Kemistry
Alternative names	Olusanya, Kemi
Short description	Drum and bass DJ, record producer
Date of birth	13 October 1963
Place of birth	Birmingham, England
Date of death	25 April 1999
Place of death	M3 motorway, Hampshire, England