Crissy Cris - 1Xtra - BBC Radio 1 - Oct 2008

Biography of Crissy Cris

Crissy Criss aka Chris Williamson was born May 1987 at Newmarket Hospital, Suffolk. Child to former Dubai & Greece international Champion Jockey ‘Kevin Williamson’, best known for working for the King of Greece as a race horse Jockey in the late 1980's to early 90's. Crissy was raised in Leytonstone in the East of London after growing up in area's such as Newmarket, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk around the age of 2-3 years old when mother 'Tracey' met Kenny Ken, who was at the time playing Acid House & Jungle Techno. It was then Crissy was introduced to a set of decks at the age of 5. Tracey, Kenny and Chris shortly settled down after moving to East London when mother Tracey got involved in the music scene by becoming Kenny's agent and starting her own agency called ‘Ton Promotions’ then later changed to ‘Ton Management’.

Crissy Criss first got in to DJing at the age of 9, when music started to take a part in Crissy's life, any chance to jump to the decks while step dad Kenny was not in would be frequent, Needles would be broke and Records would be missed placed. It was time that Crissy had to invest in his own pair of decks & equipment if this is what he wanted to do as a hobby. Crissy's hobby then changed in to something serious when he landed a spot on London’s Kool FM at the age of 11 in 1998 with Micky Finn's prodigy 'Logan D' who was also 15 years old at the time. Doing a weekly show on Kool FM gave Crissy the exposure that he needed to move forward in his DJ Career.

Crissy's first gig was at a Festival at The Essex Show Ground, covering for Kenny Ken at the last minute along side Mickey Finn, Andy C and GQ to name a few on the bill. A a year later came Crissy's first ever DJ booking in 2000 at The End club, a club notoriously known for its loud sound system, Drum&Bass veteran 'DJ Zinc' had requested for Crissy to play on the night as a warm up DJ along side Mampi Swift, Bad Company, Andy C, Zinc to some that was on the line up. Not long after establishing himself as a small name on the Drum&Bass circuit as the youngest DJ out there, Bookings started to pile in after mother 'Tracey', who was booking agent for EZ Rollers, Kenny Ken, Peshay, Moose, Nicky Blackmarket and a load more at the time. Crissys first abroad gig was in Germany at 'One Love' alongside Bryan G, Foxy, Kenny Ken, Ray Keith, Navigator to name some. Since the early years of DJ bookings in 2000 to 2004, gigs have pored in from everywhere, taking Crissy Criss across the world to places like Canada, USA, Germany, Estonia, France, Norway, Spain and many more places to play in front of thousand's and thousand's of people while still attending school weekly.

Crissy's radio career started in 1998-1999 when landing a weekly show on London’s premier D&B station 'Kool FM' along with Logan D for a number of years. The youngsters then got there own shows in late 2003 which gained them more support and promotion in there own fields. In early 2004, Crissy thought it was time for a change by stepping off his long run at Kool FM and moving on, While in the move, Crissy was approached by Radio One's production team 'Somethin Else' after seeing a full page spread on Crissy in 'Knowledge Magazine'. 'Somethin Else' who produces such other radio program's as 'The Essential Mix' & 'Fergie' brought Crissy in to the Studio offices in Central London to record a pilot show for a brand new radio show for the BBC's notorious national 'Radio 1'. Radio 1 was very pleased what Crissy had to offer and signed the 17 year old straight away along with 5 other DJ's; Eddie Halliwell, Nic Fanchuli, Jon O Bir, Kutski and The Trophy Twins to take the airwaves with there new show 'The Residency'.

'The Residency' speaks for it self, giving one show to 6 DJ's for 6 Months then changing the line-up of DJs after the 6 months is up. The show was promoted throughout the station by Pete Tong and in all major music magazines across the land. After the 6 Months was up, the line-up was recreated, 2 of the other DJs we're dropped and then show went on another 6 months and changed again, this time Trophy Twins gaining there own weekend morning show and new signings Tayo and Plastician hit the decks on the show bringing personal Dubstep and Breakbeat shows on to Radio1. Crissy had been with BBC Radio 1 for two years after being dropped from the line-up to bringing two new Presenters for the show which also changed name from 'The Residency' to 'In New DJ's We Trust' & broadcast slot in mid 2006. Before the last show on Radio One, Crissy was called for a meeting with one of BBC 1Xtra's head of programmes. It was there and then Crissy gained his own weekly 4 hour Drum&Bass radio show on the BBC's home for new black music 'BBC 1Xtra'