DJ Quik remains one of West Coast rap’s great neglected heroes: continually inventive, typically unsung, and, with over two decades of studio releases under his belt, well-travelled. 

Compton-raised, Quik properly arrived with 1990’s groovy, self-produced gangsta rap cornerstone Quik Is The Name. Subsequent releases saw him spread his wings as a producer, refining a psychedelic, velvet-lined strand of G-funk; by Nineties high-point Rhythm-Al-Ism (1998), he was managing the trick of sounding simultaneously soulful and screw-faced. His career has continued to tick over to diminishing commercial returns over the last decade, although two excellent recent releases (2009’s BlaQkout with Kurupt, and 2011’s The Book Of David) suggested that he was making his best work in his Autumn years.

It now appears that Quik’s music career – or, at the very least, the production work he’s known for – is coming to an end. The veteran took to Twitter yesterday evening to announce that he is planning to sell all of his production kit, and will cease all engineering and remix work from hereon in. His messages read as follows:

It’s official. I’m selling all my equipment. Furthermore, I will not remix or engineer for anyone from this day forward. Thanks true Fans.

There is only one truth. This about me selling my drum machine and keyboards , not about my character. Thank u.

And, later:

Btw: words don’t hurt me. I’ve been called “crazy” since elementary school, and that still ain’t long enough.

Quik also used his account to put his MPC3000 – which was stolen last month, but appears to have been returned to its owner – up for sale. 2012 Quik/Kurupt track ‘The Devil’s Carol’ is below.