A Rise: They really just started to use former underground hip hop artists, which are now pretty much borderline mainstream, to really market products. Even now you see old underground poster boys appearing more and more on stations like MTV.

RS: And you know what? The thing that I think we need to be careful about is us exploiting ourselves too. You know I think we all need to learn from what happened with the b-boy. B-boying was created in the mid-70s, at the time when say from the mid-70s through mid-80s, everybody and their mother was breakdancing, you know what I mean? But then you started seeing it so much that it played itself out and in a way, the b-boys themselves were to blame because they were just running around the minute anyone asked them to breakdance in front of a camera and threw a couple hundred dollars in their face, they’d do it and it was almost to a point where they let themselves get exploited you know what I mean? Then it just got to a point where it got played out..and you had people breakdancing that had no business breakdancing, and not even doing the shit right first of all you know what I mean? I feel like we need to realize that while it’s good to be in commercials and its good to be on TV and all that we have to be careful about presenting it the right way, because then what happens is Sprite says that we gonna do a hip hop commercial and you know what? Were not gonna even bother getting Rob Swift or Roc Raida let’s just get this actor that looks good to pretend he’s doing all that shit. Then you have a lot of clones out there, fake ass DJs trying to be what we are and not even doing the shit right, and you know, the art just gets played out

A Rise: While we’re on the subject of fake poser DJs is a person who use cds not a real DJ?

RS: I don’t know! I can’t respect someone who calls themselves a DJ that never picked up a piece of vinyl, or who doesn’t have a vinyl collection, or never used turntables. I mean, technically, a disc jockey, a DJ, you’re playing music for people, so it really depends on what your definition of DJ is.

A Rise: So, what is your definition of DJ?

RS: Well, my definition is, yeah, you gotta know records, you gotta understand the importance of playing a night club, and making people dance, and also, like you just bought up, the equipment itself because on the flipside you have DJs that do use turntables, and do use a mixer, but all they do is fucking scratch for two hours, and they don’t know how to play music at a club, they don’t know how to make people dance. You give them two records to blend, and they can’t even match beats together cuz all they know how to do is scratch. Just cuz they use turntables, does that mean they’re DJs?

A Rise: Right, I hear you

RS: So it goes beyond someone who only use cds. You know that’s why we have to be careful in what we say is a DJ because if its the equipment, then, I know a lot of dudes that I don’t consider DJs, but use turntables, and mixers, and records. Deejaying is about being well-rounded, it’s not just the equipment you use it’s how well-rounded you are. Could you play as a club? What’s your knowledge of music? And records? You know some DJs that use vinyl and all they do is scratch All they have are battle break records, you know what I mean? They don’t have “Nobody Beats the Biz” by Biz Markie, they don’t own a copy of “Sucka MCs” by RUN DMC you know what I mean?

A Rise: Or “The Bridge.”

RS: Or “The Bridge,” exactly. It’s such a touchy subject, you know what I mean? But as far as cds are concerned, no, if you’ve never owned a pair of 1200s or turntables period, if you’ve never touched a piece of vinyl, I mean, you don’t know what its like to pick up a needle and drop it on the vinyl, then its hard for me to respect you as a DJ. Technically you can DJ, you can DJ a club, you can DJ a party, using cds, but I don’t respect you as a true DJ you know?

A Rise: So when you DJ parties, what do you use?

RS: Well, let’s say that I get booked for a show where they want me to spin music for an hour and then do a showcase where I do my tricks and shit, Ill bring my laptop. On my laptop, I use a Serato software that allows me to play the mp3s through my ITunes onto this special vinyl called Control Records, and the control records, they read midi, so this way, I can travel with, you know, a thousand hours worth of music without having to carry a thousand hours worth of record crates, you know what I mean?

A Rise: So just to clarify, you bring your laptop for the songs that people dance to and your still bring actual records for your showcase?

RS: Exactly, also when you go to the airport they check your shit in you gotta worry about the baggage handlers throwing your crates around..um..or losing your shit! You get to the city and your records aren’t there and you can’t work so that’s the beauty of a laptop

A Rise: How many times did that happen to you?

RS: Oh, it’s never happened to me, because even before the laptop, I would only pack enough for that hour so I would make sure that all my shit was always carry on. I always had that fear of losing my records. As a DJ your records are your prize possessions. That’s how you make your money so if you lose that shit, you ain’t eatin you know what I mean? So, I think for that reason I do like the technology, the fact that they came up with that software that allows you to use the laptop, you throw shit in your backpack, and you got your work with you. If you lose your clothes, you can always replace clothes, but you can’t replace an original copy of “Rock the Bells” L.L. Cool J.

A Rise: So what is your most memorable career moment?

RS: My most memorable career moment…you know what? I would say, um, it’s between appearing on the MTV icon tribute for Aerosmith with the X-ecutioners that was cool because I grew up cutting Aerosmith records. I used to learn how to scratch on “Walk This Way.” Knowing that we were doing a tribute to a group that was such an influence on me, and then knowing that we were in front of people like, you know, Cher, Janet Jackson and fuckin the whole Aerosmith family. Doing what we do, it was just amazing then appearing on the MTV Video Music Awards in 2001 with Linkin Park. That was a highlight as well.

A Rise: Is that one of your favorite collaborations?

RS: Yeah, hell ya!

A Rise: That really improved your marketability and the audience who knew about the X-ecutioners, and showcase DJs grew exponentially when you guys collaborated with them.

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Posted by A Rise on Monday, May 15th, 2006 and is filed under SICKWIDIT, SPOTLIGHT.