what now?

[LiquidBronze]

since we mainly post things about beats, or hardware, maybe we can actually get to know how each of us got into hip-hop (or music for that matter) and how we contribute to the culture/ how we would like too??

ill start

I have been listening to hip-hop for about 17 years, my first real hip-hop album was the fat boys "crushing." i actually did not realize the grand scope of what hip-hop culture meant until college, where i met numerous cats now all involved in the budding hip-hop scene in philly (JJ Brown, R-Son, Adlib, Mountain Brothers, etc...) i started going to the local radio show at school to freestyle or just hang out with like minded people. That eventually led to a spot at co-hosting a year later, where we played mainly Euro hip-hop (because people to this day still think hip-hop is just in the US) i decided to get more into the scene by learning how to make beats, and now i have been doing that for about 3 1/2 years. I know someday i would like to bring out a full length album, besides the EP i had out a couple years back. Further down the line I would like to go back to grad school for some type of philosophy, but id like to incorporate what i have learned from the culture of hip-hop into some kind of class that I could teach

thats about it, so what about you all?

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

This is a good topic for a thread, Liquid Bronze!

spin

 

[Dj17]

I'm 18 and I began listening to hip hop 2 years ago and it quickly became my favourite music type. I never thought I'd get so interested, or at least to the point of starting to produce beats and recruiting artists to create a group, and getting all excited each time we could push it further. I improved pretty fast, since I already had played piano, guitar and studied classical music for a while. I got pretty hardcore on hip hop, I listened to artists not only from the US, but from France and other countries, and eventually local underground artists. I realized (no surprise there) how late we were, especially compared to the US. Among the artists I met (and eventually recruited or collaborated with) at school and shows, none of them really believed they ever had a chance to do something important around here since the scene is not so great (not to say pratically inexistant compared to places in the US). But we're working hard on getting a bigger scene here, and a scene that really represent the city's full potential. I know it's probably not too realistic for the moment, but I hope one day it'll be big enough to get our stuff heard in the US, or at least in France. I'm sorta glad to see where Bless is now, really gives me hope that things are gonna start moving.

Well. That's basically it . I wouldn't wanna bore you, or anythin.

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

I started DJ’ing in 1982.

I was spinning Disco/House (as did everyone else in Chicago).
Most dj’s, back then, on the South-side of Chicago, listened/played a variety of music formats (Disco, Funk, Rock, Punk, House, etc…), but they played the extremes of those formats.

I started spinning Hip-Hop in 1985.

Of course, you had all of the commercial rap on the radio (Sugarhill Gang, UTFO, Run DMC, etc…). But, one night I was listening to a college radio station here in Chicago, named WHPK 88.5 FM (University of Chicago). I heard this high pitched, nasal rapper that had an offbeat, scientific, $10 word style. His name was Kool Keith and his cohort was Ced Gee. The name of their group was named Ultramagnetic MC’s (the name of the song was ‘Mentally Mad’. Once I heard their music I was INSTANTLY a true Hip-Hop head. I called the radio station. I talked with the host JP Chill. He put me up on a TON of music for the next couple of years (Masters of Ceremony, Kings of Pressure, JVC Force, etc…).

So, as the years went by, I continued spinning private “house parties”, while on–the-down-low playing Hip-Hop at my home.
Over the years, as most people stopped dj’ing, I became, somewhat “the man” in terms of Hip-Hop on the Southeast Side of Chicago (back in 88’/89’). Until I meet this DJ named Kaze.
We were all at my friend “Jay-milla’s” house. Everybody was saying that I needed to battle him.

Well….., we all made bets that I would win. I mean we bet money, jewelry, alcohol, sausages, pizzas, and everything.

We went over to my house. I pulled out the only set of double records that I owned [then]. It was ‘Slick Rick’ “Chidrens Story”.

Needless to say, Kaze BEAT-MY- M*THAFUCKIN-*SS up (on the tables)!!!!!!!!

I didn’t know he was from Brooklyn, NY. I didn’t know that tables could get rocked that HARD!

So, that’s when I started “battle” DJ’ing.

I got my start dj’ing in Chicago clubs, in 1994.

I got my first label deal 95’ with Correct Records. I started touring the US with my artist Gravity, as his DJ. I would regularly go to N.Y., Phili, Miami, L.A., and San Francisco.

One of the West Coast artists that would open for us was, Jurassic 5.

One of my MOST memorable Hip-Hop moments was a party I was doing for Phat Beats and Urb Magazine. It was 1996, I was in LA (I think I was just off of the Sunset Strip), I was to do a beat-juggling routine. All the lights dimmed, then went out! They stayed off for 20 seconds. Once they came back on. I did a quick “jurrie, jurrie, jurrie” type of scratch. Now, in the small amount of time it took me to do that 2 second scratch my mind went into super-duper slow motion.
Something in my mind said, “Spin, look to your left”. I looked to my immediate left (I mean literally, if I extended my arm to the left, I’d have touched them) right there next to me was the entire X-Men crew (Mr. Sinister, Rob Swift, and Roc Raida). Then, I looked to my right. There was the Invisibl Skratch Pikilz Crew (DJ Q-Bert, Mixmaster Mike, and DJ Shortkut). THEN, I looked behind me (LITERALLY, if I would have elbow jabbed, I would have hit them) was the Beat Junkies (Babu, Melo-D, Rhettmatic, J-Rocc, and Symphony [sp?]).

That was the most nervous I have ever been in my LIFE!!!!!
I performed my routine, I made a few mistakes, but nothing major. After the show, we drank shots. They told me that it is natural to be nervous and they get nervous, too.

I started doing my own hip-hop Friday night college radio show in 1996 (12AM – 3AM), WHPK 88.5 FM

But , I digress…..

I started DJ’ing overseas in 1997.

My first, event was the Essential Festival, in Finsbury Park, London, England. I take that back. My first event was a club named The End in London, England.

Yadda, yadda, yadda………

Now, I’m doing some production with 2 different grammy nominated producers/djs. And, I am doing some production with a few French artists/labels.

I am spinning at a few clubs here in Chicago (Betyy’s, Ezuli’s, Uptown Lounge, Cozmo’s, and Subterranean) 5 to 6 nights a week. I am playing all formats of music, but primarily ‘house music’.

So………

Started dj’ing in 82’.
Started clubs in 94’.
Started producing 95’.
Started radio in 96’.
Started overseas 97’.
Got a Grammy ??’.

Peace…

Spin

Post Script: Sorry about the long post.

 

[chalin27]

I got into music period when my moms brought me a radio with a Tape recorder. It wasn't a boom box but it was enough for me to record the radio stations. I listen to alot 80's rock back then. I use to record everything on the radio and sometimes my 3 yonger brothers acti' a fool. Miami wasn't big on hip hop. We had the 2 live crew and poison clan but the stuff was never played on the radio so I only heard them at block parties. The way I got introduce to hip hop was diffferent. My moms use to take me and brothers to the drive in cause we couldn't afford the regular movies. I guess hiphop was doing good because I got to see Beat street and break'n on the big screen!. I was hook with he danc'n and the music from the jump. The beat street song was my favorite joint. I was pretty good dancer in those days and I use to go up to the bar my grandma worked at and dance out in front. Dudes you to give me spare change and I would buy candy and stuff. I never really was about ryhm'n then it was all about danc'n. When when I got around 11 we move to South carolina. Most of my family is from New york so once I got to SC i ended up making a few trips and even staying there with family. That's when I started gettin into the rhymes and try'n to mimic the beastie boys and Run DMC then. Then I heard Boogie down EPMD, Dougie fresh, and Daddy kane and dem cats blew my mind.
from then on the ryhmes had me hooked. My first performance was at school. Me and a group of 2 guys got together and put a song toghether about black history or Martin luther king I was like in the 6th grade at the time. We won for our grade and got to perform it in front of the school. Nobody new I had it in me until after that. That's when I knew I had something special. Once we moved back to the projects I got a crew and we had battles with other cats all day on the balconies and under the stairs or at school. It was crazy man how much respect I was getting. Once I graduated I joint the navy and move to Soeul korea. I met up with this cat named Devon he was in the army. I met his crew and we formed the group sibliminal conversions. Because I worked at Korea's version of the white house I got hooked up with a model chick that work for Korea's equivalent to NBC. She hooked us up wit shows and basically managed us. Here's a pick of the group wit me at the far left haha!

Well the group didn't last long cause we all had to go back to the states one day. Me and Devon kept in touch and we met back up when I move to maryland. We started Hot sounds records. He had loot I ran the label. That was our business agreement. We signed a few artist put out a compilation yada yada yada, He started his own clothing line and left me wit the label. I found a new business partner and the other producers and emcees left I formed a partnership with as well. This is were I'm at today. I mean more stuff happen that I left out ( as if this thang aint long already lol) Like I wrote a few songs for some other artist and the time I was being instructed in school by a dancer from fame (don't laugh!) I'm here now and aint goi'n no where.

1980's saw Beat street (fell in love)
1987 started rhym'n
1995 formed group sibliminal
1999 co founded Hot Sounds Records

 

[LiquidBronze]

^^^

word great stories all for sure!

and spin i know what you mean about being nervous, like when you were dj'ing, i wasnt performing or anything, but i have been a big saul williams fan for a long time, and when i got the chance to meet him, and talk with him some, i was nervous as hell, even though he was so easy going

peace
LB

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

.... i was nervous as hell, even though he was so easy going....

I know exactly what you mean. I was NERVOUS-AS-H*LL!!!!!

But, after the routine, the gave me MAD respect. Plus, they ordered me some shots.

spin

 

[Flo' Dolo]

Pause-Tape DJ Extraordinaire...

Yeah, that's how I got started.
2 bullshit component systems connected together so I could play 1 tape on one unit & record on the other. Did edits til my fingers ached all night just so I could take my "masterpieces" to school to bump at lunchtime & in the high-schoolers cars...

Next came a drumulator & some attempts to mix & scratch to the drum machine, & sampling horn hits & shit to drop over beats. I was a fucking baby.

Cats who I really dug were Ralf Hütter & Florian Esleben (original Kraftwerk members from the late 60s-early 70s, their 3rd effort ushered in what everybody knows Kraftwerk to be), Todd Terry (early works), all the now-legendary Detroiters on the electronic music tip, The Latin Rascals, DJ Cash Money, DJ Hot Day, DJ MasterBlaster, Mix Master Ice (was sort of a local - much older than me), and Jazzy Jeff (for ripping shit at the Union Square), Mantronix ("The Album"), and all the hip-hop stuff I got on mixtapes from NY & Philly - I'd name more names but, the list'd be too long. Oh yeah, I dug Eric B., too, until I realized how sorry he was on the tables. Like I said, shit was waaay new and ill, even when Rakim & Co. dropped in 85 or whenever. Oh yeah, can't forget Theodore & Flash!!!

Late at nights when I lived in Cleveland, after it rained, I could pick up WBLS out of New York somehow on one of my stereos. I still got scratchy ol' cassettes with Red Alert all over them. First time I heard "Buffalo Girls," and shit like that. Got some of Dre's & Yella's old flea market mixtapes from out west from back in the day, too. I got mixtapes of some phat battles from the early-mid 80s (like the legendary Kool Moe Dee vs Grandmaster Caz Christmas Eve battle), & some other shit like:

Fantastic five, Cold Crush 4, Soul Sonic Force, Bam, Whiz Kid T. - maybe '81

Crash crew, Soul Sonic Force, Cosmic Force, Whiz Kid T - 1980 i think...

Treacherous Three 2nd Anniversaries, Cold Crush 4 Harlem World - 82ish...

I've been an avid record buyer since I was a kid (one 45 every Saturday after visiting the local barbershop), and by the time I was 13, everybody around me knew the best gift for me would be wax or a gift certificate at the local Record Bar or whatever.

First joints I tried to mix lay somewhere between Kraftwerk's 7th record "Computer World" & Cybotron stuff & old hip-hop stuff from the early-mid 80s, and the like. Prolly had to be in '82-83 or something like that. Didn't get serious about turntables for another year or two, though.

Did my first club sets at an amazing gay bar. I wrote "amazing" because, like many djs will tell you, if you wanna see a club sweat, work at a gay bar. Straight partying!!! I was 16. Moms wouldn't let me goto the club alone, always had to take my homie, and, like little bitches, we went to the bathroom together - safety in numbers type-shit. Played all kinds of stuff because for the most part, clubs played anything that was hot & folks would dance to, and there wasn't nearly the segregation (musical or racial) that we see today. Of course, I did the obligatory roller rink jams, schools dances, college parties, smoke fests, and so on.

Next club was a "college bar" and I rocked there 2 nights a week for about a year - got my first taste of people jocking my shit & sold enough tapes in 6 months to blow all my cheese on a waaaaaay too expensive car stereo sytem, and a record buying trip back on the East Coast.

Did several club stints in my area until I was about 20 & moved to ATL. There I did several gigs, private parties, and owned 1 club there (95 Broad Street) with my old partner. Worked with the founders of Ultimix (one of 'em is 1 of the 3 I credit with showing me how to handle a 12-hunnert), learning tape edits and how to remix - lucky for me I lived in the same town those cats did & that someone was looking out for a shorty to plug me up with peoples on some real shit. That experience shapes my work ethic to this day.

First college radio show at 19, first commercial radio love at 21 - the ol' "drive @ 5" mixshow. Since then, I've done several both stateside & also in Germany. The German shows are still in effect (mix CDs sent every month), 1 show is underground hip-hop, the other is more commercial & includes r&b. I also contribute to a large segment of a satellite radio show spinning international hip-hop. I'm still doing one college show w/my cousin DJ Reddirahk in Norff Click - she gets time-formatted mixes from me every 2 weeks. She's the on-air personality (and fledgling dj), and I'm the fool rocking the 'tables in the dark. What a great arrangement...

Funny thing, by the time I was 17, my moms knew what the deal was, and the only shit she'd ever lace me with was 2 copies of some 12 inch or LP - she'd get whatever the dude at the store told her I "needed" to have, and back then most hip-hop records were worth owning (at least for the time being), as shit was so new & different.

Been spinning house stuff since my cousin sent me 2 copies of Chip E.'s "Like This" (feat. K-Joy) back in 85. My record collection pretty much reflects all styles I mentioned and quite a bit more, but as far as me gigging or hitting folks off with CDs, the breakdown goes like this:

4-10 = commercial hip-hop & r&b
3-10 = underground beats & rhymes
2-10 = house music
1-10 = breaks and other electro-shit

Aug-Dec '03 alone saw 4 commercial joints, 1 underground joint, 1 house joint, and 1 old school (disco/funk) joint. I try to stay really busy. I did a pretty interesting turntablist cd, but decided to let it marinate while I coordinate tracking the different vocalists I want to guest on it - none of them live in the city I'm in, and I've only got vox from 2 so far out of 4. Hopefully march & April will see lots of recording for me so I can finish this thing and get it out. A few copies minus vox are circulating, and where I wanted vocals, I just worked the turntables, instead. All the beats were either produced by me with equipment, or laid down by me, piece by piece, with my 'tables. Mos def a labor of love.

On the production tip, been making beats since before I had hair on my face. Misc. production credits are irrelevant because I like the shadows & the shade. Maybe one day I'll get over it & stick my real name on my work, but I doubt it. As for high visibility gigs, I've done more than a few between 86-99 from NC to NY to Miami to a few countries in Europe either opening for the headline MCs, doing the after-parties, blowing the spot off some annual college jam (freaknik, aggie fest, spring bling), or battling some MCs dj.

Anyway, without typing anymore or listing every damn thing i've done over the years on the hip-hop/dj tip, that's a wrap...

diendolo

"King cut, you know you wanna slice, scratch so nice, gotta hear it twice..."
-Coast To Coast's Word of Mouth f/DJ Cheese-

damn, i LOVED that record...

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

Very good, Flo' Dolo!!!!!!

You took a brother back, waaaaaay back.

I forgot aaaalllllll about the "pause mixes" with the tape decks.

I used to always make the "pause mixes". I used to love to take them up to the neighborhood spot named "Vienna's". We used to eat, hang out, and play "Asteroids" (& the bootleg "Pac-Man" w/the maze that used to go invisible.... ) while bumpin' the Spin "pause mix".

I actually got my first club gig in 1990 at this place on Rush St. and Division St. named "P.O.E.T.S" (it's called "The Funk" now...). However, I was trying to play Chill Rob G, Ultramagnetic
MC's, Big Daddy Kane, Mr-X and Mr-Y, etc...) while the crowd (suburban caucasin coming down onto the Gold Coast of the city) wanted to hear some "happy" house. I didn't keep that job long.

Peace...

spin

 

[Flo' Dolo]

Whatchu know about the invisible maze, son?!?!?

Very good, Flo' Dolo!!!!!!

Thanks. I can't co-sign for the forum to have more activity besides just posting beats and bullshit gear questions if I don't do my part. If I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem, right?

posted by Spinsterwun"...while the crowd (suburban caucasin coming down onto the Gold Coast of the city) wanted to hear some "happy" house. I didn't keep that job long."

You was just 10 years too early for 'em. I bet that same crowd today knows more Ja Rule/Nick Cannon/Jay-Z/Lil' Jon/Ashanti type shit than me, you, and 3 other cats combined...
Shit, I bet them cats who was coming to the spot when you was there do too!

diendolo

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

Thank you, Flo' Dolo!!!!!

spin

 

[questien]

Im 20 and i have been "into" hip hop all my life. I really wasnt allowed to listen to much hip hop when i was little. My moms made me and my sisters listen to a lot of gospel, Commissioned, Fred Hammon, and John P Kee. I love her for that cause i still bump that stuff. (For real if you want some easy listening stuff, check out all Commissioneds CD) I wasnt really that far into hip hop however, until I heard some my homeboys listenng to BlackStars cd. Ever since then ive been a student of hip hop. Lately Ive found myself listening to a lot more acoustic stuff with the guitars and im learning to play the guitar. But i know whatever i do with the guitar its gonna be a centered around hip hop.

 

[Flo' Dolo]

Yo Questien,

I was just bumping an old Commisioned joint the other day. I can't seem to shake all the ill gospel shit, either...


diendolo

 

[LAZI]

I got a couple Commissioned cds somewhere my damn self.....

 

[soundboy]

Naw son here it is I was feelin hip hop with the old sugar hil like every body else all the way up to run dmc and on. I used to make little tape interviews with the clips from the songs and me as the reporter hitting the pause button it was wild. The profile album did it for me to i could spit it front to back. but my uncle was a dj and you aint heard a dj untill you heard a DETROIT Undeground Dj now that was house. Steve silk hurley jack ya body ....up...you used to hold me ....work it to the bone....it was just time before he was spinnin hip hop but one night he was spinning planet rockand fading back over for like 4 beats of another song and jumpin back he was hurting it then he cut into bad times made a couple of moves and the next thing you know he ran a old school set from good times to rappers delight all the way up and i tell you he didnt mis a beat a step a old school song or a person off the dance floor. The Dash club was on full that night. And thats when it hit me I knew I was gone be in this music thang for life one way or another. I started spinnin made a couple of mixed tapes and cd's under crates somwhere around here. Got this one with dance mania cuz them my home joints and a couple with hip hop even got some slow jam mixed cd's. Iused to take a trip to the D every 3 months to pick up Vinyl and mixed tapes cats thaught i was crazy 400 miles for records and mix tapes. But once they heard the tapes they was like dam they do it big in the D huh. As natural progression goes I moved into making these beats which is more chalenging and can fit in my schedule better. Who knows one day i may make a million but untill then i'll just settle for making music.
Strongest rap song of all times : HARD TIMES
DEEPEST song TIED I used to love her and / 30 days by RUN DMC that was my shit hahaha

Best Underground click dont front you know Kool Keith and the UMC's

Baddest Dj since time began " The electrifying MOJO"
I could go on and on but thas how i got here.

Ps any body got any old mojo tapes holla at yo boy

 

[Flo' Dolo]

soundboy

I got some old Mojo tapes if you wanna trade. Got some of the wizard's, too...

The only thing I miss about living in the D is the DJs.


diendolo

 

[soundboy]

Yo flo I dont have any to trade but i will straight out buy the mojo and the wiz tapes how much you want for them holla ya boy

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

......Best Underground click dont front you know Kool Keith and the UMC's.....

You know I'm an "Ultra Head".

"Em-ceeeeee's ultra, mag-netic, mag-netic".

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

Re: soundboy

.......Got some of the wizard's, too...
diendolo

I can't front. Flo has got ALL of the old school joints.

spin