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Discuss your direction that you are taking with Hip
Hop/DJing in 2012 and beyond.
For starters, I'm just trying to
keep the artform of turntablism alive. I try to introduce young aspiring DJs to
the artform of it whenever possible because it's dying. Cats swear they're
doing something on the tables until I show them videos of the greats like
Roc Raida, Total Eclipse, Craze and A-Trak to name a few. Then I'm like "yeah,
that's what it's all about young fella...battling". Secondly, Hip Hop in my
opinion is so one-sided right now. Southern Rap, or whatever you want to call
it, is so dominant right now that even East Coast emcees have changed their
styles to fit in. I like a lot of stuff out there and as a club DJ I have to
stay in tune with all of it and remain unbiased. It's hard though (lol), I'm
East Coast to the core. So, what I try to do is infuse some of my "East
Coastness" in when I spin. I'll mix a down south joint w/ a hot East Coast
beat and it usually goes over well in the club. I guess I'm trying to make the
hip hop audience more well rounded and diverse. They way I see it there's
room for everyone.
What sparked your passion with getting reacquainted with DJ
culture?
There was a fire burning inside me
man. I really missed spinning and I got tired of seeing garbage ass DJs getting
money, when I could be getting paid too. The love of good music and mixing it
never died, even though I was out of the game for a minute. Plus when I got on
my man Polo's set it was like the skills really didn't diminish at all, so I
said what the hell and bought my own equipment. DJing is my sanctuary, and it's
proven to be my roadmap to get to where I want to be financially as well.
Name 5 Hip Hop/DJ influences.
Oooohhh, I'm so glad you asked this
one (lol). Too bad I can only name 5, because so many have influenced me.
DJ Premier, DJ Jazzy Jeff, KRS-One,
J Dilla, Frankie Parran aka DJ Frank Cola, Common and The Roots.
Okay so I named seven...shoot me!!
Describe how Hip Hop has molded Awethentic.
Hip Hop made me the DJ I am today.
It drives me to become better at my craft and has given me an undying love for
music as a whole. Hip Hop is a culture man; maybe the most influencing culture
ever known, possibly surpassing the Rock genre. Hip Hop is everywhere now.
Maybe because I've been there since its inception and have seen it grow from
nothing into the behemoth it is today is why I have such an affinity for hip
hop. I still remember the first time I heard classic joints like "Eric B for
President", or Illmatic, or "I Used to Love H.E.R.", or Spoonie Gee, or T La
Rock's "It's Yours". I remember seeing Jazzy Jeff live in B-More
(before anyone really knew who he was); absolutely destroying Peter Piper
during his solo, and thinking to myself "damn I need to practice."
Those types of moments made DJ Awethentic.
Who is Awethentic?
Awethentic is a DJ committed to keeping
hip hop alive & rocking crowds in ways no one else can...PERIOD. I'll be
bumping hip hop 'til the day I die.
If there were aspects of Hip Hop you would or could change,
what would those be?
Quite simply, I would like to see a
resurgence of good East Coast hip hop. There's a lot of nice cats out there
that people ain't trying to hear and I don't understand it. If you got some
substance to your lyrics cats ain't checking for you. No knock against what's
hot right now, I'm feeling a lot of that too; but come on y'all...can we get a
little diversity? Also, I would make sure Little Brother reunited 'cause
they're dope! LOL
How has Awethentic changed since your introduction to Hip
Hop?
Hip Hop made me that wide eyed
little kid & still does to this day. I can't really say it changed
Awethentic, but it MADE Awethentic. I always loved music as a youngster. I
guess you could say hip hop brought out my creative side.
Name one DJ that you would love to spin with in the club or
collaborate with in the studio.
I would love to spin with Jazzy Jeff
man; that cat is like my idol 'cause we're both old (lol) and versatile in the
way we spin joints. I would love a studio session w/ 9th too though. Dude is
the truth!!
Is there the possibility of Gray Matter recording an actual
album?
For sho'!! As long as there's breath in my lungs and I don't have arthritis in my hands it's possible. Gray Matter for life yo! I got 'dem beats...lol.
Discuss the dynamics of being in a group that has not realized its potential.
Well, at times it's a little disheartening; especially knowing the talent that lies within all of us. My life's dream has been to be a performer of sorts and I guess I'm kind of living that out to some degree now since I'm DJing in clubs. But, I wanted it for us man...we brought a different aspect or perspective to the game. I also know everything happens for a reason and we're channeling our energy in different ways now. I feel good about what I'm doing at this point in life. Looking back at the incredible grind we would've had to go through to be successful in the rap game vs. being there raising our families; I wouldn't trade it. Rap fans are so trendy and fickle man, I would've been pissed if we went unnoticed and unappreciated after putting in all that work.
How do you feel about today's Hip Hop climate?
Ehhh...it's alright. As I said before, there's not enough diversity in it right now. Or should I say the diversity doesn't show, because media doesn't expose us to the entirety of dopeness that's out there. Everybody's beats sound alike, everybody rhyming the same. What's up with the stuffy nose sound? Change your flows up.
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