Date:Posted By:Category:blog, Hip Hop, throwbacks, Uncategorized, videos

I Want My MTV Back

Once upon a time there was a revolutionary channel that broadcast music videos, all day everyday. WTF happened? Can you remember the last time you actually saw a music video on MTV? Now the only things you can see on there is “reality tv” where we gets looks inside the lives of knocked up trailer trash that had to drop out of high school or fist pumping guidos that will die of skin cancer within 15 years. I’m not going to lie. Jersey Shore is one of my guilty pleasures. In an almost sadistic way I enjoy watching these shows sometimes. Shheeeeit, I wouldn’t mind getting $100,000 an episode for a camera crew to follow me and my crew around acting the fool but I digress. The ratings for these shows are outrageous so there will be no end to it anytime soon but what about the music?

MTV’s sub station BET is very similar. What happened to the music and exposing new artists and groups to the world. I know I’m sounding old here but “back in the day” lots of new groups and sounds made their debut on BET. They still have 106 & Park but that is basically the videos of the same 10 songs played on the radio all day. Now its mostly cheesy sitcoms, infomercials and religious programming. Rap City was a staple of urban television for the youth but that was phased out. I was fortunate enough to be invited as the guest on Rap City 5 times while they were on the air.
Do check out some highlights above.

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Date:Posted By:Category:blog, interesting sh*t, Old School, Uncategorized

The Wonders of the Internet – Das Efx Dubstep Remix

Modern technology and the internet are amazing things. The things we wished we could do years ago we take for granted now. With the internet and all the other advances in technology, communicating to people all over the world and reaching a large global audience is something that can be done with a few keystrokes and an internet connection. There once was a time when a producer could be making some hot beats in his bedroom but without proper representation they would never be heard. With the internet now a producer could post something today and be a household name a few weeks later. Before, and artist could finish a new song and it would be weeks or months before it reaches the masses. Now an email after the final mix can mean exposure to millions within hours. Sure the internet has destroyed the recording industry, or at least the old business model of it, but it has also brought many changes and possibilities that never existed.

Recently I was online looking for a das efx dubstep mix. Being that I am the dj for the group it would be pretty hot to drop an exclusive das efx dubstep track when I’m doing my thing in nightclubs around the world. I found one from a producer in Ireland that sounded pretty good but it needed a little work. I contacted him and told him I was part of the group and would like to redo the track. He sent me the instrumental and some sounds and in a few hours I had performed surgery on the original track and had something ready to mash up clubs everywhere. Only in times like this can a producer in Europe post a remix of a groups song online today, be contacted by the group in the US a few days later and a few days after that have a track co-signed by the group being played in clubs and radio all over the world. You can’t be mad at that. Big up to McGoolio out of Ireland, the original producer of this track, for letting me remix it and share it with the world.

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Date:Posted By:Category:blog, interesting sh*t, Uncategorized, videos

Dubstep – The Next Thing????

About a year ago I was formally introduced to Dubstep. I am sure I have heard traces of it here and there over the years traveling overseas but never had it in front of me to really take in. I had finished playing a show in Dayton, Ohio and the after party dj/show was a dude named Yetimaster. I saw this guy with a half head of long blue dreadlocks and 2 tables filled with equiptment taking the stage. He had a few computers, keyboards, midi triggers and controllers and what really caught my eye was this big ass 1980’s looking joystick. I was like WTF is going on here??? He set up his equiptment and everyone had drinks and whatever until he started. A few minutes later he starts to play and I was in for a shock!
Yetimaster begins to play some self produced music, using the joystick and all, that sounds kinda electronic but has a very familiar feel to it. The hard drums and deep sub bass were sounding SWEET!!! It had a kind of techno sound to it but the people were dancing to it like they were skankin to the wickedest dub reggae tune ??? U ever see a dread “catch some vibes” ? This is how everyone looked and everyone was having a BALL! The bass was amazing. Hip Hop is heavy on bass but nowadays its more 808’s than nice deep and rich basslines. These were the types of basslines that when the reggae sets would bring out their speakers we would standup in front of earthquakes in Brooklyn and just feel vibes. Then I heard some more reggae styled sounds and it all came to me. If you take elements from dub reggae, hip hop and some new age electro synths you have this new formula called dubstep. Some love it some hate it. Now that it has began to explode in popularity it is being divided into factions. Reggae vs. electro dubstep, UK vs. US, Grime and classic dubstep vs. the more commercial and techno current dubstep. This is very similar to how hip hop was divided. I personally like songs from all sides of the genre but my preference definitely lies in the reggae influenced ones i.e the above clip. I did a party in Switzerland last weekend and I decided I wanted to incorporate some dubstep into my show. THE PLACE WAS ON FIRE!! I hadn’t had that much fun dj’ing in a long time.
Whats the future for dubstep? I dont know but I must say I enjoy it and find it refreshing in this day when hip hop, r n b and reggae are all stagnant yet it includes elements from them all. Look out for a dubstep mix to be posted soon so u can play it in the ride or a system with some good subs and see just what I am talking about.
Yeti Master

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Date:Posted By:Category:blog, throwbacks, Uncategorized

Throwback of the Day – This is Ska

Oh man. I remember first seeing the video for this on Video Music Box back in the day. This was the time when house was “cool” and didn’t have a gay stigmatism attached to it as it often does in the US now. All the house heads and hip hop cats were intermingled.You would be surprised to know how many of your favorite hardcore rappers from the mid 90’s were running around with polka dot and other kind of wild print shirts, frankenstein shoes, black medallions, oversized applejack hats and shells in their hair.

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