dj issue What’s the worst DJ job you’ve ever had? “I was doing a wedding reception and they started fighting. I didn’t get paid.” – DJ 3 “Club 112 on one of their off nights. It never caught a crowd and I was only getting like $100 to DJ for 5 hours.” – DJ Blak “I did a house party that got shot up.” – DJ Boz “I DJed a funeral for my cousin.” – C-Wiz “I was playing somewhere in upstate New York after a snowstorm. There was 10 people in the club and 6 of them were the club’s staff.” – DJ Camilo “Carrying crates for Mike Swiff. Dude would have over 15 crates of Hip Hop, old school street music, but I had to carry ‘em.” – DJ D Lowe “Kentucky 2005. It was different ‘cause I was in the country with the horse ranches. I take this money any way I can get it. If the money’s right, I’m there.” - EMURDA “DJing at the cafeteria at CAU when I was in college. I had to walk up two flights of stair with all my equipment. It was brutal and it was for pennies. But you got to get your start somewhere.” – DJ Trauma “Anytime I was doing a wedding reception. No disrespect to mobile DJs, but that’s just not my thing. While playing the ‘Cha Cha Slide,’ I decided to focus on spinning in the clubs.” – DJ Unity “I was DJing at a club and the pipes burst overhead.” – DJ V-Dub “I was spinning for an 8th grade graduation party and the mother was very religious. Words like ‘hell,’ ‘damn’ and ‘ass’ seem to come in every line and those were the clean versions.” – Boolumaster “A private party on a boat. It was called the Booze Cruise but it was more of a boo-boo cruise. The idea was hot, but a lack of promotion didn’t have enough folks out there.” – DJ Bounz “It was at some type of multicultural festival when I was in high school. I played ‘Yeah’ when it first came out and everyone went crazy. A crowd gathered in front of where I was at; guys were shoving each other and jumping around and girls were dancing on the guys. The teachers got scared and pulled the plug on the music.” – DJ Burn One “I did a party that was supposed to be for the grown and sexy. It turned out only 5 people showed up and the promoter didn’t pay anyone the full fee that was agreed upon. Naturally I was upset.” – DJ Freeze “I’ve had plenty. Anytime you get paid to play music you don’t like - weddings, birthdays, kinsientas – but I turn down all of those jobs now.” – DJ Grip “I DJed in a big barn-like building and every 20 to 30 minutes the power would go out and somebody would have to go flip the breaker switch.” – DJ Hella Yella “I did music for a ghetto drag show as a favor.” – Jane Dupree “I was doing a wedding about two years ago and 86 // OZONE MAG
everything just fell apart, but I made it through. I forgot a lot of the music that the couple wanted but it was a learning experience.” – Jeff Da Illest “In the mid 90s I signed a three month deal with a club called The Yum Yum Tree in Plum, TX. It was the smallest club I have ever seen but they would crowd 100 to 150 people inside on the weekend. They had wooden floors with loose boards everywhere, no AC and one window.” – KD aka Han D Man “I did a wedding for my boy. It was wack!” – King JB “I was hired to spin at a high school graduation party in a cabin in the woods in upstate New York. The only bad thing is my setup was on the second floor balcony outside and I was swatting bugs all night, even off of the records. The pay was good so I didn’t complain too much.” – DJ L-Gee “There is nothing worse than DJing for elementary and middle school kids. I’m glad I don’t have to do shit like that anymore. These kids were leaning and rocking and popping and locking and snapping and walking it out all at the same time.” – Mick Boogie “I chopped and screwed this one cat’s song off of Myspace who was pretty weak. I think it was a Still Tippin’ beat. He sounded better after I got through but I can only do so much.” - DJ Princess Cut “I was DJing at this club and no one showed up. The promoter refused to shut it down so I was stuck DJing for the floor and walls for like two and a half hours.” – Sam Sneak “I did this college party at this old warehouse. The room I was DJing in was on the fourth floor. The elevator didn’t work so I had to carry 5 crates of records and my equipment up four flights of stairs. To top it all off, the floor wasn’t that sturdy so every time someone stepped too hard my needle would skip. That was one long night.” – DJ Sir Swift
and scratching. The Midwest is known for the party mix with the Techno & House genre. The West just be straight up clowning on the set and in the Deep South we rock the Chopped and Screwed, the heavy bass kick with that signature tick that keeps yo’ ass on the dance floor.” – DJ Deliyte “DJs from the South seem more laid back in most cases, not a lot of screaming on their tapes or mixshows. In Texas, we like a little more laid back, slowed up, style of songs as well. Best believe we know how to get crunk at the right times.” – DJ Grip “They really don’t differ. There are just different styles of DJs – show DJs, entertainer DJs, mixshow DJs, house DJs, drum and base DJs, the list goes on. And then there’s your press the button DJs.” – DJ J-Nice “For the Midwest especially, Chi-Town plays a wide spectrum of music. In the south some DJs play more regional music. In the last two years we have seen a change in music where radio mixshows have been the determining factor of how music should be played in the clubs. I think the DJ is the trendsetter of what’s hot or not and most people have lost sight of that factor.” – Jeff Da Illest “I think the only difference is the music that’s played. I play music from all areas. If it’s hot then I’m playing it. A lot of DJs only play music from artists that rep their area. I’m an equal opportunity DJ.” – DJ L-Gee “There’s not really a big difference in styles. Good DJs play to the crowd wherever they are.” – Mac Payne “On the East I know the DJs play songs by the boroughs, which is pretty hot. They do a lot of scratching; they also play records according to BPM. Down in the South it’s different styles all over. Miami DJs play records pitched up 3.0 and up and we ride over the music.” – Sam Sneak
How do DJ’s from the South, East Coast, Midwest and West differ in styles?
“I believe that DJs in the South enjoy playing strictly Southern music – which is not a bad thing. The Southern DJ is known for breaking artists more than any other market. The East coast DJ puts a little more time and effort into their mixing abilities and enjoys playing music from all regions of the country. The Midwest DJ is a different breed musically. They are very fortunate to fall right in the middle of the country so their music scope is a lot broader than any other region. The West coast DJ is very skilled at the art form of DJing. Many of the great turntablists like Q Bert, MixMaster Mike, Babu come from the West coast.” – DJ Shakim
“I can’t really categorize all DJs from a certain part of the map. All cats have their own unique swagger. One DJ might do a lot of tricks, where another DJ is all about his mixing and transitions.” – DJ Bounz
“DJs in the South are crowd controllers. We like to talk and interact with the crowd. East coast DJs don’t really talk; they’re more about scratching and battling. Southern DJs can get down in the scratching and battling too though.” – DJ Slym
“I really don’t see that big of a difference other than DJs playing records from their own region more often.” – DJ Burn One
“Me being originally from New York and now being based in Ocala, FL, there is a definite difference. Southern DJs are more vocal, more crunk, and interact more with the crowd. Up North they interact with the crowd but they are more laid back and of course the music selection is different.” – DJ Stilo
“I had to do a holiday party for a corporate bank and they made me play 50s disco music. I’m me so I rocked it anyways.” – DJ Slym “Doin weddings and crap like that. I hate those type of gigs ‘cause everyone at the party thinks you’re a human jukebox.” – DJ Teknikz
“As a DJ, you gotta cater to your crowd so you gotta play what’s hot in your market. Like in West Palm, if you’re DJing in the clubs, you gotta play Suave Smooth’s ‘What They Do’.” – DJ Dady Phatts “The only major difference is the musical composition for that area. The East Coast has the cutting
“I’ve been all over. There’s always different kinds of DJs. Some scratch more than others or blend more. Some people just play the hits. Some crowds love mash-ups. For the most part, I think that