dj issue “Mobb Deep always showed a lot of love. I can’t name all the ones that don’t.” Statik Selektah “I think Ludacris shows mad love to DJs, probably because he was a radio personality. He knows our struggle.” – DJ Trauma “So far, Young Jeezy has shown the most love. Busta Rhymes has been the worst.” – DJ V-Dub
“MP3 it to me or give me a CD to listen to. If it’s decent I will probably drop it. The worst thing to do is harass me while I’m DJing.” – King JB “The best way is to approach me or contact me in a fashionable manner. I hate getting messages on Myspace from artists claiming to be the hottest rapper from such and such.” – DJ L-Gee
“Yung Joc, and the least goes to Lil Wayne for dissing DJ Drama and not having the man’s back while he is in need for supporters.” – DJ Wildhairr
“Come correct. Some cats watch too much TV and they forget that this is a business. I hate when cats are uneducated about their craft.” – Mac Payne
“Paul Wall has a reputation for showing mad love and hosting mixtapes for DJs who are not particularly huge. On the other hand, I’ve never heard a mixtape hosted by Jay-Z. Even Diddy has hosted his share of mixtapes.” – Wiz Hoffa
“Do not Myspace me. I get like hundreds of emails a day saying, ‘CHECK OUT MY PAGE,’ and then it’s a picture of some dude with his shirt off and some low-res music file and a whole bunch of words spelled wrong.” – Mick Boogie
What’s the best way for an aspiring artist to get you to play their music? And what’s the worst way?
“Develop a relationship with me by supporting my events and quietly dropping your music in my hand. If it’s good then I will remember you. The worst way is trying to have a discussion with me in the middle of my set. That’s an absolute nono.” – DJ Nabs
“First, the shit has to be hot! You can see an aspiring artist’s grind; if the joint’s hot, I’ll bless ‘em. Bugging me is the worst way; your shit will never get played. This includes record reps.” – Boolumaster “The best way is by introducing themselves. Next they can either hand or email me their music.” – DJ Bounz “The best way is email it to me at burnonemp3@ gmail.com or give me a CD when I’m out. The worst way is calling me.” – DJ Burn One “The best way is to try to build a relationship with me. The worst way is to offer me money like I’m some prostitute.” – DJ Dady Phatts “The best way is to already have it buzzing in the streets. There should be at least 5 or 6 people asking for your song that night. The worst is to try to talk my head off at the party or get mad.” – DJ Don Juan “If I think it’s hot, I will play it early in the night of the club. The worst thing that an artist can do is beg me to play their song consistently and bring a CD that is not professionally made.” – DJ Freeze “Get it to me in time for me to listen to it outside of the club scene. The worst way is give it to me at the heat of the party and be like, ‘Play my hit, play my hit, now, now, now!’” – DJ Fresh
“Present themselves right, press a single that really embodies your style so I can follow without having to search through a whole album or mixtape, and no matter the situation you gotta keep it trill.” – DJ Princess Cut “The best way is to have your music mixed properly and know it’s bumping. The worst way is to come at me with disrespect and not be willing to be criticized.” – Sam Sneak “The best way to get new music played is not to pressure the DJ into playing your song. If he comes across as a straight up dude, most DJs will give his music a listen. The worst way to approach a DJ is trying to talk a DJ into playing a song when the DJ has never heard the record.” – DJ Shakim “Cash is always good. I think artists should build better relationships with the DJ and also grind hard to make the DJ take notice of you. The worst way is coming to the club waiting until I’m in the middle of my crunk set and demand that I play your record.” – DJ Sir Swift “Email it to me at djslymorlando@gmail.com. Build a relationship with me to where I know you by face and name. The worst way is threatening me at the club. I haven’t had a threat personally, but I have heard about artists doing that.” – DJ Slym
“Be as professional as possible. Don’t hand me a CD with no label or contact info. Don’t hand me unmastered material that was recorded in your bathroom. Don’t hand me bullshit. Take pride in what you do.” – DJ Grip
“Hit me on www.myspace.com/southernsmoke. I read and answer all my emails.” – DJ Smallz
“Be persistent, but not annoying. Build one-onone relationships with DJs. We are all normal people.” – DJ Headbussa
“Build relationships; talk to me; don’t tell me you got the hottest stuff in town. Everyone in the city has told me that. The worst way is handing me a CD and telling me to check it out, or sending me one of those generic ass Myspace messages.” – DJ Spinz
“I listen to everything I receive. I give feedback if I think it has potential. The worst way is to send me a Myspace link or ask me in the DJ booth. I will never play your song if you bring to me while I’m spinning.” – Jane Dupree “Submit it by mail or MP3. I hate when artists give me music when I’m DJing at clubs or a function. I always misplace the CD.” – KD aka Han D Man
“Just ask. If I like it, I’ll play it; if I don’t, I won’t – simple as that.” – DJ Snake
“Be humble. If you’re overconfident or arrogant, it makes me not want to deal with you.” – DJ Stilo “Approach me in a humble way and I’ll check out the music. The worst way is to not be humble and continue to stalk me.” – DJ Suss One
“Just have a grind about yourself; be professional and of course have hot music. The worst way is to do what 99% of artists do – hit me on Myspace with bathroom-recorded tracks and expect to pay your way to getting played.” – DJ Teknikz “The best way is to sit down with me and let me hear the music and tell me the direction they’re trying to go with it. The worst way is telling me they’re the hottest shit in the streets when I ain’t never heard of ‘em, and then the song is wack.” – DJ 3 “The best way for an artist to get my attention is to work hard and make good music that’s able to compete on a national level, not just local. The worst way is to approach me while I’m DJing at a club and bombard me with some shit that’s totally unfamiliar to me.” – DJ 007 “The best way is to have dope music. The music has to be worth something. The worst way is to come up to me in the club and ask me to play your shit without money in your hand.” – DJ Boz “Ask me not at the club while I’m spinning but if you see me out at the mall or the gym – holla at me. I’m a person just like you. The worst way is payola.” – DJ D Lowe “The best way is to make an appointment. The worst is standing over me at the club talking in my ear about your shit.” – Freddy Hydro “The best way is to make a phone call and talk about it. I’m easy when it comes to playing music. The worst way is to try to give it to me when I am already spinning and tell me that it’s the shit to get me to play it and then harass me 20 minutes later when I haven’t played it.” – DJ Magic Mike “Just approach me the right way and remember that I get new music 24/7, in every way possible. There’s a big chance I might not get to it, but if you got a buzz or I hear something I like, I’m gonna find out where it came from.” – DJ M.O.E. “Have it put in my hands by a reputable source. Don’t hit me on Myspace!” – Statik Selektah “The best way is to send one song in an email, with a bio and drop to gothicent@gmail.com. The worst way is to hand me an unmarked Memorex CD from Wal-Mart with no contact info.” – DJ Who “Just send it to me. If I like it, I’ll play it. A lot of DJs complain about spam from unsigned artists, but I’d rather you spam me then run up on me in a restaurant.” – Wiz Hoffa
How has the recent RIAA crackdown on DJ Drama affected the mixtape game? “It slowed it down in a way, but out here in Texas, people have been living off of mixtapes for a long time now. The mom and pop stores, flea markets, and streets are all still alive and well. There will always be a market for mixtapes, so this situation is just a setback. You learn from it, and move on.” – DJ Bounz “Less retailers are selling the CDs. People are still buying them but they are having to look harder than usual to find them.” – DJ Burn One “It may have slowed down some mixtape projects OZONE MAG // 89