Where are you from originally, and how did you get into Hip Hop? I’m originally from Ludlow, Massachusetts. I got into Hip Hop when an eventual friend moved into the neighborhood when I was in 6th or 7th grade. He put me onto Wu Tang Clan, Das EFX, The Fugees, groups like that. From there I started hearing it on the radio. I’d make pause tapes from whatever the DJs played on Friday nights. So, the next Monday at school, I’d have all the new music. After a while my friend said we should go in on some turntables and make mixtapes ourselves. I saved up enough money for a beginner’s set of turntables. They were really crappy, though. They only played Hip Hop on Friday nights at the time? It was a college station, so they played Hip Hop regularly. There wasn’t a “Hot” or “Power” station there at the time. Back then you only heard Hip Hop through the pop station, and it was just the mainstream stuff. You had to listen to the college station to get the Hip Hop. Niko and Jay-1 were the main DJs. They were dope. Did working on crappy turntables hinder your progress? I got all the practice I could on them, but I couldn’t even blend. Once I got my Technics, I was hooked. I practiced everyday. Jay-1 was one of the local DJs and he showed me some stuff. He would take time and go to this local music store and give me lessons on Saturdays. I practiced hard. It took me months to even learn how to do a flare. Learning from Jay-1 taught me a lot. I was into learning the tricks moreso than wanting to rock parties. What was it about turntablism that attracted you more than party rockin’? Its not that I didn’t want to rock parties, I just wanted to stand out and have something distinct. Nowadays guys get turntables or Serato and a library of music and they just start DJing with no practice. The tricks are the things that people notice. Everybody has to know how to rock a crowd, but it’s the tricks that set you apart. I also liked it because it was the first thing I learned how to do. I didn’t go out and start DJing parties at first. I would just be in my room with those crappy turntables that happened to come with a DMC video starter kit. It had Kraze, Roc Raider and all those guys on it. So I didn’t even see party rockers at first, I was only watching them. It was entertaining. Then when I started going to the club is when I saw how to actually rock a party. Plus, I used to breakdance too because I was really into B-Boy battles. I went to a lot of the Rock Steady reunion shows in New York. I have a love for Hip Hop. I really understand the culture of it. You pretty much built your name and presence in Atlanta. How did you end up down there? Before I moved I used to be a high school teacher. I started DJing my Junior and Senior years in school, doing a lot of parties. I got a degree in science but all I could do with that degree was teach. I hooked up with these guys named the Short Bus Alumni and they said I should come down to Atlanta with them as their DJ. They said I’d get a lot more DJ work down there. Things didn’t even work out with them, but while I was in Atlanta I wanted to link up with DJ Jamad because I always enjoyed his mixes, and mine had similar music. I went to a Sol Fusion party my first time down and gave him one of my mixtapes. He liked it and hit me back and just took me around, he pretty much brought me in under his wing. If it wasn’t for Jamad I wouldn’t have met anybody. From there I started DJing for Hollyweerd, then different promoters saw me, and then I wound up linking with Asher Roth. How has it been being his official tour DJ? He’s had a lot of hype surrounding him. It’s been incredible. All I ever dreamed about was going on tour. Asher is one of the most humble people I’ve ever met, and his whole crew is humble too. The crowd response on his tour has been great. But to be with people who are about having fun is what makes it enjoyable. We just got off tour with Blink 182 and seeing their reaction and having Travis Barker watch all of our shows is awesome. We’ve gotten to rock Madison Square Garden and arenas with 20,000 people there.
As Asher Roth’s official tour DJ, DJ Wreckineyez has started on a journey that will surely lead him to being the next big name DJ in Hip Hop. skilled in both turNtablism and party rocking, it’s only a matter of time before you see him on TV mixing for celebrity-filled events that you wish you could attend. 28 // OZONE MAG
Since you’ve accomplished your dream, what are some goals you’ve set for yourself along the way? I’m setting myself up to do this for a living for as long as I can. I’m really trying to go to the next level. I’m moving to California. I want to be like Jazzy Jeff. I want to rock parties and have people trust me to play different stuff, instead of promoters telling me what they want me to play. I’ve seen you step from behind the turntables and start breakdancing. Is that something that you’re incorporating into your show regularly? (laughs) No, that’s just me having fun, getting caught up in the moment. I’m not trying to incorporate dancing into my routine. I’m out of shape, I can’t do that anymore. // Words by Maurice G. Garland // Photo by Hannibal Matthews