of Baltimore

First of all thanks you for the pictures you donated to the vintage flyer/picture section of our Gallery.  The Club Fantasy pics were great.  Are you from Baltimore? 

 I KEPT THOSE PICS TO REMIND ME OF THE GOOD OLE DAYS. GLAD TO HELP. YES, I’M BORN AND RAISED IN B-MORE.

What was some of your musical influences growing up and did you play any instruments?

 I GREW UP LISTENING TO A LOT OF GRAHAM  CENTRAL STATION.  WE ACTUALLY HAD A LIL NEIGHBORHOOD  BAND THAT  PRETENDED WE WERE THEM(CARDBOARD INSTRUMENTS OF COURSE). SO, NO TO THE REAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT QUESTION.

Tell us a little about yourself.  (growing up, your dj history, experiences in Baltimore clubs, etc.)

I FIRST DISCOVERED MY LOVE FOR MUSIC IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I STARTED GOING TO THE PREPPY PARTIES. THEN A FRIEND TOOK ME TO ODELLS AT AGE 17(SCARED TO DEATH THEY WOULD CARD ME), I  WAS TOTALLY HOOKED. I STARTED HANGING OUT THERE ALL THE TIME.. I WOULD  BUG WAYNE DAVIS ABOUT WHAT SONG TONY FASHAW WAS PLAYING. NEXT DAY I WAS IN MUSIC LIBERATED ASKING TEDDY IF HE HAD IT IN STOCK.  MY  FIRST MIX WAS DONE ON ONE TURNTABLE AND A TAPE DECK.  I MIXED “LIKE THIS” AND  “ MOODY”.  TIME TO BUY 1200’S CAUSE I WAS A DJ NOW(HEHE).

You were in a small group called CPI back in the day.  Tell us a little bit about what you all were trying to do?

AFTER I GOT MY 1200’S, I PRACTICED AND PRACTICED. I STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE FIRST MIXES TOO.  NO WAY AM I DONATING THEM. SOME GUYS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD  WERE GETTING INTO THROWING PARTIES.  LITTLE DID I KNOW THEY HUNG OUT AT ODELLS TOO.  I MENTIONED I HAD  1200’S, SO I WAS IN. WE FORMED CPI PRODUCTIONS. IT CONSISTED OF MYSELF, CHICO(SAGAT, “FUNK DAT”), CHRIS BEGGS(YUP, THE JERICURL WHITE BOY), AND OTHERS.  WE ALSO GOT HELP  FROM KNOWN HOUSE-HEADS ULTRA NATE AND JEROME HICKS.  WE HELD MANY PARTIES AT CLUB FANTASY BACK IN THE DAY.  WE JUST WANTED TO THROW PARTIES , HAVE FUN, AND HANGOUT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LOVED HOUSE.  

What made you want to start dj’ing?

AT FIRST I JUST BOUGHT THE MUSIC CAUSE I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I WOULD JUST RECORD THE MUSIC ONTO TAPES FOR FRIENDS.  WHEN I BOUGHT MY 1200’S, LISTENING TO THE MUSIC IN MY HEADPHONES AND TRYING HARDER AND HARDER TO GET THAT BEAT RIGHT JUST DROVE ME.  THEN I WANTED MY MIXES TO BE SMOOTH AND SOUND LIKE  THE RECORD NEVER CHANGES.  ONLY A DJ  WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL THAT ANOTHER RECORD IS COMING IN.  THE MONEY I SPENT DIDN’T MATTER AND IT GOT VERY EXPENSIVE. 

Some dj’s have a mentor dj that they learn from while they hone their skills.  Did you have one or someone that you looked to for inspiration?

I CAN SAY THEY ALL INSPIRED ME.  THERE ARE DIFFERENT STYLES OF MIXING. SOME SLAM MIX AND SOME BLEND. I’D  HAVE TO SAY  TONY FASHAW AND TEDDY DOUGLASS(FELLOW MERVO GRAD) INSPIRED ME MORE  BECAUSE THEY INTRODUCED ME TO THE MUSIC.  DJ SPEN HAD HIS INFLUENCES AS A MEMBER OF THE NUMARX. I ATTENDED MOST OF THEIR PARTIES.

How would you describe your musical style and what House artists, group, or record labels you are feelin’ right now?

I’VE ALWAYS LOVED VOCAL HOUSE. EVEN BACK IN THE DAY WHEN IT WAS JUST A BUNCH OF BEATS.  A  STRONG BEAT AND A SULTRY VOICE, I’M THERE. THAT’S WHY I LOVE  EVERYTHING  JASPER STREET PUTS OUT.   SOME ARTIST CAN SING  THE BARNEY SONG AND IT WOULD SELL.  THEIR VOCAL STYLES  JUST GRAB YOUR SOUL MUCH LIKE HOUSE IS INTENDED TO DO. I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO ANYTHING  ULTRA, ANNE NESBY, VIOLA, GOODFELLAS, OH AND LET’S NOT FORGET  UNA(THAT STAR IS SHINING).   

Everyone knows that the House scene in Baltimore hit a low for a longtime up until last year.  Do you have any thoughts on this & what we all can do to keep it going?

I WOULD HAVE TO REITERATE WHAT SOME FELLOW HOUSE-HEADS HAVE SAID IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS.  THE  CLUB SCENE CHANGED.  THE YOUNGER HOUSE GENERATION  NEVER DEVELOPED BECAUSE PARADOX WAS THOUGHT OF AS  GAY SPOT.  A LOT OF THE PEEPS THAT HUNGOUT TO THE WEE HOURS NOW HAVE FAMILIES.  THE SCENE IN DC IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.  WATCHING A CLUB FULL OF WHITE KIDS GROOVE, AND I MEAN GROOVE TO HOUSE MUSIC BLEW ME AWAY.   I DON’T GET OUT TO CLUBS MUCH ANYMORE, BUT I STAY TRUE TO THE MUSIC.  I STILL BURN MY CDS AND  PRESENT MY MUSIC OVER THE NET. I TRY TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL ARTIST, SO GREAT JOB BBC IS DOING IN KEEPING US INFORMED.

Were you a fan of DJ Oji & Pope’s “Underground Experience”?  If so, tell us how it touched your life as a dj and genuine lover of House?

I WAS A DEDICATED FAN. I WAS THERE EVERY SATURDAY. I  PRAYED FOR  MORGAN LOSSES JUST TO GET THE GAMES OVER IN TIME FOR THE SHOW  TO AIR ONTIME.  WHILE OUT IN CALI, I ONCE HAD TO FIND A COMPUTER SO I COULD LISTEN ONLINE.  I’D LIKE TO THANK THE BROTHERS FOR ALL THEY DID FOR US WHO COULD NOT GET OUT TO THE CLUB.  ON A PERSONAL NOTE, THANK YOU OJI FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE GUEST DJ ON SEVERAL OF YOUR SHOWS.

You have a website that you stream your mixes from.  We also have a link to it in our House mixes page.  Tell us a little bit about it, the link to it, and why did you start it?

WHEN I FIRST DISCOVERED  DJ MIXES ONLINE, I WAS IN HEAVEN. I COULD LISTEN TO HUMPHRIES, MORALES, AND  OTHER PIONEERS IN THE BUSINESS IN THE COMFORT OF MY HOME. I FIGURED IF THEY COULD  PLAY THEIR MIXES TO THE MASSES, WHY CAN’T I. I’M NO COMPUTER GENIUS, BUT I SOON FIGURED OUT HOW TO UPLOAD MY STUFF, MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE AND  SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE THOUGHT OF PEOPLE FROM CALI HEARING MY STYLE.    http://www.freewebs.com/djqwest/index.htm

You feature many Baltimore artists/producers in some of your mixes, which is what we love.  A lot of dj’s have to get special requests to put a bunch of Balto tracks in a mix.  I was very upset when I heard a couple of local songs almost a year after it came out.  What motivates you to have the courage to do that?

I WOULDN’T CALL IT COURAGE.  THE MUSIC MOVES ME . TO DO A MIX WITHOUT ONE OF THE HOTTEST SONGS  IN MY MIX WOULD  BE A DOWN RIGHT DIS-SERVICE TO THE MUSIC.  AND RIGHT NOW, B-MORE ARTIST ARE  PUTTING OUT WHAT I FEEL.  SO I GUESS I’LL KEEP ON UNTIL SOMEONE TELLS ME TO STOP.

What should we be expecting from you in the near future as far as dj’ing, producing, or anything musically is concerned?

DJ’ING TO ME IS NOW LIMITED TO MY MIXED CDS AND MY ONLINE MIXES. I GAVE UP THE MOBILE DJ’ING A LONGTIME AGO.  BUT I’LL BE HERE  SITTING BEHIND MY COMPUTER SUPPORTING HOUSE, LOCAL ARTIST AND  BBC.  AND AN OCCASIONAL TRIP TO THE CLUB WHEN I NEED TO REMEMBER THE OLD DAYS.  PEACE TO THOSE WHO MADE IT FUN WHEN WE RULED THE CLUBS.