DJ T-ROCKT-Rock's full length debut LP Who's Your Daddy on Bomb records proved that the turntablist movement was here to stay. Since 1988, hip-hop's golden era, T-Rock has built his foundation of turntable skills from the ground up. His efforts have resulted this debut album filled with super DJ tricks as well as more structured song stylings. Incorporating scratches with fat bass lines, smacking snares and funk organs this album enthralled the most die hard hip-hop head as well as the average urban music listener.
WHO'S YOUR DADDY - DJ T-Rock
click here to listen to The Inkredible Turntablist by DJ T-Rock
DJ T-Rock is one of the most talented DJ's on the turntablist scene. He has been honing his craft for more than 15 years, mastering the turntable as an instrument. T-Rock is best known for his full length albums Who's Your Daddy (Bomb Hip-Hop) and Sikinthehed (Nu Gruv/Stereotype Records), as well as his appearances on Bomb's famous Return of the DJ compilations volumes 3 and 4. He has also produced songs for Deeper Concentration Volume 3 (OM Records) and Billy Jam's Scratch Attack (Hip Hop Slam). T-Rock currently appears on new albums by the Warp Brothers (Warp Factor) and Mr. Dibbs (The 30th Song). He has appeared in numerous international magazines including URB, DJ TIMES, XLR8R, Mass Appeal, and Elemental.
In addition to his work as a scratch DJ and producer T-Rock is an accomplished mixing dj that can rock any house party or club venue. His classic record collection and quick mixing skills have enabled him to perform with such greats as Cut Chemist (Jurassic 5), Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys), DJ Swamp (Beck), Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Mantronik, Z-Trip, The Xecutioners, DJ Craze, Babu (Dilated Peoples), Shortkut (Beat Junkies) and many others. T-Rock currently lives in Los Angeles and is working with his new band Graffiti Death Threat. T-Rock has a new mix CD out titled Hip-Hop Sundae and a dvd Sickinthehead.
DJ T-Rock live - Bomb Hip-Hop European Tour - March of 2003
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• INTERVIEW WITH DJ T-ROCK
What year and how old were you when you started DJing? What inspired you and what type of music did you play?
I was 16.. .year was 1989... I had been into hip hop for a couple of years already... But this is when i got the urge to dj. I think overall i was inspired by the beats... I loved the drums of people like Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, etc... songs around that time. Also a friend of mine was djing, and he was wack. I wanted to practice on his equipment to see if i could learn to scratch better patterns and mix on beat... unlike him! I started Playing hip hop, but i ain't gonna front - I played anything i could at one point cause records were hard to come by where i was from. So i took what I could get! I even played a few country records at one time.
Are there any records from when you first started DJing that you still play today?
There are tons of records from when i first started playing that i still play today... cause I consider certain songs timeless. Run DMC's "Walk this Way" and Big Daddy Kane's "Ain't No Halfsteppin", just two bangers out of many.
What is the largest amonut of money that you spent on a single piece of vinyl and what record was it?
I can't recall ever spending one shocking sum of money on one certain record! If i need it, I get it, if i don't need it... I still get it. I am addicted to records. The urge is sometimes uncontrollable.
What cartridges do you use?
I use Stanton 500's but apparently i ain't fresh enough for them to sponsor me!
What DJ mixer do you use?
Mixer... O5 pro... industry standard. My favorite.
When you go to a party approx. how many records do you bring?
How many records do i bring? Too many! I always over stock for those "just in case moments", sometimes enough for 3 or 4 hour sets. It really depends on what the club promoter is wanting. Do i perform for 30 minutes and give the crowd a good show... or do i perform for 4 hours and rock the Party? It all depends.
What is the wildest thing that has happened at a gig?
The wildest thing that has ever happened at a gig? Man... that is a hard question. The answer involves females! The question should be what's the Wildest thing that has ever happened after a gig... and the answer is probably going to a Vogue fashion party in Paris with this girl i met, meeting Roman Polanski's wife, not to mention countless supermodels!
What direction do you see DJing going in?
The direction i see djing going is the direction of an open mind. I think more and more dj's are spinning more and more different types of music within their sets, rather than limiting themselves to just playing hip Hop. Experimentation is where it is headed and heading fast. Hey, this is exactly how Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa started out...
What direction do you see scratching/turntablism going in?
The direction I see scratching going is in a direction that it seems to be already heading towards - more mainstream. Commercials, pop bands, it's everywhere. I would love to see turntablists start to win grammys and have music videos on MTV!
Which current DJ's do you like right now?
Current dj's i like now... none... absolutely none! Na. For real i like Mr. Dibbs! Only cause that guy has been a real friend over the years, he's mad cool! I like Eddie Def, Quest, Pone, Q-bert, and Disk. The list goes on and on... I could name them all on here because everyone has something to offer and I have learned from all of these guys (girls). I have mad respect for every last one of them.
You have a new Mix CD coming out called Hip-Hop Sundae. What's it like? Original beats, samples, mixing, rock influenced... what?
Hip-Hop Sundae is everything you want and need. It is a mixture of hip hop, rock, turntablism, funk, soul, breakbeat, mixing, scratching, party rockin', 45's, 12 inches, old stuff and new. Also some original production and a few surprise remixes by me. Word! Even if yo are paralyzed from the waist down... your head will have to nod!
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Hip-Hop Sundae track listing
01 Scratchin in Rhythm/Pay Attention 2:05
02 Bizarre Ride with my Dirty 45's 18:25
03 Full Contact Rock Mixology 9:33
04 A New Style of Cut Thrusts 1:31
05 Funky Finger Acrobatiks 18:47
06 Disobedient Jimmy @ the AA Meeting 2:23
07 The Stevie Raw Wonder Shimmy 1:00
08 Reputation of a Genius of Love 1:22
09 Good ol' fashioned Rock Solid DJing 6:45
"T-Rock needs no MC's, no gimmicks, no outside producers whatsoever. Like Terminator X before him, T-Rock takes music to the edge of panic with his musical opus Sikinthehed. - RapReviews.com
"T-Rock's Sikinthehed is one those rare CDs that reflects hip hop's early days while still marching ahead to the future. There's no rapping, no bling-bling or tales of urban folklore or misogynistic boasting. Rather, Sikinthehed is mainly beats, samples and scratching that seems to have been done in a lab in outer space, not a basement here on earth." - Independent Weekly
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