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!
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
Total Running Time - 61 minutes and 58 seconds
____________________________________
DJ T-Rock - SICKINTHEHED DVD
DJ T-Rock's dvd SIKINTHEHED is now available. This Visual aid to his second album with the same title took 3 years to make, director Larry Morris just insisted on adding more! Only limited copies of the album version were pressed in the past due to the bankruptcy the distributor that T-Rock released this album with. However, the dvd definitely makes up for the lost time. The dvd includes high quality MP3's of all 24 Tracks on the album! DVD features include individual music video's for tracks with alternate angles and alternate audio as well. Also included is the short film "G.E.O.B." filmed on location in New York City, T-Rocks routine practice sessions titled "Akrobatik Fingers Sessions", and his pre european tour footage.
to learn more about DJ T-Rock visit www.djtrock.com