Club DJ's never really get the respect that they garner. A great DJ can rock any audience and over time we have seen so many great DJ's from Jazzy Jeff to DJ Cash Money to Mick Boogie. DJ Mixx has been killing the club scene for quite some time now and he decided to sit down and discuss everything from his work with a HIV/Aids Awareness project to the rawest party he has ever done. So without further adue...enter DJ Mixx....illRoots.com: So I've seen you have quite a long list of events that you've DJ'ed at. Who has thrown the best party since you've started DJing?
DJ Mixx: It’s always difficult to narrow years of club experience down to one defining party… similar to the way it would be difficult to narrow a lifetime of listening to music, down to the selection of one favorite artist. I do think that different teams / promoters throw great parties in different focus-areas, though. For Reggae/Hip Hop, Manhattan events, I love to play at Empire’s parties. For trendy, taste-maker, celebrity-driven, corporate flavors, I love to play at the Hyt Me Estate in the Hamptons, with my brother Birdie. In reality, though, the best party is any party I rock… if the people are there, and I’m able to share my music, each event is a new milestone, in itself.
illRoots.com: As the Miami scene has become extremely mainstream how do you feel it plays a role in how much work you get. As well what do you feel that you bring that no other DJ is bring right now?
Mixx: Being a New York Dj from Miami allows a great marketing angle, to utilize while approaching non-Southern promoters/clients. Miami has become synonymous with style, cultural diversity, and relatively successful, artist-solidarity. As they say, “it’s a movement.” Who wouldn’t want to buy into that kind of energy? I provide the opportunity; and I don’t fail to deliver.
Let’s be clear, Miami doesn’t get me the job; it can’t. Being a hot Dj is what gets me a job. The South does add something interesting to my story, however. What I bring to the table different from other DJ’s is directly reflective of my Miami upbringing: Live mic presence, meets well-rounded musical knowledge (I can play reggae with as much authenticity/knowledge as I do Hip Hop, etc.), the marketing swagger to “make” events, and the energy/entrepreneurial grind to follow through with that high-powered performance from the bottom up.
illRoots.com: Weapon of Choice: What turntables to do you use and why? What equipment do you need with that is vital to your success?
Mixx: Technic 1200’s. You can’t go wrong with time-tested classics. Even if there are turntables out that can spin backwards, and turn into urinals that you can use for bathroom-breaks during your sets, NOTHING beats the durability, reliability, and overall design of a cornerstone brand. Can you tell Run-DMC anything about their Adidas (also vital to my lifestyle)? Eh-eh. Other than that, give me any mixer with a loose fader, nice curve adjustment, and a dope transformer switch… A crisp microphone so that I can talk to you, and we’re golden.
illRoots.com: Whats the difference between a club dj and a mixtape dj? Mixx: The average mixtape Dj can’t necessarily keep a crowd motivated, their selections don’t always make cohesive sense, and there is no real pressure to be on-point due to the lack of real feedback (crowd presence). No disrespect to the mixtape Djs (I do tapes, as well), but the club background really helps you put together a more captivating experience … you’re so much more in-tune with how to carry momentum, and you have a more updated idea of general crowd-demand. A good mixtape Dj, however, does usually have a more extensive library, whereas the average club Dj can sometimes squeeze by, playing (or having) a majority of contemporary hits… additionally, the mixtape dj, is sometimes more creative/experimental; so, I guess, as with everything else, there are the positives and negatives to both categories.
illRoots.com: The Most Underrated DJ of all time?
Mixx: Ratings are way too relative, and usually have no bearing on mass-consensus. So, I really don’t watch that kind of thing. I just enjoy paying attention to Dj’s, who I feel, get busy.
illRoots.com: If you could put together a line up of DJ's for one party that would the last party you would ever do who would they be?
Mixx: If it were the last party I ever did, it would have to be a full day/night event. Right now, off top, a few key players would include-
Reggae Selectors: Waggy Tee / Tony Matterhorn. Hip Hop Djs: Kid Capri / Khaled (during his hungry, Mixx96, technical apex) / Big Ben or Goldfinger (Have to include some contemporary NYC players), among others.
illRoots.com: One hidden Gem that the world needs to know about. Person/Place/Thing?
Mixx: Www.myspace.com/djmixx305
illRoots.com: I saw that you are the head dj for an aids/hiv awareness group, do you mind going a little deeper into your affiliation?
Mixx: When I lived in Miami, I was a dj-affiliate/contributor/peer educator for/to an HIV/AIDS awareness organization called “Getting’ Busy” under the University of Miami (shouts the then-coordinator, Angie B!). I always try to somehow make sure that my musical/professional progress runs parallel to music-related social endeavors, so I made a donation to them, through my music-activism group, Headz United. The relationship started there, and then I just continued to run with them… Djing for various City of Miami charity/awareness events, doing grassroots legwork to spread information throughout the community, lending an industry personality to any project I could, etc... I just tried to help something I thought was powerful/important. The world is always bigger than our individual backyards. And all of us have that responsibility to use our art/talents to give back to something… whether it be uplifting someone, in particular, or strengthening some greater entity… Hoarding wealth, time, and resources will never lead to greatness (on an individual or communal level). Also it’s just better energy to put in work as a means of giving thanks for your blessings.
illRoots.com:As well I see that you toured with the Miami group the Iconz before the Miami scene really blew up. Gives us some backstory on how you got linked up with the group and anything interesting about the touring experience with them?
Mixx: Before linking with them, I had an affiliation to the individual who did their marketing…I helped him in exchange for learning about the game, being able to be on site for different events, and getting the opportunity to meet different people. As a result of our friendship/working relationship, I was always around the office, and eventually, I became relevant to the executives and artists inside of the camp. One day, one of their previous DJ’s couldn’t show up to play a show, so my man, Buggah, called me to fill-in. The group was familiar with me so they were willing to try. It was a success, and I became the new power-player. We ripped down a couple stages after that, and had a nice little run. It was a very valuable experience… from learning tactics of stage performance, to observing/taking-part in album promotion/radio runs, to understanding the significance of “hurry up and wait,,” to observing tour marketing, in general... everything was interesting. The most significant part of any movement/tour or road runnings, however, is the relationships you make a long the way… Hands-down.
illRoots.com: Lastly future projects?, shout outs? and Thank you for your time and efforts.
Mixx: Projects: First and foremost, stay logged in to www.myspace.com/djmixx305 for running updates. Specifically, though, Atlantic Records has chosen me to put together their nationally-distributed, Labor Day mixtape, I have a web-based, artist-driven TV show coming out (which I host), I remain in the clubs heavy, so check me out there, and make sure to watch the creative lifestyles/music marketing/cross-branding coming out of my camp, with relation to my djing…it’s always interesting.
Shout-Outs: My Frontline Promotions camp, my Immense Music Squad team (Dj Snatch-1, the Reggaeboyz, all ya’ll… check out our mixtape, “From The Club To The Streets”), my I.C.U. family, My Glow Connection team, LPMG, Ozone Mag. Alador & Smith, Money Clothing, Adidas, Parish Nation, Fat cop XXL, and anyone else movin’ with me. You know who you are. Bless.
