I’ve been meaning to make party mix for awhile and after my comments spawned a discussion on Pipomixes back in July.
Moreover a famous deejay asked me recently what I rather hear at a club, a Nas classic “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” or Chief Keef’s “I Don’t Like”? My response is neither!
In my view the role of the Deejay is not playing what the crowd wants to hear since the crowd doesn’t want hear new music and are satisfied to listen to the same 500 songs over and over again. It’s your job as deejay to expose them to new music that is as good or better than they are used to hearing.
Another role of deejay is to inspire the young deejays and older deejays to step their game with their track selection and/or skills. That’s how it was when I was coming up. Looking over all the deejays around me at that time (mid 80’s) I was inspired and educated by all that I heard and seen. Now that is not the case today. Most deejays,even the celebrity DJ’s have become mediocre. They have become nothing more than an average 80’s wedding DJ,playing middle of the road for music for middle of the road people.
That’s not me,never have been and never will. I’m not stuck in the past nor do I allow corporations to dictate what’s a good song. I still dig for my music.
With Inspire & Educate - The Role Of The Deejay, even though, it’s not a live mix I tried to keep a live feel to the mix. It’s raw and gritty,very unpolished.It may not be what you expect from a “Party Mix” (Psycho Realm & Public Enemy??) but it’s exactly what I want to hear at a party/club…unknown tunes,live blends,instrumentals, drum breaks and great music.
The Dynamic Hamza 21® Inspire & Educate: The Role Of The Deejay (2012) |124 MB|
Defari ft. Noelle Scaggs - West West
Writer’s Block - How We Chant
V3rb - Tiger
El Da Sensei & The Returners - Hard To Find
Live Radio - No Hooks
X Clan - Americans (Hamza 21 Break Edit)
Gavlyn - What I Do
Jay Z - So Ghetto
9th Creation - Bubble Gum (Hamza 21 Re Edit)
Lady Daisey - Soul Strut
Psycho Realm - Pow Wow
Grayskul - Us
AZ ft. Bounty Killa - Envious
Run DMC - Hit em Hard
Non Phixion - Drug Music Instrumental
Non Phixion - Drug Music
Ras Kass ft. Pharoahe Monch - C What I C
Action Bronson - Bag of Money
WC - West Coast Voodoo
Destruct & ID - What It Used To Be
Miss.She.iLL. Ft. Styliztik Jones - Tell 'Em What It Iz
Chi Ali - Roadrunner (ATCQ Puberty Mix)
Ice Cube - Steal The Show
DJ Nu-Mark ft. Ernie Hines - Our Generation (Re-Edit)
Fort Minor ft. Styles Of Beyond - Feels Like Home
Aceyalone & Rakaa Iriscience - Champions
NWA - Prelude (Hamza 21 Break Edit)
Uzoy - Now 'Til Infinity
Swollen Members - Bottom Line
Public Enemy ft. Brother Ali - Get Up Stand Up
Paul Nice - Break 1/16
Visionaries - Love (Hip Hop) (Acapella)
Reuben Howell - You Made Your Bed
Styles Of Beyond - You Lose
DJ Mane One - Outta Control
Abstract Rude ft. J Roz & Oracle - Weird Song
Madonna - Keep It Together (Bonus Beats)
Mr J Medeiros - Keep Pace
The Souljazz Orchestra - Conquering Lion
JJ Johnson - Pull Jabal Pull
JJ Johnson - Pull Jabal Pull (Hamza 21 Break Edit)
Lisa Bello - Jump Around (Acapella)
Joss Stone - Tell Bout It (Passean Edit)
This is a very insightful quote. I struggled for a long time to understand why crowds, especially Hip-Hop crowds, could be satisfied hearing the same 500 songs over and over again. I also struggled to understand why DJs didn’t break outside of this box. Your explanation of the ideal role of a DJ illustrates my confusion : I didn’t understand how most DJs were satisfied to follow their audience. It’s HARD to play something that is both new and as exciting as something familiar. Most DJs aren’t up to this challenge.
I downloaded this, and will check it out. I know most of the artists but not the tracks, which is often a good sign. Wish you had included the ge.tt link in the djtt post.
Frankly, many deejays don’t know how to find good music. It’s much easier to stick to what you know than face the prospect of starting all over. It was much more easier to find solid music back in the day than it is now.
In this day and age you have to be persistent and dedicated to find quality music. You have listen to a copious amount of crap from various sources (blogs,bandcamp,souncloud,etc) to hear some good music. Furthermore you have to deal with the fact that most Hip Hop made today is made for listening not the dance floor.
I have to admit it was a little more difficult than I assumed to make Hip Hop party mix not featuring any classics of the past. However I proved, now as in past, it can be done. It was much easier to make my True School Beatdown series than this mix.
I figure most people listen more than download so I just post links to sites where you can listen and for those who want download there is download link provided in desciption field of the various sites.
So glad you touched on those points in that order. I’m in no way shape or form trying to put myself on your level … you seem like a VET! Props and respect for your passion and consistency!!
I tell my story here … and no one believes that I was able, with hardly any experience on tables … To buy my rig and gear … 3 weeks later start playing out (I had the gig locked before I bought gear) … and after about a month and a half … moved to peak nights in the club … and soon after that started to be requested for other venues locally.
With 10+ years of ADVANCED audio production experience … great eclectic taste in music … and going into like a psycho crack head mode (no sleep all reading) for the 3 weeks between buying my gear and my start date (to learn Traktor) … I did it.
And almost 1 year later … I’ve got more opportunities lined up for this spring break and summer season (I’m in a tourist trap in Florida) … ALL because of my taste, style, and experience / understanding / appreciation of most genres.
They say the key to humour is shock factory and surprise.
I would show up a little early on my nights (sometimes) and have a drink. And observe who was in the building … And most of the time accurately predict what they were into … And even better … I would introduce myself to a group of people … and go ahead ask them what they like! I used these methods to gain their trust and some insight on what I could shock them with throughout the night.
If there was a good crowd of late 20’s early 30’s mixed with some young bucks … I might start out with Prince - “When Doves Cry” … play that sh*t for a minute … Late 20’s are like HELL YEAH! Young bucks are like WTF?? Then out of no where BOOM … Skrillex - "Kill Every Body in the World … which mashes perfect with “When Doves Cry”, btw … Next thing you know EVERYBODY’S happy and dancing.
I try to make the music speak … via the concepts. " I want to kill every [ insert effect ] DOVE in the world … DROP!
Wow factor and communication. I guess I’m rambling now … but I love the context of your post .. I’m checking the mix out now! I’ll feedback!
… and after about a month and a half … moved to peak nights in the club … and soon after that started to be requested for other venues locally.