In the mix: DJ Eskimo & Roctakon

I love music. and I love DJing too. What I don't really love is that everyone thinks they are a DJ nowadays and that mad people flood the market with fancy-looking "mixtapes" and other projects. But, as in anything, the cream always rises to the top.

I've uploaded a few of my own mixes here in the past, and I stand by them. I've also shined a light on some cats whose music and craft I admire. I figure, as much music as I listen to, maybe I should be doing this more often. So, what I'm here to do today is to share with you a couple mixes that have resonated with me in recent years.

First up, a mix CD that really stands out in my mind as a message, from my man DJ Eskimo..."The Pulpit." There's tracks on here I still don't know what or who they are, but I love it. I'm not even that hard-pressed to figure out who the artists are or what the songs are called, because the manner in which this is presented is what makes it proper that we call this cat a true DJ. The mixing, the selection, the pace and the energy...top notch. The one part of this mix that folks ALWAYS seem to mention when I hear them talk about it is Eskimo's Sade blend...which, for the record, is ridiculous.

You can check out "The Pulpit" in its entirety over here and be sure to check Eskimo's site too - www.djeskimoshow.com; but while you're here, to whet your appetite just a little bit, here's a rip of that Sade blend...please, I repeat, PLEASE! leave some feedback on this stuff. Let me know if I'm alone and/or wrong for loving this stuff.

Sade - War of the Hearts (DJ Eskimo blend)

Another DJ who I've become familiar with in my time in DC is Roctakon. He doesn't live here anymore, but I first heard of he and his crew The Goonies and The Trooperz crew back around 99/2000 when they were hosting Open Table events and bringing cats like P-Trix to town to showcase. It was dope to see big-named DJs like P-Trix do their thing, but to be honest, some of the talent here in DC have reached some pretty high heights as well...and I still look to these cats as some of the best I've ever heard.

Anyways, I've heard a couple edits that Roctakon has done over the years, though I'd not heard a mix of his before. So, when he dropped this "Finding Directions" mix not too long ago, I felt compelled to pick it up. I used to love scratching, trying to be a battle DJ and all that...and I still love rocking parties and blending, etc......"Finding Directions" is definitely geared more towards the dancefloor than anything...but there's more to it than just playing records. As Turntable Lab describes it: "this is all about disco, house and techno...but even I was taken back by how hardcore it is." True indeed. So, while it may take a couple listens to fully grasp all that's going on in this mix, I'll venture to say that it's damn near timeless.

Below is an excerpt from "Finding Directions" so you can get a sample of what it is and how much this cat puts into his craft. Also, check the CD cover for some words on what he was going for:

Roctakon - Finding Directions snippet

Set It OFF!!!

I remember when I was in high school getting a Dilated Peoples "The Platform" maxi-cassette single, with the remixes and maybe another song or two on it. Same program on both sides. I burned that joint all summer long in my tape deck. I recall taking lunch break from the bank where I was working and just marveling at the cuts that Babu ripped on those tracks, just in dumbfounded that a DJ could make a record sound like that. To this day, I'm not sure I know exactly how he does it or if I'd even believe it if I saw it in person. As a Beat Junkie fan, I try to keep an ear out for what Babu and crew are up to, and so it was cool to see this recent reminder that the apple never falls far from the tree:


Seeing that post jogged my memory back a few years when I checked out Peanut Butter Wolf here in DC and grabbed a copy of the Stones Throw tour promo CD. Long story short, there's some ill music on this CD. I played this bit (below) a few times on my show on XM back when, and I love what it embodies. It's all in the family...check my man Oh No, Aloe Blacc, and the junior jedi himself, Babu's son Niko ripping the mic & telling tales of a youngster living life in California...CHECK THE RHYME!!!

Zombie Playoffs tour CD excerpt (Stones Throw, 2007)



Niko & DJ Babu - "Now You Know""...I got more to do, walkin not crawlin, eatin solid food,
Dad in the studio AND ON TOUR! mom workin at the bank TRYING TO GET MUCH MORE!
As for me: I was rollin' up, no more baby bottles, I WAS DRINKIN A CUP!
Potty-trained, well-dressed, LEARNED TO BRUSH MY TEETH! After this chorus I'll tell ya about Year 3!!!"




Speaking of brushing your teeth, keep 'em clean folks! A Public Service Announcement:



And speaking of family...check the Mochilla / Beat Junkie / Xecutioners homage to Grandmaster Roc Raida...Roc's daughter NYRaida even gets in the mix!!

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Roc Raida Tribute Final   

Since Stevie Wonder.. (R.I.P. Roc Raida)

When the 1-Year Anniversary of Michael Jackson's passing happened a little while back, it sort of caught me by surprise...not like I keep track of these things or anything, but it just felt like time flew by in the past year. The impact of Michael Jackson is surely hard to describe, but needless to say he changed the game in a major way.

I've heard many folks describe Roc Raida's influence on DJs and turntablism similarly. Dude was truly an innovator and someone who pushed things forward in his time. It's been a year since Grandmaster Roc Raida passed, and in that time I've read the thoughts of many other DJs who were inspired by and had the opportunity to meet Raida over the years. I too have been inspired and influenced by Raida, but I really think pretty much all DJs were who came up in the 80s, 90s and even the new generation. The X-Men were just superstars in my mind. I remember copping the X-Men videos with tons of live footage from Fat Beats in NY and at Raida's and Rob Swift's cribs, etc. They were just incredible! And then to be able to see them live and get to meet and speak with Raida and the guys at a show? It doesn't get much better... Soo dope! Dude was extremely humble and just willing to listen and talk with you like he really cared to be a part of the conversation. That says a lot about who he was.

Anyways, I love the X-Men and what they mean to DJing...and I got to speak with Raida a couple times in my life, the last of which was early in 2009 when he was on the road with Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star and they came thru the XM studios here in DC. I was watching Busta and Spliff perform in our studio, and I noticed from afar, a DJ that looked familiar in back of them...rockin a BIG L t-shirt...sure enough, the one & only Roc Raida! This made perfect sense to me (and I told him it after the show when I spoke with him,) for him to be working with Busta...I've seen Busta on-stage before, and this cat is a MONSTER!!! Busta and Spliff put on a DOPE SHOW, no question..so to see one of hip-hop's all-time greatest DJs working with them for their live show was a match made in heaven in my mind. In speaking with Raida, he was very gracious, humble, and always open to talk.

Below I've posted a bit that shows how funny Raida and the longtime homie Lord Sear are. If you're not familiar with the WHAT FM GONG SHOW, you're about to get familiar...Roc Raida was a genius, an incredibly funny man and also an ill DJ...and so much more. Enjoy this...and if you're not up on Raida's history and what he meant to the game, do a little searching, because there's plenty of stuff online that showcases how great he was...



Roc Raida - WHAT FM Gong Show


Put the guns up, word up word up...

Shout out to Lil Pookie, Thug Doug, Stack Chedda, Roland the Home Studio, Smoke Low, Lord Sear and of course the one and only GM Roc Raida...RIP!

Snoop a loop

Recently I came upon the website of my man Knocksquared aka Doug Lazy aka my former co-worker at XM and an all-around good dude...and dope artist and producer!

Through working with him I learned of his back catalog as a musician, most notably "Let It Roll" and some of the other jams from his "Gettin' Crazy" album from the early 90s. I guess the term hip-house is used most often to describe this style, and in my opinion, there's not a ton of hip-house tracks that stand the test of time (maybe I'm wrong??) but the BDK-sampling "Let It Roll" definitely does. Peep the instrumental here if you're not already familiar...

Doug Lazy - Let It Roll instrumental


Anyway, my real reason for posting today was to share some more recent stuff with you...it's not a brand new track that's hitting on radio right now or anything...but much like all good music with staying power, this should reside in your crates going forward. Similar to what you hear in "Let It Roll" and other cuts he's done, this remix from Knock has such great style...drum programming, keys, Youtube porn (haha) it's all so fresh...I've not heard a ton of Snoop remixes, or maybe I've just not heard a lot that are worth remembering at all. But what my man Knock does on this is great...I think the Doggfather would approve...now courtesy of Speaker City which is slashing prices on everything from beepers to DVD players, give a warm welcome to my pal, and your favorite...Mr. Snoop Dogg!!!



Snoop - Sensual Seduction (Knocks YouTube Porno remix)


There's more downloads over at his site too: www.KnocksHouse.com



Finally, this past year I got my hands on some old 12" singles, including some of Snoop's earliest material from Death Row. To my surprise, there are some dope remixes and freestyles on the old Death Row 12's. Here's one off the "Nuthin But A G Thang" single...freestyle featuring the Dogg Pound doing what they do...Daz, Kurupt, Snoop.



Dr. Dre - Nuthin But A G Thang freestyle w/ Snoop, Kurupt & Daz