Reflections Of A Dj

Episode 83: DJ BIG BEN On this week’s episode, the crew flew out to NYC to sit down with Brooklyn’s finest @DJBigBen. The fellas discuss Ben’s quick mixing style, resetting the energy in a room (3:15), going on tour with @AngieMartinez tour DJ and owning a bodega (18:05). He speaks about getting management from @JRosenblum1 (41:20), DJing at @Hot97 for over 10 years and working with the legendary @DJMisterCee (48:50). Ben explains how he broke the @RonBrowz record “Pop Champagne” (01:08:20), @NipseyHussle’s impact on the Eastcoast and @6ix9ine bringing a new energy to New York (01:15:25). Finally Ben recalls an uncomfortable situation where he was asked to play @RKelly at a wedding (01:22:50) and elaborates on his early beginnings as a DJ (01:46:00).

Episode 82: DJ J. ESPINOSA On this week’s episode, the crew sits down with the new 2019 @Redbull3StyleMusic World Champion and Bay Area’s finest @DJJEspinosa and reminisce about his first meeting with @DJCrooked which resulted in a heated argument about Eastcoast vs Westcoast DJing (10:10). Being the official DJ for the @Raiders, Espinosa speaks about the new move from Oakland to Vegas (04:42). He speaks about growing up in the Bay listening to @FrandalayBay (20:24), his journey competing in the Redbull 3Style and battling longtime friend @DJChrisVilla during the US Finals in Philly (29:30). Crooked asks Espinosa about his experiences DJ’ing along side DJ legends @DJJazzyJef and @DJQbert (1:00:43), the possibilities of creating a new movement in SF with fellow Bay Area native and 2017 @GoldieAwards DJ Battle Champion @MilesMedina (1:56:30) and his DJ set at the @BoilerRoomTV (2:06:00).

Episode 81: Roses On this week’s episode, the crew pay their respects to one of Hip-Hop’s greatest storytellers, Director @JohnSingleton (00:23). The fellas discuss bandwagon @GameOfThrones fans (08:54), the recent incident between rapper @Russ and @KaosVegas this past weekend (18:50), Jay-Z’s “B Sides 2” show at @WebsterHall with surprise guest @Mr_Camron and the current sneaker market with @Puma outperforming @Nike and @Adidas (00:38:21). The crew also speak on rumors about @MarshmelloMusic clones (53:04), mixed reviews of the new @Phase_DJ (01:01:38) and the @Coachella herpes outbreak (01:13:12).

Episode 80: JEROME BAKER III On this week’s episode, the crew sits down with DC’s finest @JeromeBaker3rd and speak about his monthly day party @RockCreekSocial and also explains the high rate of gentrification happening in DC (00:16:04). He speaks on his early upbringing in Arizona and how it influenced his musical taste (00:27:24). Jerome shares his 10+ years experience working with the DC staple @Commonwealth_ftgg (00:49:32), his new podcast @WhatsAPodcastIG with (01:38:44) and his involvement with the local festival @BroccoliCity (02:00:05). The fellas also speak about the new @Phase_DJ (1:27:59).

Episode 79: Hits & Hips feat. FourColorZack + DJ Scooter On this week’s episode, the crew sits down with @FourColorZack (@RedbullMusicThreeStyle Judge and 1/2 of @WeAre2Cents) and SD’s finest @ScooterDJ (@GrooveCruise DJ and resident at @JewelNightclub). Zack and Scooter discuss the “Auto Sync” feature in @Serato (08:44) and the struggles of juggling family, gigs and traveling (30:06). With the recent rise of the new song “Old town Road”, the fellas speak about @LilNasX’s track possibly being the “Song Of The Summer” (01:04:17). Zack speaks about the new wave of instagram DJs (01:30:04) and how he approaches a festival set with his 2¢ partner in crime @crazearoni (02:00:45). Scooter and Zack express their views on ghost producing and what’s the formula for success within the “Open Format” market (02:07:16).

Episode 78: Dedication feat. LA Leakers On this week's episode, the crew discuss the opening of megaclub @KaosVegas in the newly renovated @Palms and the effect it will have on Nightlife in Las Vegas (00:01:45). The fellas speak about @NipseyHussle's upcoming funeral (00:29:10) and call @Justin_Credible @DJSourmilk (from the @LAleakers and @Power_106) to share some of their memories with Nipsey and explain their recent ban of @KodakBlack's music on the radio (00:47:48). They later discuss why @iamCardiB is expected to be a "Role Model" (02:05:08) and @DJCrooked rants about why everyone worships celebrities and people with money despite their questionable actions and lack of morals/ethics (02:09:14)

Episode 77: The Las Vegas Latin Movement feat. DJ Exile + Jason Aguilar On this week’s episode, the crew sits down with LV’s own DJ Exile and promoter Jason Aguilar who are responsible for bringing an emerging Latin Nightlife aka “La Cultura” to the Vegas Strip. Jason speaks on their humble and turbulent beginnings in the Vegas House Party scene (13:00) and Exile breaks down the history of Reggaeton (36:00). They discuss the absence of Reggaeton in the mainstream market during the big EDM boom and acknowledge @JBalvin and @LuisFonsi for bringing it back with hit records like “Ay Vamos” and “Despacito” (1:09:12). Jason and Exile speak about starting their widely successful Thursday night party “Noches Azul” at @BlueMartiniVegas and infiltrating the Las Vegas strip, bringing Latin artists like @BadBunnyPR @Anuel_2Blea to venues like @DraisLV, @OmniaNightclub, @TheLightVegas and the new @KaosVegas (1:30:50). Finally the crew pay their respects to @NipseyHussle and discuss his contributions to Los Angeles and hi

Episode 76: CRAZE On this week’s episode, the crew sits down with turntablist legend and trailblazer @Crazearoni ! He takes us back to his humble beginnings, listening to @DJQbert and dealing with anxiety attacks after winning his 3rd straight World Champion title for the @DMC_World (00:09:52). Craze addresses his altercation on Twitter with @Roctakon in defense of close friend @Atrak (00:24:37) and discusses the unspoken beef of “Turntablist vs. Club DJ” (00:28:42). He shares his admiration for @FourColorZack and why he approached him to start @WeAre2Cents (00:47:52). Craze speaks about his experience DJing for @KanyeWest’s “Glow In The Dark Tour” (01:18:40) and the fellas discuss Craze’s despise for President Trump and the negative influence he had on music and social media (1:29:05). Finally Craze expands on the “Good DJing Is Important” message and how “branding” should never take priority over being a good dj (1:51:10).

EPISODE 75: DJ TINA T On this week’s episode, the crew sits down with the multi-talented @djtinat who speaks about her extracurricular projects in real estate and foster parenting, offering temporary housing and care for kids in need (01:19). Tina talks about moving to LA, working for BPM Magazine and spinning with DJ AM and @SteveAoki at their legendary “Banana Split Sundays” at LAX (25:30). Tina and the crew run through a bunch of random topics like DJing during Spring Break in South Padre Island (47:00), disgruntled male DJs trying to hook-up with Tina (57:00), the change in the Las Vegas market for DJs (1:01:08) and Tina’s experience in the @RemoteYear program (1:33:30). The crew ask about being on the “Master Of The Mix” show on VH-1 (1:37:42) and why she started @CampSpinOff, a nonprofit Summer Camp for teenagers held every year for one week (1:53:00).

Episode 74: A-TRAK + ROCTAKON: The Disconnect On this week’s episode, the fellas recruit the help of Hip-Hop Guru @SheckyGreenLV (founder of the Source Magazine, Former Talent Director for XS Nightclub) to discuss the recent uproar on twitter between @Atrak @Roctakon addressing the struggles of working class DJs in open format. The crew makes a call to @Atrak (14:35) to further expand on his tweets and touched on the changes in nightlife/music after @DJAM passed (23:46), the vast difference in pay between certain headliners and openers (39:06) and the Agents/Managers ultimately having a hand as the “nexus of power” between the clubs and the DJ’s (53:27). They later make a call to @Roctakon (1:06:41) to explain his dilemma with Atrak’s tweets and why he questions the Canadian DJ’s intentions (1:14:50). Roctakon also speaks on @Crazearoni coming to Atrak’s defense which ultimately escalated the exchange on twitter (1:37:16). The crew wrap-up both calls (1:58:44) and discuss the recent Michael Jackson documentar

Episode 73: DJ BELLA FIASCO Cali’s own Bella Fiasco joins the fellas this week and takes us back to her childhood in Long Beach where her father, a well-known musician back in the Philippines, helped shape her musical knowledge for classics and planted the seed to become a DJ as she helped him spin local weddings. She speaks about the camaraderie amongst women DJs and the differences between playing nightclubs in LA vs Vegas. Bella also recaps a pivotal moment in her career when she opened for the legendary U2 at #Dreamfest in 2016.

Episode 72: DJ CHRIS VILLA On this week's episode, the fellas sit down with the wildly talented DJ Chris Villa from Phoenix, AZ. Chris speaks about his experience participating in the US Finals of the Redbull 3Style and the #PayTheDJ campaign started by DJ Konflikt (@MyFavoriteDJ). He speaks about being discovered at age 13 by Power 92.3 and earning his own slot on the radio. Known for his amazingly creative and flawless DJ routines on Instagram, Chris breakdowns how he conceptualizes his routines and also shares his frustration with other DJ's stealing and mimicking his ideas.

Episode 71: Ghostin On this week’s episode, the fellas discuss Meek Mill and J. Cole’s performance at NBA All-Star Weekend. They recap The 2019 Grammy Awards and question Childish Gambino earning “Record of the Year”. Crooked breaks down the term “Ghosting”. The fellas reflect on the life and Legacy of Chanel fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld. They speak on the Gucci Boycott and Dapper Dan’s strive to make sustainable change, the joint venture between Beatport & DJ City, aka BeatSource, and more.....

Episode 70: PHNM Repping Chi-Town, DJ PHNM joins the fellas this week and touches on some of changes occurring in his hometown especially with local heroes Chance The Rapper and Kanye West. With the club scene steadily evolving in The Windy City, PHNM explains how the closing of staple nightclubs like Studio Paris and the MID due to the arrival and instant success of Tao Chicago. He explains his move to Portland and how his approach to DJing a night sometimes involves “Flipping the Room”, a foreign term for most DJs. PHNM also shares his experience of DJing for Gucci Mane at Lollapalooza in 2015 and Scotland where there’s a surprisingly huge Rap/Dancehall.

Episode 69: WARREN PEACE & PIZZO The fellas sit down with Las Vegas pioneers, DJ’s Warren Peace & Pizzo, as they discuss some of their trailblazing contributions to the Hip-Hop and DJ Community in Sin City. Their widely respected “Word Up” college radio show on KUNV was the first of its kind in the 90’s and was comparable to NYC’s own Stretch & Bobbito Show. Warren talks about the Vegas Hip-Hop scene in the 90’s with the opening of Suge Knight’s Club 662 and DJing the night 2Pac was shot. Pizzo discusses how he linked up with Eminem and carried early pressings of his demo at their infamous record store and online shop/blog “Hip-Hop Site”. Warren talks about being the first DJ to play Hip-Hop on the Vegas strip at the legendary “RA Nightclub”, and how he would play an instrumental role in shaping the EDM format for the mega club XS in the Wynn. They both speak about their YouTube series “Let The Record Show” with featured guests like Just Blaze, Bob James, A-trak and more...

Episode 68: Classics vs Classics This week the fellas discuss the Redbull 3Style competition and congratulate this year’s 2019 world champion J. Espinosa.  They recap their most recent trip to the NAMM Show where they attended a DJ showcase featuring Z-Trip, Miles Medina and Justin Credible. They examine the numbers in Drake’s multi-million dollar Vegas residency at XS as well as Cardi B’s residency at the new KAOS Day/Nightclub opening in April 2019. Questions arise regarding Kanye’s new alliance with Dame Dash and his lawsuit with Roc-A-Fella Records. Finally, the fellas chime in on Chance The Rapper’s new Dorito Commercial with the Backstreet Boys.

Episode 67: SKRATCH BASTID Canada’s very own dj/producer/turntablist, Skratch Bastid joins the crew this week and takes us back to his hometown of Bedford, Nova Scotia, his intro into the hip-hop scene and how he earned the name “Skratch Bastid”. He talks about his early beginnings competing in local DJ battles which led to his infamous “Star Wars” DJ routine at Scribble Jam. Bastid explains the motivation behind his move to Montreal, and later Toronto where the legendary “Bastid BBQ” was birthed and continues to grow. With the Redbull 3Style World Finals commencing this week, Bastid shares his judging process for the competition and also touches on the new Technics 1200 MK-7 turntables which he helped launch at the CES trade show in Las Vegas...

Episode 66: DJ EXCEL & DJ IMPULSE Philadelphia native DJ Excel and Baltimore native DJ Impulse join the fellas this week to discuss the CES 2019 Trade Show in Las Vegas and the difference between spinning clubs vs corporate gigs. Excel shares a recent experience playing R.Kelly in the club and everyone chimes in on a discussion regarding compromising their personal politics for a pay check. Impulse speaks about Baltimore Club and DC Go-Go. With the word “Culture Vulture” being thrown around in the media recently, everyone tries to define what a “Culture Vulture” actually is.

Episode 65: JHO to the MF’ing LOW! On the first R.O.A.D. podcast of 2019, Crooked, Neva, Jaime and D-Miles all give their recap of DJing on New Years Eve. The fellas discuss the R. Kelly “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary and how this changes ever wanting to play his music in the club. They discuss the strength of the 2019 Coachella line-up. Crooked and D-Miles recap their real life experiences with supposed Malaysian weapons dealer Jho Low and how he blew millions in Vegas nightclubs.

Episode 64: JUSTIN CREDIBLE On the final week of 2018 LA’s very own Justin Credible joins the crew on the R.O.A.D. podcast. Justin starts off talking about his upbringing and background, how he grew up in LA and would take summer trips to New York to see his extended family. Justin talks about getting involved with radio straight out of high school, taking jobs in smaller markets and learning the ropes of the industry in the process. Justin mentions how he initially wanted to be a producer, and how he has a big background in imaging and production. The fellas and Justin talk about DJing, and how clubs were reluctant to hire radio mixers. Justin gives his opinion on the difference in style between East Coast and West Coast DJs. Justin also goes in detail about a transition period that took place in LA radio. Justin elaborates on how big LMFAO was to the music scene in the mid 2000s. Justin credits the importance of @DJMustard , and the movement his sound created in radio and club scenes. The fellas discuss t