One of the key difference between the “electronica” craze of the 1990s and today’s EDM scene is the fact that vinyl is pretty much unheard of as a means to play or sell music. Back in the ’90s, the turntable was outselling the guitar and being looked at as an instrument, and not just something to play music on; today, if you have a good DJ controller and a laptop with Serato, there’s no reason for a turntable to be in your life. With that loss of the art of vinyl and how it pertains to DJing, there are certain skills and techniques that DJs who learned on that medium just don’t have today. Not to say that a DJ coming up now can’t be as technically skilled as someone from that era, but without that knowledge, they learn different skills… or find ways to bypass the need for those skills to work on their mixing and whatever effects they bring to the table. The art of that kind of older DJ is not lost however. There are DJs who cut their teeth on the older model and are now helping shape the dance music scene. Some of the names are obvious, while others might not be as known, but these DJs have the skills to really excite a crowd through the art of turntablism. Here are the most skilled DJs in EDM right now.
Some Words On Why The Beastie Boys Matter So Much To Me:
This was inspired by an article that came out on my folks site Largeup.com today about the Beastie Boys’ connection to reggae music. I left this comment on their article today:
The Beasties truly represented my musical path more than any other group ever. I came of age (11-13) going to see to hardcore bands like Bad Brains and Murphy’s Law, who obviously both had big reggae/ska influences. At the same time, I was being introduced to “The Harder They Come” soundtrack (which includes the “Stop That Train” sample), Eek A Mouse, Steel Pulse, Yellowman and the like. I remember, my boy had all these reggae artist names scrawled on his book bag, and it just had a HUGE effect on me. I went and found all those artists.
After being raised on classic rock, yacht rock and 80s music, hardcore and punk were the next logical step. Then, all the hardcore kids in Boston (where I grew up) took off their Doc Martens, and put on sneakers, started listening to/going to more reggae, ska and hip-hop shows, and called themselves “sneaker boys”. Precisely at this time, I moved to NYC. I never went to another hardcore show again. I got completely obsessed with listening to Red Alert, Stretch Armstrong, Kid Capri and Silver Dee on the radio, and just got consumed by hip-hop. Later on, I went back and caught back up on all these previous phases, which was great therapy.
The Beasties represent the true nature of hip-hop and dj culture to me. The people that started hip-hop (and dj culture), just loved music. ALL KINDS. But the Beasties also had a musical progression that mirrored mine, which transcends any of that for me. The connection between reggae, punk, hardcore and hip-hop is something that I think many people who call themselves “hip-hop fans” just don’t even understand.
Very proper and thorough interview with @Atrak on @Combat_Jack show w/ @Dallas_Penn from 4/25.
Founding Fathers the untold story of hip hop trailer 2011
DJ @JayCeeOh releases Super 7 Vol. 5 with @ZTrip , @djjazzyjeff215 , @DJRevolution , @GASLAMPKILLER, @DJVajra and @MickBoogie.
Seen JayCeeOh come a long way with DJing and mixtapes. The first time we DJ’d together, he played an event I was doing with Beautiful/Decay Magazine at Tribeca Cinemas, which was one of the best (and also crazy) events I’ve ever been a part of. He came, and rocked with his crew The Deck Demons, which was a crew of several DJs from Boston, that made turntable music on six turntables, which they did that night. When he moved to NYC, he moved in across the street from me, and we helped him find the spot.
The Super 7 Series of mixtapes was JayCeeOh’s brainchild. It’s a super-service to DJ Culture, if you ask me. You can never say this dude isn’t giving back to the culture of DJing, which I love.
It’s a brand that has gone through many phases, and has featured DJs I respect, including: STEVE1DER, B.CAUSE, MORSE CODE, PLATURN, BENZI, ELEVEN, U-TERN*SKRATCH BASTID*THEE MIKE B*THE CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY*ROSS ONE*COSMO BAKER, TEAM CANADA, SPRYTE, RISK ONE, SCENE, M.O.S., KLUTCH, FASHEN, ILLO, SPIDER, EXCEL, BLADERUNNERS, VIN SOL and more.
This time around, JayCeeOh steps up to bat with: @GaslampKiller, @ZTrip, @DJRevolution, @MickBoogie, @DJVajra & @DJJazzyJeff215
Certainly a powerhouse lineup, and my favorite to date for the series.
Download JayCeeOh Super 7 Vol. 5
You can now find JayCeeOh on stage as the DJ for Sammy Adams.
Asside from the dirty hipsters, this looks awesome.
#Southpaw #Brooklyn #RIP Pt.2. The owners - My dudes! Mikey Palms and Matt with 50 Cent. (Taken with instagram
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Tonight was the last night of #Southpaw #Brooklyn ever. My dude @chinobyi did the door there forever. (Taken with instagram
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A nice piece on DJ Fashen ( @itsfashen ) from L.A. via AZ, with guest spots from @diplo and @ztrip in there.
R.I.P. DJ Mehdi.
When you get deep into the current state of DJ culture, you realize that French DJs and producers are responsible for a huge mass of output. It’s pretty baffling, actually. Obviously Daft Punk represents an anomaly in dance music, but there have been MANY other artists out of France that have made a huge impact as well. The Ed Banger crew would be at the top of that list.
Their music spans multiple vibes. They’ve done electro, house, break beat, rock and hip-hop. Their alliance with my friends at Fool’s Gold Records and Chromeo crew has been so tight, it’s remarkable.
According to several sources, DJ Mehdi, a key member of the Ed Banger family, has just died due to an accident. It’s unclear where it happened at this point, or if this cause of death is even confirmed.
Thoughts and positivity go out to his wife (French Artists and Model) Fafi and family, as well as the whole community of DJs, producers and musicians that he influenced and inspired so much.
This French magazine called Sonotown did this interview with The Gaslamp Killer. Dude really reps for the DJ Culture, and he’s such a nutty kind of dude as well. This is one to grow on…
This cat DJ Mysterio is just MYSTERIOUS.
This routine is nuts. I can’t even explain it, but I’ll try:
Dude has records stacked up on the one turntable, and he’s yanking each one out and dropping the needle back down on the next one, with only a split-second drop-out. It’s like “needle-dropping” to the nth degree.
This video was found on my Belgian-waffle home-skillet Rob Swift’s website, where you can find a nice interview with DJ Mysterio.
