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DJ Revolution Speaks On DJ Clue, Whoo Kid, Khaled
Semantik over at Cratekings.com has a good interview up with DJ Revolution, where the legendary (but still relevant) DJ has some interesting things to say about the current state of DJ culture. There are a couple interesting quotes, in particular, when asked about how the role of the DJ has changed, Rev
says:
גWhen the MCגs decided to cast off the DJ, the DJ had no other choice, but to make a living so he started hustling and doing other thingsג¦. Then it broke off into subculturesג¦ youגve got your turntablists and you developed superstars in that category like Q-bert, The X-Men, Babu, The Beatjunkies, and myself. Then on the other side youגve got your Clues, and the Whoo Kids, and the people who arenגtג really doing shit, but are claiming to do shit. Not that I donגt have any respect for these guys, I can always respect somebodyגs hustle, but thatגs all they really are is hustlers. However you can make your money is all good, but youגre not what you claim you are, youגre just a hustler.ג
Iגm loving the fact that a reputable DJ actually came out and addressed the DJ גhustlerג ethos in hip-hop. It could be perceived as somewhat high-minded on his part, and itגs not like heגs hating on them, but it is true that a lot of these DJs are just great self-promoters. Nothing more really. In reality, theyגre overrated and donגt have much talent beyond sucking some גhotג rapper off for an exclusive. That is why the DJ is dead. Still, people perceive these DJs as something theyגre not, which is, yaגknow, a guy who can play records and maybe even rock a party.
But then he goes on to talk about how this works with some DJs (*cough* Khaled *cough*) purporting to be producers.
ג[Producers] need to make their records. Letג just take DJ Khaled for an example. The dude doesnגt produce and he doesnגt DJ, but heגs on the radio and TV acting like a producer and a DJ, but heגs notג¦. heגs just an A&R. He pays people money to make a record and puts his name on it. Now, thereגs nothing wrong with that, but youגre just an A&R, youגre just a guy who put a project together. Everyone perceives him as this guy that just puts records together.ג
Wow. First off, I think because Khaled is about גunity and love,ג and heגs overall just a pretty gregarious fellow, nobody calls him out for the bullshit he tries to pull with his DJ/producer title. I mean, I like Khaled, but cגmon, his albums are really just an extension of his brand. On his new LP, We Global, he only has production credits on 1 song, and even that track, itגs so ridiculously musical that I doubt he was all that involved in the technical side of it. Everything else is more executive production, which is really just glorified A&R work.
I think the moral of this post is, letגs just keep it real and acknowledge that a large portion of the real prominent DJs in hip-hop are overglorified self-promoters who market themselves as something theyגre not.
Does DJ Revolution have a point, or is he just a salty hater?
. Revolution is the real deal, and Khaled is a gimmicky businessman. i thought the dude actually spun some records in Miami, but if he doesn't... I'll laugh at his loud, annoying ass even more now. Ace Hood is going to flop, and so is Khaled's "We Tha Best Music" label. It's based all on hype and nonsense, and won't last long if there's no REAL ART inside it.
