Tag: Magazine

Interview with DJ Drewski

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Interview with DJ Drewski

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. How did you come up with the name DJ Drewski out of your name Andrew Loffa?

A. Well Drew was short for Andrew. But back in the day they would add the word SKI to things to make it cool. It was an old school type of slang. There were people like Lovebug Starski even Snoop Dogg told me they would call him Snoopski, but Cipha Sounds started calling me Drewski and it just stuck.

Q. What differentiates you from the rest of the DJ?

A. One thing I feel that separates me is my connection with people and listeners. I feel like there is an energy created. If you are at a party  or listening on the radio, you are going to feel connected. I am working for you in a sense. I don’t feel myself or play what I want to hear, I play what I want to hear, I play for the people. I also feel like the love I receive is genuine and not fake or fabricated. I am always looking for other outlets and platforms to showcase my work and brand. I just don’t do one thing and think I’m good. I try to build bridges and connect different outlets to keep my brand relevant. I feel as a DJ today you have to do more than just play music.

Q. How do you stay relevant for all these years as a DJ?

A. I am outside! I am connected to what is happening with music and entertainment. I learn how to connect with music and entertainment. I learn how to connect with the times and stay ahead. I don’t follow trends, I try to create them.

Q. What was your experience working with Hot 97 as a DJ?

A. It has been one of the greatest experiences. The same station I grew up listening to, I am now Djing on. It has also opened the door for many other opportunities as well. It has been a dream come true.

Q. What are the pro and cons of working with Old school turntables vs new school turntables?

A. At this point I have become so adjusted to new school CDJs I prefer them over the old school 1200’s. One of the Pros are the size and weight. Who wants to lug around heavy turntables. Also, the different things you can do on CDJs give you more creativity while Djing. You do not have to worry about records skipping or needles breaking.

Q. Can you give any advice to upcoming DJs?

A. Advice for upcoming DJs would be, make sure you put in some work and study some of your favorite DJ’s. It takes time like everything else, and you don’t want to rush anything. If you want to be a full time DJ and make it your career, you have to dedicate your life to it. You can not do it part time and expect full time results.

Follow Drewski @sodrewski

 

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with DJ A One

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Interview with DJ A-One

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. What made you want to be a DJ?

A. I saw a DJ at my older sister’s birthday party & thought I would like it!! I was 11 at the time!

Q. What is one of your special moments you had being a DJ?

A. A special moment I had in my career was Djing NYE on the Xscape reunion tour in our hometown to a sold-out crowd of 22k people.

Q. What differentiate you from the rest of the DJ?

A. I am just me! That’s what makes me different! I don’t sound like anyone else, nor do I DJ or do parties like anyone else.

Q. Who would you consider to be a DJ Legend?

A. Kid Capri…if you know music or the game of hip-hop you will understand why he is a legend to me!

Q. Can you give any advice to upcoming DJs?

A. The advice that I would give to upcoming DJs is to be exactly who you are, know you’re worth & charge it!

 

Follow A-One @thedjaone

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with DJ Stormy

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Interview with DJ Stormy

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. How did you get the name DJ Stormy?

A. Stormy is so much more than a name. I evacuated in Atlanta during Hurricane Katrina. What I thought was going to be a two-day mini vacation turned into months of uncertainty. We were identified as evacuees from the storm. Months turned into years from this life-changing disaster. Hurricane Katrina became a part of me, so I became a Storm(y)! The perfect storm to be exact! My social media is Stormy Atl, because New Orleans raised me, and Atlanta birthed the entertainer you see today.

Q. What made you want to be a DJ?

A. I was on the business side of the music industry for years, but I always had this ear and love for music. I released an EDM/Hip-Hop EP in 2016 titled “Venom Kisses”! In the EDM genre most artists are DJ’s, so it was a natural progression for me to evolve into a DJ. Unfortunately, it was also one of the hardest tasks set in front of me…being a woman and a woman of color in a male dominated industry.

Q. What differentiate you from the rest of the DJs?

A. I believe what differentiates me from the other DJs is the work I put in building my brand and respect in this industry. Nothing comes easy or overnight to anyone. My energy, style, and ability to entertain is very unique.

Q. Who or what influenced you to be a DJ?

A. My mother was a Soca singer in the Caribbean and father an avid lover of all music genres. I am originally from Trinidad and Tobago but grew up in New Orleans in what I feel is one of the most influential music cities in America. Spinderella, Jazzy Jeff, Mannie Fresh and so many others inspire me daily as a DJ.

Q. Can you give any advice to upcoming DJs?

A. The biggest piece of advice I can give any new DJ is to be YOU. There is no need for two Stormy’s in the market. Be original at everything you do. Always seek a mentor and spend time learning the craft. Educate yourself on the history and evolution of being a DJ. If it comes easy, it’s probably because you’re not setting yourself apart. Take the time to build relationships. Take the time to invest in yourself. My motto is to always go against the grain and be bold in everything that you do.

Follow me at @djstormy

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with Dj Bo Weezy

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Interview with DJ BO Weezy

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. How did you come up with the name DJ BO Weezy?

A. Bo comes from lil football. I was 34 like BO Jackson, played RB like BO & last name is BO so the coach started calling me BO Weezy comes from always being the youngest of the crew! My college roommate combined the 2 & called me Bo Weezy and it’s stuck with me ever since.

Q. What made you want to be a DJ?

A. I’ve always been around it; my dad & uncles were DJ’s.

Q. What is one of your best experiences working as a DJ?

A. The feeling of someone asking for your business card is a feeling like no other. Mission accomplished.

Q. What differentiates you from the rest of the DJ?

A. I’m not there to DJ for a long time, just a good time!

Q. Who would you consider to be a DJ Legend?

A. Kid Capri. His music selection & vibes while Djing are unmatched. Decades later, he’s still doing his thang!

Q. Can you give any advice to upcoming DJs?

A. Be consistent, it will take you a long way! “STAY AWAY FROM THE SYNC” Work on blending the records if you can’t scratch. You’ll sound like hot lettuce, trying to force something you can’t do.

Follow me @boweezy305

 

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with DJ Kash

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Interview with DJ Kash

By: Where it Begins

Q. How did you come up with the name DJ Kash?

A. I’ve had that name since I was a kid playing basketball.

Q. What made you want to become a DJ?

A. I’ve always loved music and looked up to a DJ by the name of Todd Terry. I saw the success he had so it made me realize that I can make a living doing it.

Q. What are one of your best experiences working at Hot 107.9 as a DJ?

A. Having a set on a birthday bash, that was amazing because I never got a chance to go to a birthday bash because I was working for the rival station and my first time at a birthday bash, I was djing.

Q. What differentiate you from other DJ’s?

A. My versatility, I can be djing a trap spot then the next day do an upscale event then the next day DJ a reggae/dancehall party.

Q. Can you give advice to upcoming DJs?

A. Work relentlessly and don’t give up, no gig is too small or too big.

Follow DJ Kash: @djkashatl

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with Brooke Bailey

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Interview with DJ Brooke Bailey

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. What made you want to be a DJ?

A. Well I was engaged to a deejay. One day his manager came up to me asking if I wanted to learn deejaying since we had all the equipment at home and there was a huge shortage in female deejays at the time. So that’s how it started. However, it really made me want to be a deejay was the fact that deejaying enabled me to share acrobats on a bigger platform. I had always loved my roots and deejaying finally gave me a platform to display this.

Q. What differentiates you from the rest of the DJ’s?

A. I mainly play Afrobeats. That’s what I am good at. It’s what I’m proud of. I can go to a Hip-Hop party and still play 60% Afrobeat and people will dance. I can make my audience LOVE afrobeats (at least for a night). So that along with good mixing skills really set me apart.

Q. How would you define your “style” or approach to providing DJ Entertainment?

A. I try to stick to my Afrobeats based sets, but I add a little of the local sound to whatever country I got. This makes the audience feel like you also appreciate their local sound and most of the time this has a positive effect on the crowd. I also try to socialize with the audience wherever I go, so I come in a little early and stay a little after I have played.

Q. What made you go into predominantly Afro beats?

A. I’m mixed Ghanaian and Belgian, growing up in Belgium I faced a lot of racism, so I always felt more comfortable with my African side. So Afrobeats became a way for me to feel more African in a non-African environment. It was hard at first because no one really cared about Afrobeats a few years ago. But I decided that it was Afrobeats I wanted to represent and I’m glad I did.

Q. Can you give any advice to upcoming DJs?

A. Push through. Play the music you love even if it’s not a mainstream music genre. If you can become a master in your niche, you can still become a star in your own little market.

Follow Brooke Bailey at @dj_brookebailey.

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with DJ Nasty 305

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Interview with DJ Nasty

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. How did you come up with the name DJ Nasty 305?

A. The name came off the back of my football jersey that I would wear. It said Dr. Nasty. So, I dropped DR. and used DJ. I just added the 305 being that I found out that there is another. It wasn’t a big deal, so I kept the name.

Q. What made you want to become a DJ?

A. Well when I was a kid, I always listened to DJ Uncle Al and he gave me inspiration.

Q. What is one of your best experiences being a DJ?

A. My best was to actually get on my home radio station 99 Jamz!!!

Q. What differentiate you from the rest of the DJ’s?

A. I am just me and I just do my thing and most importantly I rep my city like no other.

Q. Can you give any advice to upcoming DJ’s?

A. The only advice that I would give to upcoming DJ’s is “Don’t Ever Stop & Don’t Accept The Word No!!!

Follow DJ Nasty 305 at @DJnasty305!

To read the full interview go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with DJ Ice

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Interview with DJ Ice

By: Where It Begins

Q. What made you want to be a DJ?

A. Actually, I was 15 years old and was a member of my uncle’s promotional street team/setup crew. The DJ that was booked for the party was “Running Late”. At first, we thought he was just on some “Wanting the party to be crowded when he arrived” type of ego trip. Little did he know that we always had a line of people waiting to get in before the doors opened. So, my uncle gave me records to play as “Door Opening Music”. The DJ never showed up, so I was the DJ for the whole night. Evidently, I did pretty good because I was the DJ from that point on. So honestly to answer your question. I was forced to DJ to save the family’s business is how I like to put it.

Q. What are some of the challenges you have being a DJ?

A. I’m at a place in my life where being a DJ is not challenging to me. It’s actually more fun now than in my past. It was strictly business to make extra money, but now it’s more of a fun-loving hobby than I get paid to do.

Q. Can you give any advice to an upcoming DJ?

A. Remain humble and always remember, there will be someone coming after you so please pass the knowledge.

Q. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

A. In the next 5 years, I see myself behind the scenes involved in T.V. shows, and movies.

Follow: DJ Ice

Facebook at DJ Ice

Instagram @djice_louisville

To see full interview, go to https://issuu.com/cecewibnet/docs/final_wib-revision__8_

Interview with Nappy Roots

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Interview with Nappy Roots

 

By: Where It Begins

 

 

Q. How do you feel about where the music is right now?

A.  We like it. It’s always growing as we get older. Music means something different to us. Music means to us differently than the kids we think. It’s time for Hip-Hop to give some harmony to the older generations. Even on Netflix, you got shows like “The Evolution” that are really breaking down what Hip-Hop is. If you like something different, you can go to SoundCloud, we think this is a good time.

 

The time is good with Hip-Hop, we like to look at how it used to be called the golden era. When I was appreciative of what was going on, and now it’s the new era. Some people complain about how things change. It evolves, and the evolution of Hip-Hop is a dope thing to see and experience while we are living within it.

 

Q. What have you all been up to these days?

A. Working on life, and we still make music. We been making beer and getting into the craft beer to a place we all get. We can appreciate it and the diversity. The industry and different beers are changing the world.

 

Q. How did you get started with beer?

A. It started with liking beer and trying different flavors that turned into a business opportunity. We drank it, tried different brewers, went to different places, and it was all about us trying different beers that led to starting Atlantucky. That is our beer brewing company. We had 2 beers that we did with Monday Night Brewing. We tour 100 to 150 days out of the year. It started as going around the country. Before the shows we would go find a brewery. We visited about a hundred or more breweries over 5 or more years. We learned more by trying new flavors and brewing in the country. We went to cool places people would never go to. We got an opportunity with Monday Night Brewing to do our first beer called “Front Porch Parallel”. It sold out everywhere.

 

We found another revenue stream. Beer is something that will be around forever, even if we stop rapping, beer will still be around. If we can make that, we can still be creative as an artist. We saw it as a business opportunity and a passion project. Beer is sold everywhere. The beer industry is booming. It’s a $40 billion dollar industry a year. A lot of people are bringing the urban side to it. Nappy Roots are more than just a name on a can. We know how to make it.

 

Watermelon Chicken & Gritz is in about 4 states. Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, and New York. The goal is to do a collaboration as well as travel, so we can do more meet and greets. We are also doing a T.V. show about it called “40 Akerz and a Brew”. Craft beer is about creativity and there’s a science to it.

 

Q. What is “Nappy Roots” doing differently?

A. Being “Nappy Roots” and doing beer is different. They need more diversity in Atlanta.

Interview with Kiara Craft

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Interview with Kiara Craft

 

By: Where it Begins

 

Q. Tell us about yourself: who is Kiara Craft?

A. I am originally from Las Vegas, Nevada raised in Houston Texas. My family has a background in music. Everyone sings. My mother sang lead for a group called “The Platters”. She introduced me and my siblings to music. We married young and didn’t really get to explore our musical paths. But now that we’ve raised our kids, we’re revisiting music and creating a platform for our message on love, relationships, and marriage.

 

Q. Let’s get the background of the song “Sophisticated Freak”?

A. A lot of times people tend to put their cards right out on the table. You see exactly who they are, or who you think they are. So, I’m saying that just because a woman is not marketing her sexuality right off the bat doesn’t mean that she’s not a problem in the bedroom. Looks can be deceiving.

 

Q. Who is the artist that influenced your career?

A. Diana Ross, she is the personification of a pop star. From being a recording artist to a performing artist. She is the prototype and total package. Even my modern-day influences, like Brandy, Beyonce, Mariah Carey have pulled from her blueprint.

 

Q. Who would you like to collaborate with?

A. Definitely, Cardi B.

 

Q. How do you feel about women in the music industry and how men do not take them seriously enough unless they are passive. What is your observation on it?

A. I’ve had to deal with push-back, but not a lot. I come to the table to do business, and I refuse to let my gender be treated as a negative or a limitation. Also, I have the right people on my team.