REQUIRED INTERVIEW DILATEDPEOPLES’

DJBabuDILATED PEOPLES HAVE MADE A MARK ROCKING VENUES WITH ENERGETIC SHOWS AROUND THE TIME THEY DEBUTED WITH THE PLATFORM BACK IN 2000. THIS FOLLOW-UP TO THE SOPHOMORE RELEASE, EXPANSION TEAM SHOWS WHY THEY’VE COME THIS FAR. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH IS THEIR MOST RECOGNIZED RECORD TO DATE AND IT HELPS FERTIL- IZE WHAT THEY PLANTED YEARS EARLIER WITH THEIR BREAKOUT CUT, “THIS WAY.” BABU TOOK A BREAK FROM HIS BUSY TOUR SCHEDULE—THEY WERE IN N.Y. FOR A SHOW—TO ANSWER A FEW OF OUR QUESTIONS. WHO SAYS DJS ONLY SPEAK WITH THEIR HANDS?

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2NR: It was Oxnard, California where you got you’re start? DJB: To get the record straight my dad was in the Navy. We traveled around a lot. I was out in Maryland and Jacksonville [Fla.] before by father got stationed out on the West Coast. I was six or seven when we finally ended up in Oxnard. We stayed for about a year before we moved a city over, to Camarillo. I was a Junior or Senior in high school when we started a mobile DJ crew—S.I.K. (Spinners In Control). That was my first introduction to DJing. After clearing out one to many dance floors, I realized that I was probably better off DJing in the bedroom. I was the scratcher on them are cleared and licensed. in the crew and like I said, I cleared dance 2NR: There’s a crackdown on mixtapes floors. I was more into playing music for now a days. me rather than catering to the crowd. DJB: They say there is but I’m in New York Around that time I met Kan Kick. He was right now and I’ve been to store where one of the original members of a crew there’s entire sections dedicated to mix- called Lootpack. Before I knew it I was tapes. It’s outta control. I love the mixtape DJBabu hanging out in his garage everyday instead game but a lot of these tapes aren’t mixed their hands versus their mouths. I appreci- digger, an honest digger, you’re always of going to Junior College. He’s really the anymore. It’s cool but to me part of being a ate a little bit of the hand skills. But you gonna have something in your crates that one that opened my mind to DJing, digging DJ is selecting. A lot of it is about exclu- also have to appreciate all the facets of a someone may not be hip to. I can on— and production. I started entering DJ bat- sives and exclusive dub plates. DJ. You’ve got to have a good ear. You’ve Evidence, Alchemist…all these guys have tles. I even battled Rhettmattic of the Beat 2NR: What’s a mixtape to you? got to have good taste. You gotta have tim- illys man. I’ve given up on trying to have Junkies early on and caught a win. I kept in DJB: To me it’s a blend of music where the ing and you have to have deep crates. I’ve every record. I’m trying to have a nice con- touch with them. I entered local battles and DJ is going to take control and to a certain got skills but I’ll be the first one to tell you trolled collection that I’m comfortable with. no one really knew who I was until I ended extent turn the music to keep the party I’m not nice on the mic, and on a lot of 2NR: What are your feelings on CDJs up in a Rap Sheet battle with Shortcut and going, keep it moving and keep it enter- those tapes that’s what draws people. The and analog? Rhettmattic. I ended up losing in a semi- taining for the listener. hype-ness of these dudes screaming on DJB: I actually love the CDJs. I love the flux final round to Short but I did enough to 2NR: Do you see a difference between West the mic like, “Yo! New Shit!” I’m right there. of technology these days and I think it’s finally get invited to a West Coast DMC. Coast mixtapes and East Coast mixtapes? I love it. I wish I could get on the mic and incredible. I know there’re people that say That same week I ended up hanging out DJB: A little bit. On the East I think a little scream and holler to make it sound official stuff like the shit don’t skip, it’s not that with D-Styles, whom I just met, when I more of the weight is put on exclusivity of like them. A good example to me is Tony hard, it’s nothing like what DJs in the past got the invitation. He offered up a spot at songs and freestyles. I love it. I had to pick Touch. I always liked how he flipped it. He had to go through—to me it’s just another his crib. I jumped on a plane that week- up some just to keep up. These guys are gets busy on the turns and definably nice way to touch sound. What dawned on me end with Curse and Melo-D, who I had pickin’ up music that isn’t even going to on the mic, great selection, great taste— was I was talking to my cousin and kids get loosely known, and ended up staying at come out soon if ever. It’s something to get all the classic qualities are there. computers before they even get sound sys- D’s house. It was a great weekend. if you want to keep up with what’s going on 2NR: Who has the deepest crates? Whose tems or CD players. It’s really an MP3-iPod 2NR: It was a future legend weekend! in the streets. The only qualm I have with it do you envy? type of world. I don’t knock it but I used to DJB: Well when we were all hanging out it is that if you’re not mixing and you’re not DJB: Man. Um, I could go on forever. I’m go into record stores without a listening wasn’t about anything. We were pretty DJing then let’s just call it a compilation or constantly working on my collection. From center or the internet. And I’d buy music on much on the dick of Q-Bert, Mix Master something else. I’m nont trying to disre- the dudes in my crew like J-Roc, the strength of liking the group or how Mike, and the X-Men (X-Ecutioners). We spect anybody. I love Kay Slay and all those Rhettmatic, Melo-D and dudes I run into dope the cover looked or if someone I were all just ripe and happy to be there. others. But I come from a school of hand like Numark, Cut Chemist and Shadow, trusted said something dope about the You gotta understand that back then it was skills. It’s an era where a DJ spoke with Madlib—it’s endless. To me if you’re a pure album. Now kids don’t even have to buy it. hard to find out about a DMC battle—let alone enter one. I mean they’d have an East Coast heat and a West Coast heat. They’d take the top three and they would be your U.S. finalists. It’s not like it is now with the regional competitions all over the country—it’s madness. Back then I was just happy to be there. I wasn’t expecting anything. I was glad to meet DJs that were into it. In the battle I’d go up against DJ Quest, DJ Disk, Shortcut, DJ Rhettmattic, J-Rocc, Melo-D—all these great DJs and somehow I’d pull off second. Shortcut won first. I was second. And Quest and Disk tied and did a tie-breaker round where Disk advanced. All of a sudden I was going to a DMC U.S. Finals. New Year’s of ’95 Shortcut and I got to New York and got into all these DMC videos. That was my start. 2NR: You were putting out mixtapes at the time. How ’bout now? DJB: Yeah but I was putting them out back then on more of a local level. I’ve put out a couple over the past couple years. It’s a series called Duck Season. But as soon as I get off this tour I’m looking to put out a street tape—nothing official though. I do it a little more legit now. All the music I put

90.www.importtuner.com They could just download it and put it on cat, and I—through battles—cross the their MP3 player. The point is that a lot of two. Rakaa always stressed the impor- these kids have that same passion and tance of being dope live. And he’s right love of the music. Just because it’s not on because I remember catching a hip hop wax doesn’t mean the passion isn’t there. show for a group that I liked but seeing The technology is going to open up a whole them live it was just shitty. When we start- DJBabu new generation of DJs with different tools ed we didn’t have anything but the show, In the spirit of Rakim what’s your favorite dish? but we’re all trying to do the same thing. no videos, no faces—we want to give a Anything? There’s nothing like my wife’s chicken Adobo. I’m still very much about vinyl. I can go on show to the people. Before our record deal Favorite Drink? and on about how priceless it is and how we were able to tour ourselves internation- A shot of Henny. people should keep it alive. But there’s a lot ally and sell tens of thousands of 12s liter- The perfect way to roll a blunt? of convenience to CDJs. Everyone knows ally out of the trunk of our car. A live show To me I prefer the old school Philly. I like to break up the buddha and split it. how it sucks to fucking carry two or three definitely helped us get to new places. Take the outer layer off—some guys like that outer layer—I’ll keep it just in crates with you. Now all you have to do is 2NR: Being in this for so long what have case it’s dry or cracks or something. In a perfect world it’s a moist Philly. carry around a book of CDs. you learned about the industry? Anyway I crack it and make a cone. I put a little europeean twist in there and 2NR: How did the name Dilated Peoples DJB: It’s a cutthroat business. And it’s add a little cardboard filter. That’s my style. I’m actually a world-class roller. come about? hard. People think that when you sign a I may not be the fastest but when you see a blunt that I’ve rolled most peo- DJB: Rakaa had a publishing company deal and are on that level that the road is ple will say it’s a damn nice blunt. Yeah, so I take pride in that. I’ve been to called Expanding Pupils. Rakaa and paved with gold. When I signed I just Amsterdam five or six times and just got to go twice last winter. Evidence had just gotten out of a record thought of it as another doorway; the start The optimal DJ setup? contract and were resurfacing. Alchemist, of a whole other chapter. It’s hard because A pair of 1200s a Rane TTM56 or an Mpath…the Junkies are sponsored by who was around before me and is an invis- you got this big machine that invests them now. I’m kind of over Vestax. In the club scene Rane is the standard. ible member of the group, flipped the pub- money into your group and your vision and They’ve always had high quality shit. Solid and they don’t wear out. Anyway, lishing group name into what it is now. the bottom line is that there are expecta- I’m very fond of this Pioneer Echo Box, A Boss 303 sampler. 2NR: As an example, we see Xzibit in the tions. You are in a business agreement and How many years DJing? video. Some people may not know or they want to see their money back. At the Started in 1991. What is that? Thirteen years? understand the relationships—explain the end of the day, they could love your music Favorite record? lineage of the group. and they could see you destroy shows, but Herbie Hancock’s Rockit. DJB: I hope I don’t forget anyone. Between they will look at the numbers... the zeros A while ago (I think it was the Vibe show), I saw the Junkies on TV—would Ev, Rak and me, we’re all individuals but and plaques. We’ve got all the key things in that your first national performance? we’re all just blue-collar cats. What made place—the tour manger, accountants, It was Me, Rhett, Melo and J-Rocc. It would be my first live TV performance our group strong is our connections with lawyers, and management—but it just as that’s for sure. other people. Dilated has been loosely important as ever to be on top of your shit. affiliated with Likwit Crew—it’s not offi- 2NR: Has Rakaa gotten you guys into the cial. Defari is our ace—our dog. Xzibit is Jujitsu stuff? Likwit. Phil da Agony and that Strongarm DJB: Ev just picked it up. He’s been doing Steady crew are cats from around the way it for the past six months. My son and me people we’re fans of and build with. Ev are scheduled for our first session when and Rak have a strong tie to the whole we get back. I’ve been getting shit from Soul Assassins family, not only through Gracie for it for the longest. That’s like Alchemist but also through DJ Lethal of extended family too, so whenever I see House of Pain. At one time they were those guys they’re like, “Babs, when are signed to DJ Lethals publishing company. you comin down? You’re disrespecting the A lot of what we do is built around Cypress family.” They’ve been offering free ses- Hill—two emcees and a DJ; a West Coast sions forever. They’ve even invited me to group with a non-characteristic West some of the private matches. They kind of Coast sound—so there’s a tie there. Of hold us down like low-key security. course Lootpack (Madlib, Wildchild, DJ Romes); I’ve known them since the OX days and obviously they’re Likwit. We’ve worked together and done shows togeth- er. Beyond that, what’s interesting about us is that we can float between the two worlds where you’ll see us hang out with guys like Xzibit but you could also catch us with Aceyalone. I think it’s because we all came from that golden era of hip hop. The “Yo! MTV Raps” music era. We respect our fan base and respect the culture but as much as we “try to keep,” we also want to sell a million records. 2NR: A lot of times you’ll perform in a club where the sound system isn’t really set up for live performances. You guys have great stage presence. You have a show. DJB: Even before the first album, when I wasn’t officially in the group and I just did studio sessions and some shows, we had one 12. That record had three songs on it: “Third Degree,” “Global Dynamics” and “Confidence.” It was one group song, one Evidence song and a Rakaa Song. The first song featured Defari. We’d literally have a 15-minute show. Now if we had to we could rock for an hour and 40. Rakaa is the most comfortable on stage, Ev is the studio

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