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| DJ Unexpected Interview |
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| Written by Dub MD | |
| Monday, 29 September 2008 | |
 This week we hooked with the Bronx native DJ Unexepected. One of the few DJ's around just now that maintains true authenticy in all of his mixtapes, he sits down with us to speak on his thoughts on hip hop, what new projects hes got in the pipeline and what artists hes worked with in the past. Make sure you check out his newest mixtape project with Hevehitta and Lloyd Banks entitled "Blue Magic" at the end of the interview.Dub MD: DJ Unexpected, What's good? DJ Unexpected: Chillin' man, just working as usual. Happy to be alive and always creating new material. I'm blessed Dub! Dub MD: For those who don't know, could you just give a short review of what you've experienced in your rap career up until now? DJ Unexpected: I've been DJing since 1994, but have been into Hip Hop since I was 6 years old and I'm 30 now! I basically watched it go from the parks to MTV to blogs. Interesting ride isn't it? (Laughs) My partner Kochece got me into the mixtape game in 2004 and I haven't looked back. I'm happy for the level of success I've had so far, but there's so much more out there. Dub MD: Coming from Bronx, what do you think of the New York Hip Hop scene right now? DJ Unexpected: I'll always be a fan, but it sucks right now to be honest. It kills me to see we as creators of this genre have gone from being the leaders to becoming followers. There's a few people still putting out good music, but it's harder to find now. Technology has changed the game, and not necessarily for the better. There's more music available than before, but it has also spoiled DJ's, fans, etc. Dudes are just going to blogs to get music and artists are hitting them up instead of building with DJ's. I can go on and on, but that would go beyond the scope of this interview. Dub MD: What do you think of the commercialisation of Hip Hop right now, do you think its showing respect to its pioneers? DJ Unexpected: That can go both ways. I remember back in the days, people would complain about it not getting the respect or coverage it deserves, well to them I say "Be careful what you wish for". Now it's more commercial than ever to the point of overexposure. Are you happy? I'm not. I'm glad it's spread in a way, but it's all about how much money I can make off of it, and it's not about the music anymore. Are you pushing units? If not, we don't have time for you. But that's the price you pay, I guess. Don't even get me started about respecting the pioneers. Not saying all these new cats owe every pioneer a million dollars, but if you're such fans of the OG's take em on the road or let them do shows with you. How come every other genre can show respect to the pioneers but Hip Hop? The Rolling Stones can still do million dollar tours as old as they are, but Big Daddy Kane can't get on a remix unless a new rapper is actually a fan and reaches out. I don't know man, stuff like that eats at me. Dub MD: Do you have any new projects in the works? what they called? and what can heads out there expect from them? DJ Unexpected: I'm always working man! If it wasn't for cds to bump in the ride or an ipod to listen to on the train, I wouldn't even listen to my own cds! I'm always getting new music or diggin' in the crates for ideas. I'm still involved in the mixtape scene heavy, so that's what I'll be working on for the next few months. I'd like to make the transition to production one day, so I'm using mixtapes to promote myself and establish relationships with artists to make a few things happen. As far as the titles, if I told you what exactly I was working on, I wouldn't be Unexpected would I? Just expect some good music, that's all I can say. I try my best to entertain the audience every chance I get, and to all who think so, I appreciate the love as always. Dub MD: With these project, what artists and DJ's are you connecting with this time round? DJ Unexpected: I don't collaborate with too many DJ's since I'm not a fan of too many. Please don't take it as being conceited, it's just I feel DJ's don't put as much effort into their work like I do. I'm going 110% on EVERY project, so I expect people to do the same but that hasn't always been the result. I'll tell you on a future project I'm doing involves dubplates from reggae artists, exclusvie tunes that the artists are doing for me with me getting shouted out in the songs. And yes, they're paid for, so don't say Unexpected doesn't support artists (laughs). As far as mixtapes go, I have had the pleasure of working with such artists as Stack Bundles (RIP) and the Riot Squad, Paul Wall, Sparkdawg, Jokaman, Busta Rhymes and Lloyd Banks. Hopefully there's many more to come. Dub MD: You're also a producer as well as a DJ, What artists have you worked with in the past? Can we expect a DJ Unexpected studio album anytime soon? DJ Unexpected: I've worked with a few local artists that are on the mixtape scene, but no one known in a mainstream sense, at least not yet. My partner Kochece, Renegade (now known as Mickey Factz, before the songs about Dunks), J'von Bishop, Pay$oz (speaking of which, Dub let me know what's up with that track). I'd love to do studio album one day, I have some ideas for a project. That might happen one day. I'll just keep the fingers crossed, and keep working. Dub MD: Your one of the very few DJ's that still keeps their mixtapes authentic, keeping their integrity intact, How you feeling about the mixtape game now in 2008? DJ Unexpected: On life support! Really! The game as we know it is dying. It will get to a point where the mixtapes will be on cards you can put into your ipods or something soon. Stores are gone, and there's no money left. It's really promotional use only now. But I'm just trying to have fun with it before it's all gone. That and network with artists as well. Labels, STOP SENDING OUT MP3s AND THEN CALLING US CRIMINALS. STOP BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU AND PROMOTES YOUR ARTISTS! STOP USING THE RIAA TO SCARE US WHEN YOU'RE THE ONES GIVING THE ALBUMS OUT! Dub MD: You've been part of the mixtape game for a minute now and your part of the LXG movement, How did you hook up with them? DJ Unexpected: It's actually something I was involoved with since its creation with Miami Kaos and Dimez of Rapmullet.com in 2005. We were just trying to get some DJ's together to help each other with networking and promotion. I have since left to pursue other interests, but I still keep in contact with some members to see how everything is going. There are a few members up for numerous awards (Southern Entertainment Awards 2009 (free plug), so I couldn't be happier. Dub MD: Out of all the mixtapes you've done to date, which one of them is your favourite? And which one do you feel you got the most recognition on? DJ Unexpected: One of them definitely is "Every Shade Has A Story: Jamaica". I'm actually up for an award for that in the SEA's. Not bad for a cd that came out a year ago. But I love the energy on that cd. Creatively speaking, my favorites are the "Look What I Found" series (original samples), and "Raw & Uncut" The Willie Bryant Story", the most creative mixtape EVER! I'd like to write a screenplay to that cd one day. Dub MD: There's a million emcees around now, which artists are you listening to and is there anyone you'd love to work with in the future, you haven't had the chance to yet? DJ Unexpected: Royce 5'9", Chino XL, Crooked I, artists like that. I would like to work with some mainstream artists (not all of them are bad and the press helps). I just finished a cd with Hevehitta hosted by Lloyd Banks of G-Unit (Blue Magic), so let's see what happens with that. I'd also like to work with a few Reggae artists. Let's see what happens. It should be an interesting couple of months. Dub MD: What do you think is your most defining and unique characteristic that sets you apart from every other DJ out there? DJ Unexpected: I don't listen to anyone's mixtapes anymore. I don't want my sound tainted. No disrespect to DJ's out there doing their thing, but I try very hard to seperate myself from the 100,000,000 other DJ's on the scene. I always try to bring something different to the table every time around, and always put the extra effort in. I'm always diggin' in the crates for soundbites or whatever. Anything to seperate me from the rest and make my cds sound as hot and original as possible. Dub MD: If you could describe yourself as a DJ in 4 words, What would they be? DJ Unexpected: All The Veterans, Reincarnated! Dub MD: What is on tap for DJ Unexpected for the rest of 2008 and beyond? DJ Unexpected: Just good music, I hope. I have a few projects coming up, but in the spirit of hoping everything pans out, I'd rather not discuss them right now. I'd rather just drop them and have people shocked like "how did he pull that off?". I am Unexpected after all. Dub MD: Do you have anything to say to the fans? Anything you wanna get off your chest? Any shout outs? Thank you for all the support! It's greatly appreciated! Thanks to the big DJ upstairs, the family for putting up with the noise all of those years. My brother Rio (illest beatmaker out, it's just a matter of getting his name out there, that's on my to do list), my partner Kochece (I owe my whole mixtape career to you, I can't thank you enough fam, you and Spits keep doing what you, tell Jeff I said what's good), my LXG/Noizemob/Team Afficial people, keep doing what you do, My Diggers Union Local 1200 family (too numerous to mention, it's all for the pioneers and those that spend time diggin' in the crates), Hustle Squad Family (What up! you already know!), TeamRsinal and Hiphopbase.net (Teks da dawn & Pay$oz what up), my partner in crime Hevehitta, thanks for keeping my name out there; let's do this BONG! the Illestrator himself Miami Kaos and all of Hardcore Design, the illest graphic design team in the game, Common Cauze (Jackal, again I congratulate you on the nomination; you deserve it and much success to you and mixgrind.com fam. Messiah hold it down, APOC (R.I.P.), J'von Bishop (we gotta get you heard man, I'm on that), Mickey Factz (I still call you Renegade, like it or not I still feel you were the illest under that name, much love and congratulations to you fam), Actin' 7:30 thanks for being you and a cool drinking partner, Roslyn thanks for believing in me (still looking for the brownstone smoosh). Everyone trying to make a name for themselves, just believe in yourself and never settle for less. It can happen if you want it that bad. Dub MD thanks for the opportunity to talk about myself (laughs). Raptalk.net all day! God Bless! Check out his new mixtape "Blue Magic" right here, click the link below to download:
DJ Unexpected & Hevehitta Presents Blue Magic (Hosted By Lloyd Banks) http://www.sendspace.com/file/7rxty7 Comments (0)
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