Here's My Mixed Tape! !! I'm Da Best DJ!!!!

I love D.J.'s. I grew up around DJ's most of my life. My cousins' were DJ's, my friends were DJ's, I was just constantly surrounded by the culture. And what I especially loved about hanging with DJ's (besides sharing in all the sounds) were the discussions that happened about music. It almost seemed endless on where you can go in these conversations. We would spend hours talking music; which blends were our signatures, what was "hot" right now, technique in crafting our tapes...it was DJing 101, 201, 30, 401 all day everyday!
The beauty of these conversations in my opinion were the mixtapes. Now, in this day and era a mixtape is usually found on a cd or mp3. Naaaaaaaaaaaaah man, I mean "MIXED TAPE"!

For all you young bucks and new "Super Digital DJ's" (Not hating, I like the medium and use it...:P) A mixed tape was a DJ's calling card. His signature, his way of showcasing his talent to the masses without the party. These were crafted rigorously all day everyday. I remembered we would spend hours trying to perfect our mixes. Editing your mixes was unheard of at one point. Sometimes we would have to go thru marathon sessions to get thru a 30-45 minute set without going off beat or fucking up a scratch! If we did....."AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW FUCK!! WE GOTTA START AGAIN!" Fun times! But the finished product was the reward. My best memory was taking that freshly made tape, playing it on my boombox and hitting the street! The power of your creation was transformed as soon as it hit the street. People would gather around, start boppin, dancing, feeling the blends and eventually they would ask...."Yo, Who made this?!?!" It felt sooo good to say it! "I did." That sense of creating something and people enjoying it. That's the element that made me fall in love with DJing. I was hooked forever.

If your mixed tape was felt, people wanted it. Then I would have to "dub" it and give it to people. I never charged for mine but as time passed, DJ's did. In my opinion, It was pretty special if a DJ gave you one. I think it was almost as if to say <in a Morgan Freeman voice> "You are worthy of my creation!" Plus, DJ's would put their own personal touches. I personally would graff all of mine and title them. But each DJ had his own niche and would add his or her own creatvity to them. Some would be spray painted, some would use "White-Out" (I never got that but....to each his own!), glitter markers, stickers.....I could go on and on. I prefered black markers, permanent markers. Just to make sure NO ONE took mah shit! :p DJ's just went all out on them! Mad Fun Yo!!

The Mixed tape also showcased your talents to other DJ's and the battles of the best mixtape would ensue! "YO! You heard AL KRAZE's mixed tape? That shit is FRESH!!!!!!!!" Yeah but you heard PT's mixed tape?!?! That shit is PHAT!" Oh man, mixed tapes flying everywhere letting the neighborhood know "Who's the best DJ?!?!?" The mixed tape pitted DJ vs. DJ. This is where it got heated but the benefits would be be legendary. I remember DJ's setting up block parties, hookey parties, outlaw parties, apartment parties, party, party, PARTY!!!!!!!!!!! I remember just setting up anywhere we could find an outlet and an open space! BOOM! Party! Once a party was announced, POW, the DJ entourage would show up. In my particular crew we had an "Offical Amp Watcher" (they would make sure your volumes didn't over heat the amplifiers....seriosu stuff :p) and "Offical Crate/Record Carriers". A lot of work went down with these parties from promotion to location! These were the DJ's stages and they would determin who would be the best DJ. Again, the results...legendary parties. These urban legends would emerge and the tales of these parties would linger thru the neighborhood like the smell of hot summer city garbage. MAD FUNKY!!!!!!!!

I would live for it, day in and day out! I would be on the look out for the next party or next gig. And if one didn't come, FUCK IT, LET'S MAKE ONE!!!!  And at these parties, we would pop open the tape deck, put in that fresh cassette and hit the record for the LIVE and DIRECT!

<Rustling of the mic heard on the tape> "YEEEAH! THIS THE DJ AL KRAZE ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL! LET"S TAKE YOU ON A RIDE!!!!!!!!" LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing beat that feeling, till this day...I still get that surge. That feeling of enjoyment while I play and create....that mixed tape....

I'm Da Best DJ....:)