My Set @interstate 85 Meets 95

It all started in the attic of my house. I grew up in Northside Queens. Better known as Saint Albans. My  Older brother had the NuMark turntables for club music sets. Not necessarily for hip hop sets.  Although he had all genres of music, his DJ style was mostly club sets. Wasn’t interested in DJing at the  time but was entertained by the music he played. My second eldest brother introduced me to blending  R&B records. Now this sparked my interest because I heard the original music being played along with the  instrumentals of my favorite Hip Hop songs. Totally was tuned in on what he would find next, and it  started my interest in DJing. My interest was sparked by Biz Markie ``Make the Music with you Mouth '' blended with “Only you can Make me Happy” by Surface. Legendary R&B joint. I mean this was played  and practiced on until I was able to cut it back and forth backwards. My brother encourages me to find  other blends, which he did introduce to me. But I thought this blend was everything. Nothing sounded  to me as a perfect match. So this venture started my DJing. I started watching movies and live DJing. I  was influenced by Run DMC, Whodini, Fat Boys. All the first and second waves of hip hop  1970’s thru the 90’s. Plenty of R&B songs to cover and match. Once I started sharing this technique with  my fellow colleagues, I then began to realize, other DJ’s have been doing the same thing. So, there were  mixtapes we used to call them back in the days. And when I got into HS, there was one DJ I was very  enamored by. He went by Grand Masta Vic. This DJ was the top blend DJ I’ve known in those days. They  were several others, but not quite like him. His transitions were special. His ear for the groove and his  quickness in switching records were undeniably inhumane. No way he could be doing these blends with  his hands. I only had to find out who this brother is… once I’ve seen him at the park jams, I then  recognize that I need to get my skill set close like his. My fellow colleague of DJ’s agreed, and we honed  our skills to the great DJ’s in Queens. South Jamaica Queens is the first for blend tapes circulating thru  NYC. So, once I found myself being the 1000 blend DJ. I started forming other methods and sounds so I  could stand out. Which was hard. So, I studied the craft and under the guise of my fellow DJ’s, whom I view and studied, I began to form my own unique style. Then my interest started producing  music with my colleagues in the game and once turntables were phased out by CDJ’s. I no longer  wanted to participate because of the lack of skills needed to play records back-to-back. Plus, the feel for vinyl  I was used to, the jogging wheel did not appeal to me at all. So hence almost 25 years later, the industry  manufactured moving platers. But it wasn’t until they really mimic the technique 1200’s which were the  benchmark turntables for the blend community. I got back into DJing after I bought a set and now, I’m  familiarizing myself with old traditional blend techniques from the 80’s and 90s’. So now I get to enjoy this  music and fuse together with today’s hits is a skill set I was seeking 30 years ago. So, I’m giving it to you  fresh and raw. Some people never knew I could DJ. I haven’t touched a set in over 28 years, nor did I  practice to keep my skills up. I always was a DJ in my head, but never realized them so people could hear.

My Set @interstate 85 Meets 95

Cut Masta Vic