The Best of Mark de Clive-Lowe Mixed by DJ Spinna Link: http://www.mixcloud.com/truthoughts/the-best-of-mdcl-mix-by-dj-spinna/

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Photos by Gravity 508/ Couch Sessions / Brooklyn Bodega

You didn’t just think that the Brooklyn Hip-Hop festival was one day did you? In fact, the festival is a week long, kicking off with last Monday’s Show and Prove and continuing with a discussion on J Dilla as well as the Salute the DJ event this past Thursday. The Salute the DJ event was most certainly one of the highlights of the festival, bringing together everybody from the legendary Bobbito Garcia, to DJ Spinna, to Waajeed, to Rob Swift.

Words by Cherisse Rivera. Photos by Jefry Andres

Audio Trip”, a music, cuisine, and lifestyle event, took place Tuesday, May 18th, at Lux Lounge in Washington, DC’s Mount Vernon Square neighborhood. Originally, I didn’t know what direction the evening would take, but I knew that it would definitely not be your average DC event, especially given the fact that attendees were able to RSVP and get free admission for what appeared to be a very packed lineup of performers, including well-known veteran DJ Rich Medina, DJs Jahsonic & Stylus of the Soul Controllers, Daz-I-Kue, 2-Tone Jones, Waajeed, Roddy Rod and DJ Spinna. Arranged by Lil SoSo Productions and sponsored by Smirnoff, thegenres varied on each floor: old school and new school hip/hop on the first floor, a lively Afrobeat set on the 2nd and House on the 3rd floor. I walked into the venue, and was handed what appeared to be an airline ticket, in keeping with the evenings concept, a trip or journey, and which listed the evening’s schedule.

audiotrip-be there (2010) from ralston smith on Vimeo.

The first floor was arranged in what appeared to be “zones”: there were multiple bars distributing free Smirnoff cocktails, a catering table with colorful, creatively arranged hors d’ oeuvres and hot sauces, a comfortable elevated seating area, and another area for djs and guests. The crowd was a rather motley crew which included everything from men and women of various races in t-shirts with hip-hop related slogans, to those in suits and ties, and African, Asian traditional garb. The night’s performances began with an acoustic guitar set hosted by Nikki Strong accompanied by vocalist Maimouna who sang a soulful ballad reminiscent of a Lauryn Hill. Then suddenly she changed it up and rhymed, showing her ability to master a rapid-fire delivery. This was something one definitely doesn’t see everyday at a plush, technology-laden, mainstream hip-hop venue in DC like Lux.

The evening later exploded into a frenzied dance party when the second and third floor was opened up and DJs unveiled a rhythmic Afrobeat set. Along with the music, artist Aniekan Udofia created a live painting that seemed to capture the intended and actual spirit of the evening, an ethnically ambiguous woman who appeared to be moving her body to a rhythmic beat. It was clear that by the end of the evening, “Audiotrip” sparked a new spirit of anticipation for what DC nightlife may hold for those who have been waiting for “something else”. After all, as the evening’s emcee put it “…everything that’s dope ain’t on the radio…”

All photos: (c) Jaecyne Howell, MoonRisingNYC.com/Giant Step

Unfortunately, I was not able to make it up to NYC this past weekend for not one, but two events celebrating birthday of Michael Jackson. While the Spike Lee event went on in Brooklyn, Q-Tip led an all star crew in Manhattan’s Nokia Theatre. With a lineup that included support from Mark Ronson, a call from Quincy Jones and Solange Knowles, Marsha Ambrosius, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Premier and Anthony Anderson in the building.

I’m humbled to know that I share a birthday week with the King of Pop, and even though he has passed, his music will always be with us.

Full Gallery

We all know that this city is going to be EXTRA crazy for come Inauguration time, and we’re going to have an Inauguration roundup for all of y’all who will be in the city that weekend. However, I wanted to post this event first so y’all get your tickets in advance. But yes, the highly acclaimed Wonderfull party with DJ Spinna and Bobbito Garcia is coming to DC. And with so many celebrities in town that weekend, who knows if the dude himself will show up like he did in NYC.

Tickets are $30, a little much but worth it. I know that former writer Deanna and Needledrop/Rhythm Lab Radio’s Tarik will be in the building as well. Should be a very dope night!

Let me know if you’re coming through…

BUY TICKETS HERE

CHECK OUT OUR COVERAGE OF DJ SPINNA AT XM SATELLITE RADIO HERE

Yes, I know there was a Wonder-full party in DC a few months back, but of course New York takes it to the next level. (Superbizzee, did you roll through??)

And if you really need your Bobbito fix, he will be in DC tonight with Roddy Rod:

DJ Spinna is one of the few hip-hop DJs that has crossed the lines of house, soul, and R&B, and manages to do it more effectively than any artist of his time. The Brooklyn based MC has had a long career as a party DJ, as well as an MC and producer. Last Thursday, I was witness to an intimate Red Bull Sub-Session with the where Spinna participated in a spirited question and answer session with a select group of fans, and gave us a audio tour of his influences on the 1s and 2s a la VH1 Storytellers.

“Music has always been a part of my life”, he says, and no one can doubt that. Spinna’s grew up during the time of hip-hop’s infancy. He talks about how he was influenced by 70s block parties in and how he crossed over into the then bourgening house music scene in New York. He also talks about how record label troubles stifled his attempt as a failed MC and gave his take on the current state of the hip-hop industry.

On His House Music vs. Hip-Hop

Although House music and Hip-Hop have many simalrities, they rarely share the same stage today. Spinna is one of the few musicians to be fluent in both genres. “I have always embraced dance music,” he says, “they’re both rooted in R&B. They’re both rooted in soul.” Spinna was influenced by the sound of classic house records like Marshall Jefferson’s “Rock Your Body” and and Larry Heard’s “Can You Feel It”. At times he finds it difficult to juggle both genres, but he’s never gotten a negative reaction from the hip-hop community. During the mid nineties, hip-hop was “wack” to him, so he went into house music full speed. Now, he’s back doing this hip-hop thing with a vengeance.

Larry Heard – “Can You Feel It”

On DJing vs Producing

“I’ve always been a DJ,” Spinna says, “but recording is a thing that I’ve always taken seriously.” The turning point in his production carerer was when “Everybody Bounce” dropped in 1994. This record, which most people wrongly attribute to Funkmaster Flex, was a club hit and led to projects such as remixing “Stakes Is High” for De La Soul. (On a side note: I just listened to Stakes Is High, which dropped in ’96, and it basically foreshadowed the current state of hip-hop in 2008.)

DJ Spinna – “Everybody Bounce”

On His Stalled Rap Career

Spinna’s turn as an MC for the most part, never got off the ground. He’s flirted with major labels before with solo stints, as well as two groups–the JigMastas and the Polyrhythm Addicts. Spinna was closed to signing a deal with then EastWest records, but he got lost in the record label shuffle in a sale to Elektra. The first Polyrhythm Addicts record debuted in 1999, but his label, Nervous Records, pull the plug on all of their hip-hop acts and the album never got a proper release.

He makes no bones about his treatment of the second Polyrhythm Addicts album, Break Glass. The album was commercial failure. “Thanks Babygrande!” Spinna says as he sarcastically shouts out his record label.

JigMastas – Lyrical Fluctuation 2000

Polyrhythm Addicts – “Goin’ Down”

On J Dilla

Spinna and Dilla weren’t the best of friends, but they had a healthy competition with one another, including 3 AM phone calls to trade beats. He really got into Dilla after Pharcyde’s “Runnin’” dropped and he has high praise the fellow producer.

On Serato Scratch

As music moves into the digital age, some DJs are steadily moving from spinning vinyl to the digital Serato Scratch which DJs to mix MP3 files instead of vinyl tracks. Not surprisingly, this has caused a rift within the DJ community. Spinna is all for Serato though. “I paid my dues breaking my back for records,” he laughs, reminiscing over the multitude of times that he had to haul crates of records over his almost 20 year career. “I own about 50,000 records…and Serato is saving my back!”

On The Current State of Hip-Hop

There was a long pause after someone asked who Spinna was listening to currently.

“I tend to gravitate toward older things,” he said.

Spinna’s criticism of hip-hop today is nothing new. “Its become so commercial. Its become a number. Its less about quality and it has nothing to do with the art.”

He does get around to giving props to Madlib and DC artist Muhsinah, who he has done a remix for (and he gave us an exclusive sneak peak of that track later).

As a house DJ, Spinna is excited by the new trend of Hip-Hop and dance music overlapping, such as Kanye West sampling Daft Punk’s “Stronger,” and Wale rapping over Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” Historically, hip-hop and dance have always been intertwined, and Spinna references Afrika Bambaataa’s sampling of Kraftwerk’s Trans Europe Express (which he cited as one of his inspirations) as an example. Artists such as Queen Latifah have had House-influenced songs on their albums as well.

Queen Latifah – Come Into My House

Kraftwerk – TransEurope Express

“Hip-hop is more of a dance culture again,” he says, “its getting fun again.”

Sitting in a room with one of Hip-Hop’s pioneering DJ’s was definitely an uplifting experience (and not just because of the free Red Bull!). Soul Sessions with DJ Spinna will air on XM Satellite Radio next month. Spinna will also be coming to your town for his acclaimed Wonder-Full Party with Bobbito Garcia

Full DJ Spinna Playlist