As you well know music has been a part of BTMxSHLF since day one. Just as important as inspirational design, music gives us a vibe and a direction that allows us to take our work to another level. Due to this love for music it is only right to pay homage to the recently fallen Grand Master Roc Raida and DJ AM who have helped build this idustry to what it is today. We would like to shed some light with a three part segment on strictly the Disc Jockey. With that said I was able to catch up with an old friend and he allowed us to pick his brain a little bit to see what makes a dj tick. ENJOY
State your name and where you are from…
DJ Paradime-The Jukebox Hero- DJ For Hall of Justus- The Away Team. L.E.G.A.C.Y. and Darian Brockington. From North Carolina- Repping THE 919 & 336, born and raised in Greensboro, NC.
How did you initially start off in the music game? How/when did you know you wanted to do this for a living?
I started my sophomore year in college, I moved from Greensboro to Raleigh my senior year of high school, and met a friend in school, that dj'd but spun jungle and trance named DJ Xavier, started to learn basics technical skills from him, and couple years later saved enough money to get all the standard equipment I needed. Before that I had a belt driven turntable audiovox, and a radio shack mixer. I knew this was something I wanted to pursue when I quit school and went on tour and never looked back.
What was your perspective on the whole hip-hop game before you entered it? Now that you are fully submerged in it was it everything you expected?
Hip-Hop was huge in my community. The high school I went to was very mixed, black, asians, hispanics, and everything in between. I was blessed to have a community center (glenwood community center) two blocks from my house, where after school a lot of break dancers would practice at, so I would go there and chill with them and got in tuned with the music. Hip-Hop was something I have been attached since I was about 8, because my sister who is 10 years older than me collected music like Herbie Hancock and Nu Shooz, so I loved the music that she was dubbing on tapes. I didn't really expect to be djing for a living, it was just something that I enjoyed doing. I use to practice in my crib because I enjoyed the music and loved making my own music with two records and a fader. This dj shit is a steady grind and I knew what to expect when I got in the game because of my local dj influences who I shadowed under. It was alot of nights, sleeping on couches and having no money. But I also saw the grind that everyone put in as far as practicing the art, and networking.
Starting off… who were your influences and why?
Man there are so many but to name a few…The Invisible Scratch Piklz: DJ Q-Bert, DJ ShortKut, DJ Apollo, DJ MixMaster Mike, The Beat Junkies:- DJ Babu, DJ Rhettmatic, Melo-D, J-Rocc.... all of these dj's are legends. I was mostly influenced and looked up to alot of these dj's because not only were they dope but a lot of them were Asian as well which gave me inspiration. They really set the precedent for Djing as far as an Art. Another huge influence to me are the X-Men (X-Ecutioners) especially Grand Master Roc Raida (r.i.p.). Just for the simple fact that Raida’s body tricks were mad ill and his height meant nothing on the tables because dude was KING. Jazzy Jeff was another influence because he was the first DJ AM (r.i.p.). Before AM, Jazz brought djing to the forefront, and made moves as an entrepreneur as well. I can go on for days Premier, Pete Rock, Tony Touch, Kid Capri each gave a little bit of inspration on what would later be DJ Paradime..
What would you say is your most memorable experience so far?
Being On Tour with Hall Of Justus on the Little Brother Minstrel Show was dope. Djing in the larger cities of the US such as Los Angeles and even crossing the border to Canada rocking shows in Toronto were definitely things that will stick with me forever.
In your opinion what is better… rocking a packed club or on tour doing shows?
Tough decision but I would say Tour shows. Just because of the experience you have with band members and fans on the road and shutting down cities one by one.
With the forever evolving industry what are your thoughts on cdj’s and the whole DJ culture in general.
I really never got into cdj's. It was something that I couldn't actually touch like a vinyl record and in my opinion it just isn't the same, the crackle, no pop, no live performance, and if the record skips, it just skips, if your cd skips, it sounds terrible. Besides, a 5 year old can play cd's.
Serato is probably the greatest thing ever, for dj's who are on the road, djing 4-5 nights a week, because carrying six crates on the Minstrel Show was no joke for me and DJ Flash. The DJ culture has been flooded with dj's who are just coming into the game, and jumping the gun before they are ready.
These new dj programs such as Serato has also hurt the dj culture also, I feel sometimes people who start djing do it because its a fad or trendy now, and Serato makes it easy for a college student who gets a financial aid check or rich kid parents to just buy the equipment with out learning the art form.
Djing is NOT A FAD OR TREND.!!! Learn to dj because you love music! I just feel so blessed that I was able to experience music without all the technology. I really feel bad for the younger generation because they will never know what it feels like to listen to classic music.
What seperates DJ Paradime?.
I was highly influenced by my big homies- DJ Flash, DJ Skillz, and DJ MC. The thing I learned from them the most is to be a well rounded dj. I CAN SMASH ANY TYPE OF CLUB….from TOP 40 to the MOST HOOD CLUB. I smash the biggest events in every city. I know a lot of dj’s that can do this type of club or that type of club but cannot find anyone that can honestly say that they did a Ultra Top 40 white club on saturday, and turn around on a sunday smash the city down at the Hoodest club in the state capital. I am a dj's dj, I always use creativity in any dj situation or gig and most importantly I bring QUALITY to the table, no matter what.
You seem to have created a niche in the mixtape game… how did you get into that and was it a gradual transition?
I started doing mixtapes just to hear myself practice since I started taking djing seriously after buying all the correct equipment. I am glad I surrounded myself with dj's who would tell me to take that shit back and re-record it cause it sounds bad. That helped with the quality of my mixtapes.
My first big break was when I got in touch with Paul Wall, who is a real down to earth dude and he sent me alot of drops to host a mixtape. My big homie 9th Wonder gave me an exclusive remake of sittin' sideways that was on the tape. It’s crazy because this tape probably did about 4-5,000 downloads off that exclusive Paul Wall/ 9th Wonder track alone. Thank you to those two guys who help me pave my way. I try not to just box myself in, I do tapes for myself, such as the Soul In The South Tape and Best of Premier and Best of Eminem because I enjoy the music. My newest tape called The Itch Tape, which is for the south, with a lot of new emcees like Pill, Donnis, and Freddie Gibbs.
Everyone knows you are the DJ for the world famous AWAY TEAM (Justus League), how did you hook up with them? How has that opportunity helped your career?
The Away Team came through because of my homie Sean Boogie. We were just fans of hip-hop, then we started to take focus on what we wanted to do in our careers. That was when we stumbled upon some homies from a group that had just formed called The Justus League and from there things began to fall in place. Djing for The Away Team, the later on for L.E.G.A.C.Y. and D Broc has helped me out tremendously. Simply by the people I have met through networking, the oportunity to display my skills at a high level and learning that success is never easy.
You have also been linked to the Juke Box Heroes…tell us a little bit about it and how you guys came about.
JUKEBOX HEROES- consists of myself (DJ Paradime,) DJ Sk, DJ Forge, and DJ E.V. We are a group that has come to be by just our love for music. We were established in late 2008 and based out of NC. We are currently killing the local scene (Homecoming tour 2009) as well as making huge strides overseas. DJ Forge just got back from a mini-tour in Malaysia and next year we will be going to Taiwan and Canada. The Jukebox Heroes is sponsored by Red Bull, Fysh Clothing, BTMXSHLF and Triumvir Clothing.
Any advice for the young DJ’s out there trying to break into the game.
PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. Surround yourself with Dj's that are better than you. Don't listen to your friends, of course their gonna tell you "it's hot" or "your really good". THEY ARE YOUR FRIENDS! NEVER UNDERCUT ANOTHER DJ. PERIOD. Instead build with that Dj and make your own path.
Any last words you would like to tell the fans?
Check out the new mixtape, THE ITCH TAPE >>download here, stay tuned for upcoming shows, tours, and dates from the site. Check out the new Sean Boog and DJ Babu Collab- Los Carolinas coming soon, check the site! Enjoy the ride. DJ Paradime and The Jukebox Heroes are jet setting!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR THE TIME BTMxSHLF.COM!
BOOKING: premierbookingagency@gmail.com or djdime@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.weareyourheroes.com
FACEBOOK: Dj Paradime
Twitter: DjParadime
Cell: 1-900-HUSTLER.
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