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 DJ Mada Interview
deejay feature 0002 added 08.11.00 words Smiffy
DJ Mada was the DJ for legendary UK outfits, Hardnoise and Son Of Noise. With rumours of Son Of Noise cutting new tracks Smiffy tracked him down to try and find out some answers...
Give us an introduction to yourself, where's your manor n' all that?
Well, I'm DJ Mada, and I'm from Saaarf Landon!! (that's south London for those who don't know).
How long have you been Djing?
15 years
So you've been around in hiphop circles for time so who do you think has influenced the UK hiphop scene the most … since forever n' also lately round about now?
Those Americans have influenced us the most! And that's still the case today for the most of it. That's not a bad thing though, it's their music after all, but it's only music, but here I feel we're afraid to do our own thing cos' it may not get accepted, but we need to do our own thing again, In the early 90's U.K rap was big and it was definitely a U.K. thing, we need that individuality again.
So what was your inspiration to start Djing?
Mainly my brothers
What competitions have you entered - wanna chatter about your victories?
Entered DMC when I was 18……..done a few battles….I ain't gonna brag though cos if you heard about the battles then you know!
What do your parents think of your scratching? Have they always encouraged you?
Encouraged no…..too much noise, but they're pleased with the end results
What is your current set-up?
Two Technics 1210's & a Vestax 07 pro
What crews have you been involved in?
Hardnoise, Son of Noise
Whats your discography? Within that list whats your favourite self-made tape or track. If it's a tape then whats the nicest track you ever layed down on them…. it can be the nicest track or the best mix you ever did?
Singles
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Untitled
Mice in the presence of the lion/ serve tea the murder
Son Of Noise / Ill Justice
Master Of Menace / Milk In The Chocolate
Negative Forces / The Mighty Son Of Noise
Crazy Mad Flow / Retrocide '93 (this is one of my favourite self produced tracks)
Albums
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The Mighty Son Of Noise
Access Denied : Bullshit And Politics Pt 1
Were you disappointed that both Hardnoise and Son of Noise weren't able to produce more records in the late 80's / early 90's….. do you think UK hiphop is now undergoing a lot more support from labels – e.g. with solely uk hiphop compilations, and with peoples signing to both majors (Iceberg Slimm@Polydor) and semi-supported majors (Mark B n' Blade@Wordplay/Source)?
Yes I was disappointed, but shit happens, and nah hip hop isn't getting more support from labels. They're still dropping artists like nothing, and it's only cos' they can't market these artists, I mean what U.K. artists on a big label are doing well? Not the rap ones. The labels support the artist, don't promote them, then drop them for poor sales (e.g Shola, Glamma) and they ain't even rap and have been top 20!!!!
Do you scratch hamster/straight?
Straight
If somebody is starting out as a DJ using hamster style straight away would you recommend it?
I couldn't comment on that cos' I've never used "hamster". I'm from the old school era
Do you get frustrated when you cant recreate a scratch that you have in your head?
Nah….I'll keep at it till' I get it or get some one to teach it to me
What was the hardest scratch you have learnt – what took you the most effort to master?
Well some of the new cuts are hard orbitals and are a killer, so are drills, and it was ages before I got the chirp.
How long does it take you to warm up until your in the zone when cutting?
About 10 mins.
How do you make your tapes…. all live in one take?
All of the tapes I've done have been in two takes, (two sides) but when I did the cd's I did them in a couple of takes as some of the material I used was from DAT but 98% of my music is from vinyl.
Whats your most favourite mixtape ever….. what style of tape do you prefer?
Well I don't have a all time favourite, I do like the scratch tapes that Picklez do, Perverts did a nice Rawkus cd that was on the front of Hip Hop Connection, that shizz was fat! And I just got a wicked one by D-styles & DJ Flare…….them two cats….cuts for days, unbelievable stuff!!
Do you think some tapes these days are a bit un-flavoursome on the skills n' beat matching side of matters? Who do you think makes the fattest tapes right now?
Why do people call their tapes mixtapes and they don't even mix that's annoying, but there's two guy's called Grand Imperial & DJ Arson, they actually mix!!! I like their tapes
Do you get a buzz from performing live?
Hell yeah!!
Does it frustrate you when a crowd doesn't technically understand what they are hearing?
No because only DJ's and followers of the art will understand the complexity of what's going on, so I'll do stuff that the "general public" like to hear and mix it up with some complex shizzzzzzzzzz
Have you ever done a show where the crowd gave you grief?
Nah, I find that most people see turntablism so rarely that whenever they get to see it, they love it.
Tell us a bit more about this link up for the "Extended Players" crew with you, Renegade, Harry Love, and Mr Thing. What are you lot planning to do together?
Well we would like to form a little crew of DJ's but cos we're all so busy it's been hard getting it off the ground. But if it does happen we'll be playing out, doing showcases and team routines. Stuff like that.
What is the greatest tune, routine, pattern you've ever pulled off live – what got the greatest crowd response?
That would be in a battle I had when I put 'Rebel Without A Pause' on at 45rpm's did a beat juggle on it then finished cutting 'Pump Me Up' over it at that speed……that tore down that battle
Which DJ's do you rate and why?
Jazzy Jeff & Cash Money…..neat as hell….pioneers
Supreme & Undercover….you know the Americans had never heard nothing like that!!!
Q-bert, D-styles, Babu…….these 3 guys are funky as hell
Prime Cuts……..wicked cuts
Renegade…yeah I know he's my bro an all but he's so funky on the cut & he picks shizz up real quick
Dazzle, DJ Ron, Devestate, First Rate, Mr Thing, Style Warz, corrrrr!!!! I better stop there are a hell of a lot of good DJ's from all over the globe…….
How do you see turntablism progressing in the future?
Well at the moment we need another new style to break through, people are stuck following the Americans again, we need to start drawing inspiration from England again, cos the Americans don't give us the respect we deserve.
So which UK hiphop artist/s do you currently rate …. .what track/s are getting the heavy rotation treatment from your box right now?
At the moment, I'm feelin' Rodney P's stuff and Taskforce (Wha blow) but I personally prefer the early 90's type artists, they were doing their own thing…a London ting, we need to get that back, London lyrics, London beats and London scratching.
Do you think mainstream radio supports UK hiphop n' british artists in general? If not…. what could change it – more pirates, better radio DJ's, more crossover mainstream tracks???
Why do we have to cross over to get airplay, bring back the pirates and ting. All them artists who crossed over fell over. Radio stations are only interested in figures, they don't promote new music…even Iceberg Slimm, I mean his track has been around for some 7 months or so - so why are they playing it now?
Whats your opinion on the use of battle breaks in competitions?
So long as it sounds good, that's all that matters
Whats your most favourite break ever….. can you divulge such a secret?
Well if you know my history……….APACHE!!!!!!!
I've seen it mentioned but do you think a notation system for scratching can ever be developed?
Nah…..that would be harder than the sheet music they use on drums! There are too many styles, stuff just happens! Hell no-one can explain how to do an orbital, how would you put that into notation????
Why arent there more women involved in DJing n' turntablism?
Cos' they don't like cutting their nails???? Seriously though, I don't know, maybe there is but we don't know about them, I met a couple of females in Europe who could cut, but I don't know if they kept it up. We need more of them.
Have you got any good patterns you want to share?
Yes…some are on the site already - the rest are soon to follow.
On your site you have a good beginners scratch tutorial – how are you going to develop this? Do you teach turntable skills in workshops around you area or anything like that?
Well at the end of October, lesson 2 shall be up, transforming, drills, and the chirp, to name a few, are on it. I show anyone whose interested in turntablism anything, but I don't teach in a workshop though. I just help people if we're hanging out somewhere where there are tables.
Who is going to be the next big thing in turntablism
I don't know but I hope they're from the U.K.
What work are you involved in doing now n' what are your plans for the future?
I'm quiet at the moment, and I don't have many plans, I'll just keep on cutting in my room and enjoy this art.
Whats your weekly schedule like – you got residencies at clubs n' on the radio right?
I play out twice a week but that's a mixture of hip hop & R'n'B on Friday & Saturday night.
Have Son of Noise got anything lined up for the future in terms of laying down tracks?…. I heard an unreleased track with MCD on the net – was this a one off thing?
The MC.D track was one we couldn't release, so in a sense it was a one off thing. There are rumours of Son of Noise doing a track for the heck of it, but we'll see!
You say on your site that you should be teaming up with Renegade to do a track for the Battle Of The Year 2000 album. Wanna tell us some details on this…. Has the production n' cut-up track side of tings come thru for you?
Well I think we've missed the deadline for that track, I need to take that info off the site hahaha! We did a nice b-boying track for it though, but it isn't finished…..guess what break we used……answers on a postcard please….I'm going to be cutting on some peoples tracks, but this is all to be confirmed at the moment.
Also – you wanna shout out to your firm?
Nah….. I see them nearly everyday, but I do wanna big up all the people who have visited my site!! Thanks y'all.
Finally, if you could ask any other DJ any question –what would it be and why?
Even though I've asked him already I'd have to ask again – "Q-bert……how the f**k did you do that pattern on blue flowers????????????????"
Easy… thanks for your time.
Check Mada's excellent site out at djmada.com for news, exclusive downloads, scratch tutorials and stuff like that.
 
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