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  DJ Snips Interview
interview 0551 added 15.01.07 words:
The Last Skeptik
technical:
Spoon
DJ Snips has consistently laced soulfully chopped bangers to some of Britain’s finest. Now on the brink of a re-focus to U.S pastures, UKHH’s roving production powerhouse and reporter The Last Skeptik caught up with the Poisonous Poets rep Snips to talk business…
Your biography is ridiculous – laced with some of the biggest U.S names who you have DJ’ed for. What has been the highlight of spinning with such names as Kanye West, Common and Mos Def?
To be honest it’s just the perception that it gives to other people, when people want to book you they wanna see what you’ve done and who you’ve worked with so having Kanye and Mos Def as people that I’ve DJed for makes me look good to them but the truth is, being on stage with my group Poisonous Poets at the UK Takeover last year was more of a highlight for me than DJing for Kanye or Mos.
What is your studio set up?
A lot of my stuff was done just on an MPC2000xl but recently I figured it’s time to stop getting left behind by technology and I copped a Mac book, Pro Tools and Reason so I do most of my stuff on the laptop these days. I still use the Akai MPD to bang out my drums on but the sequencing is all software now.
What song that you have produced are you most proud of?
The “Been Along Time” remix on the B side of Reveal’s “What Estate Are You From” 12” is one… Sav Kills new joint called “I Cant Take It Anymore” another I’m very proud of is a track on Baby Blue’s new album.
Everyone has been waiting a long time for a Poisonous Poets longplayer, any hints to when it will be released?
Boyyyyyy…… *long pause*…… I really couldn’t tell you, everyone is def up for trying to get something out there but when you’ve got six rappers and a DJ in one group it’s very hard to get everyone on the same page… my prediction is at some point you will definitely see a full length PP release.
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at some point you will definitely see a full length PP release
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Do you still have plans to move in to radio?
Yeah… most definitely, I was supposed to start Sundays at 1xtra a few months back but it fell through so we’re in talks with a few other stations. The problem is finding somewhere that will give me the freedom to play what I want. I’m quite happy doing guest mixes on different stations, I did Mista Jam’s show a while back and 279 on Choice before that.
Tell us about the Catch 22 movement…
Catch 22 is basically a worldwide network of djs/producers/rappers/A&Rs etc. It was started by Kool G rap and consists of people like Scram Jones, Immortal Technique, Kool G Rap, Mike Herron and a load more. In the UK the reps are myself, Stylah, Lowkey and DJ Skully. Im also part of a collective called All Elements which is headed by Brooklyn Mixtape DJ J Ronin, it’s a worldwide collective of rappers/djs/producers including Sav Kills, Cosmo, Dj Ready Cee and Spit Supreme. These are all people that I work with and have a day to day working relationship with a lot of members.
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I can confirm that there have been established artists who have picked and written to my beats from NY
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With such crazy U.S connections, are we going to see your beats on any U.S projects any time soon?
Mos definitely, I’ve just done something with Sav Kills from Brooklyn also Diabolic out of Immortal Technique’s camp. I’m in NY quite a lot these days and there’s been a lot of interest generated but I’ve got to a point where until the artists vocals are on my computer saved in a Pro Tools file, I aint letting out any information ‘cause half the time a beat gets picked, it doesn’t ever get used… and then if it does it might not even make a project. If all the people who’d picked beats off me in the States had actually rapped on them I def would be a much more well known name than I am now. I can confirm that there have been established artists who have picked and written to my beats from NY over my last trip out there but I’ll keep it on the DL till I’m ready to start leaking tracks!
Which female celebrity would you give the ‘snip’ to, in order to make sure they don’t pro-create?
Paris Hilton…..
Any words of wisdom to young producers and DJs reading this hoping to get in to the world of the music industry?
Yeah, do it ‘cause you love it ‘cause unless you’re really willing to put that work in it’s not worth it and there’s a hell of a lot of easier ways to make money!!
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The Last Skeptik
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