Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
So it appears the Brooklyn, New York born and Bushwick-bred DJ would be as serious as a heart attack seeing all he has currently cooking in the hip hop kitchen, WRONG!! He kept spinning my laptop around trying to read what I was typing (nosey ass). His sharp witted sense of humor, dope taste in music and down to earth personality will easily grant this DJ a golden ticket to rock out any party or event. Citing DJ Premier and Pete Rock as his influences presently in the production game and of course, the creative genius J Dilla as his number one all time greatest inspiration. Ladies and Gentleman if you please, allow me to introduce Brooklyn's own, DJ Skinny! Boy, I'm going to have fun with this one.
What it look like Skinny? Right to it! I imagine you get asked this all the time and I hate to ask you again but how did you get your alias? Tell me the story behind the name.
It started in high school; I was in a crew called "The Hitman Squad". That name might sound familiar but that is another story in itself. So yeah, in that crew there were four of us with the same name "Shawn", whenever someone would talk about one of us there was always confusion on to which Shawn they were talking about so we all were given nicknames.
Let me guess you were the skinniest one?
Yeah, Skinny just stuck with me.
Aww you poor thing (passes him a Muscle Milk) so how'd you start DJing? (Pulls chair closer) I love flashbacks; tell me more of the "good old days". "Just me and my straight arms", what was the first record you destroyed?
I must have been seven or eight years old. I was attracted to everything about DJing, at my block's annual block party I would stand by the gate where the DJ's were set up and just watch the DJ's all night. I was fascinated, and it showed. My mother took notice in my interest and at my request; she brought me my very first pair of turntables for my 10th birthday. They were the Technics SLB 1's, the straight arm joints. Within a year I was DJing my first party which was a backyard family event. Yeah! (smiling). As for the first records I destroyed, my first doubles were by a group called Fat Back Band "King Tim III". I also went in on my mothers' collection all the time; she had a lot of records.
I bet you scratched those to death?! You went from being a nosey little kid to a hungry DJ serving up grade A top choice vibes in New York City. Where'd you build your technique? Who taught you about the penny on the turntable arm or marking the record?
You know it; I ripped those records to shreds! As far as knowing what to do, I just studied other DJ's. I looked at what they were doing and pretty much put it all together. I'm sure in the beginning I probably sounded awful but I listened and paid attention. I remember having my fresh TDK's ready for the Mr. Magic's Rap Attack, Chuck Chill Out and Cool DJ Red Alert shows! I was a faithful listener and there wasn't a show I missed.
So that's when you decided you were going to be a DJ when you grew up. To hell with being a Lawyer or a Fireman, DJ extraordinaire! What made you branch off to the production side of the hip hop world? And when did you make your first beat?
Yea! It was all for the love of it, I enjoyed it, so I did it. I didn't know then I could make money years later down the line from DJing. It was something I just loved doing, and even more so today. Damn, when did I make my first beat? It had to be '90-'91 at my home boys house. He had a Roland rack mount sampler and a few keyboards. One day I just started messing with his equipment looping old records and after that it was a wrap.
You're saying you were self taught? Nice! The hands on approach is a good look. (Wink) What is the one piece of equipment that is important to you as a producer and as a DJ?
Yes I was, of course I had to initially get that formal introduction to the equipment but once I learned, I ran with it. As a producer, I'd have to say my sampler is important to me. Without that I can't make beats. On the DJ side I would have to say an extensive record collection. I can always replace a turntable but records are priceless. Although technology has made it easier to become a DJ without a record collection I still value the vinyl.
You have great taste in music Mr. DJ. I've heard all of your podcasts and have my favorites on my Treo. So when you speak of records I can tell your collection is far and wide. When you chef up a beat, you use samples that make my ear jump like "damn that's my shit" and on your music page "Turn Away" is fire! You dug serious for that one?
Aw man "Turn Away" was easy. I was in the cave with the MPC on my lap listening to Ashford & Simpson and that part of the record caught my ear so I sampled it. I could have easily just looped it and threw drums behind it but that's lazy and lacks creativity. So I took the sample and chopped it into pieces, took a swig of Bombay Sapphire and went in.
Yea man, I'm feeling that. See a sample like that and the way you flipped it, I didn't recognize his voice at all and I'm a huge "Solid As A Rock" fan! So with all this said, where do you get your creative craving fix, besides looking at my picture (giggles/bats eyelashes)?
(Gas face) I find that I make my best beats after hearing a Dilla, 9th Wonder, Premier or any other dope producers' track. Hearing dope beats gives me inspiration. No question!
Oh yea? Well give me two tracks from Dilla, 9th and Premier that you keep on a constant spin. The ones that get your juices flowing, only two kid!
Man, that's a hard one because they all have fire beats but if I had to narrow down my favorite two from each, I would have to say for Dilla, "Players" - Slum Village. I picked that one because he flipped the sample which actually says "Claire" he made you believe it's saying "Players" dope! Also "Fall In Love" - Slum Village because of its mellow dopeness and I got to throw in a bonus, "Runnin" - Pharcyde. That shit still rocks at the parties. Now 9th, that dude has a lot of heat some dudes probably never heard before but one of my favorite joints hands down would be "Comfortable" 9th remix by Median. I think 9th flipped that Luther Vandross sample, he had to be high when he did that! Also "Let The Dollars Circulate" which is a beat and not an official record but it was ill the way he flipped that Billy Paul sample. And my man Preem, aw man that dude is a legendary inspiration to a lot of us producer cats. On this one I got to roll with "Friend or Foe '98" - Jay-Z. That's head nodding crack right there and of course "Dwyck" - Gangstarr.
Greg N-I-C-E. Ha-ha! One of my all time favorite hip hop jams hands down! I dig that; lay out some projects you got brewing in the pots right now?
As you know I stay busy and have my hands in a lot of projects that keep me focused and steadily growing to be a better producer and DJ. So far there's my project "tHE $1 aLBUM", The Trickle Down by Trav Williams and the new Dysfunkshunal Familee Album "Familee Reunion". You can catch me DJing live online at ESP51.com "Da G Spot" hip-hop show from 6-9pm every Sunday. Also Beatminerz TV, look out for Sounds of Bushwick, my production company. I have some other projects in the works but I'm keeping those under wraps for right now.
I hate secrets and you're stingy as hell! (Rolls eyes) Anyway, there are three songs on your page from "tHE $1 aLBUM", you got me hungry for more and now you tell me you got all these other projects that I have to wait for. ((Sigh)) So I heard some tracks from your project, tell me the concept beyond "Knish" and "C.R.E.A.M '09" which happens to be my favorite track.
That's what's up! Well, "Knish" was originally on my boy Crazy DJ Bazarro's mixtape. I took it and remixed it for "tHE $1 aLBUM". It was just a bug out song about a girl that he made up, he named her Knish. "C.R.E.A.M.'09" was actually the first track done for the album but I didn't have an artist to lay fire to it. As I was picking the artist I wanted featured on the project, my boy G-Slim gave me a copy of his CD. I heard a few tracks and was interested in producing for his group Queens Connex. So as I was chopping the Teddy Pendergrass sample, I was thinking this track would be perfect for them. So G-Slim sent me a Pro Tools session, I stripped the vocals and C.R.E.A.M was born.
Messing around waiting for the album to drop you better just call it CREAM '11! When is the album going to be ready? I've been faithfully holding on to this dollar for like a year and now we're in a recession homie. Will you jack up the price on us like everything else? The anticipation for the album is making me hungry. I'm about to go splurge on the dollar menu at McD's (stomach growls).
Ha-ha! Maybe $1.50! Hold on to that dollar a little bit longer because the project isn't at the point where I'm ready to release it. I feel like it can be better, you know? I'm a little of a perfectionist, all of the tracks from 1-14 will be hot. I'm not treating it like a regular mixtape this is an album for me, it has to be 100. This is my baby.
(Wipes tear/sniff) I can dig it baby! Time flies when one is having fun! So let's wrap it up Skinny, I always do by playing a game. Let's play "Remix It!" a combination of all the games. Here are the rules; "Speed round", I say a word you give me the first that comes to mind, I'll do this three times. I'll give you one "Dumb Ass Question" and one "This or That" question. Ok? (Cheese)
LOL, OK.
Bubbles:
Michael Jackson
LMAO! Brooklyn:
Dope Music
Pop:
Ha-ha! You wilding out shorty!
Me or Paris Hilton:
Paris Hilton
WT...?!(Rolls eyes/head) Oh this interview is so over!! (Snaps fingers) "Security?!"
Ha-ha! Why? Ha-ha!
Before I put this joint out, are there any smoke signals you want to send to anyone BESIDES Paris Hilton!? (cough::bitch:
Ha-ha! Yeah man everyone who contributed to "tHE $1 aLBUm", my cuz C Town, my Dysfunkshunal Familee; Amayss, Bazarro, D-Rock, Brain Dead & Diverse, Da Beatminerz; Evil Dee & Mr.Walt, The ESP51 Family, Triangle Offense and everyone that supports the kid!
Much love right there! (Singing) "Hey Mr. DJ." Ha-ha! You have been officially "Crushed by PinkCookiz!" Thanks for chilling with me! I had a great time sir and I better get an invite to the next boat ride!!
I will think about it... LOL!
Oh yea? Don't think too hard Skinny. (Smile) Peace... Keep Banging baby!
So I ended up getting the skinny on DJ Skinny, his crew and all of the tasty appetizers and full course meals he has on the menu. This DJ/Producer proves to maintain a promise by helping to keep hip hop thriving in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. His production and DJ skills are far from "malnutrition", maybe he should change is name? It's just nice to know you can still find pure, head rocking, soulful hip hop in a time of "Ring Tone Rap". DJ Skinny is keeping the hip hop pots bubbling with numerous projects. The Live radio show on ESP51.com, packs unscripted humor that will have you "rolling" and calling in requests. "Hey Mr. DJ, play my favorite song." Fattening intermissions of classic hip hop like Black Moon, A Tribe Called Quest, The Notorious B.I.G. also various underground artist like Trav Williams, Triangle Offense and Dysfunkshunal Familee; delivered on the one and twos by Bushwick's very own. Not to mention the dope protein enriched podcasts he dishes out monthly satisfying your craving for more of that "true" hip hop, you will undeniably be returning for seconds asking (in my best Oliver Twist voice) "Please sir, I want some more."
What it look like Skinny? Right to it! I imagine you get asked this all the time and I hate to ask you again but how did you get your alias? Tell me the story behind the name.
It started in high school; I was in a crew called "The Hitman Squad". That name might sound familiar but that is another story in itself. So yeah, in that crew there were four of us with the same name "Shawn", whenever someone would talk about one of us there was always confusion on to which Shawn they were talking about so we all were given nicknames.
Let me guess you were the skinniest one?
Yeah, Skinny just stuck with me.
Aww you poor thing (passes him a Muscle Milk) so how'd you start DJing? (Pulls chair closer) I love flashbacks; tell me more of the "good old days". "Just me and my straight arms", what was the first record you destroyed?
I must have been seven or eight years old. I was attracted to everything about DJing, at my block's annual block party I would stand by the gate where the DJ's were set up and just watch the DJ's all night. I was fascinated, and it showed. My mother took notice in my interest and at my request; she brought me my very first pair of turntables for my 10th birthday. They were the Technics SLB 1's, the straight arm joints. Within a year I was DJing my first party which was a backyard family event. Yeah! (smiling). As for the first records I destroyed, my first doubles were by a group called Fat Back Band "King Tim III". I also went in on my mothers' collection all the time; she had a lot of records.
I bet you scratched those to death?! You went from being a nosey little kid to a hungry DJ serving up grade A top choice vibes in New York City. Where'd you build your technique? Who taught you about the penny on the turntable arm or marking the record?
You know it; I ripped those records to shreds! As far as knowing what to do, I just studied other DJ's. I looked at what they were doing and pretty much put it all together. I'm sure in the beginning I probably sounded awful but I listened and paid attention. I remember having my fresh TDK's ready for the Mr. Magic's Rap Attack, Chuck Chill Out and Cool DJ Red Alert shows! I was a faithful listener and there wasn't a show I missed.
So that's when you decided you were going to be a DJ when you grew up. To hell with being a Lawyer or a Fireman, DJ extraordinaire! What made you branch off to the production side of the hip hop world? And when did you make your first beat?
Yea! It was all for the love of it, I enjoyed it, so I did it. I didn't know then I could make money years later down the line from DJing. It was something I just loved doing, and even more so today. Damn, when did I make my first beat? It had to be '90-'91 at my home boys house. He had a Roland rack mount sampler and a few keyboards. One day I just started messing with his equipment looping old records and after that it was a wrap.
You're saying you were self taught? Nice! The hands on approach is a good look. (Wink) What is the one piece of equipment that is important to you as a producer and as a DJ?
Yes I was, of course I had to initially get that formal introduction to the equipment but once I learned, I ran with it. As a producer, I'd have to say my sampler is important to me. Without that I can't make beats. On the DJ side I would have to say an extensive record collection. I can always replace a turntable but records are priceless. Although technology has made it easier to become a DJ without a record collection I still value the vinyl.
You have great taste in music Mr. DJ. I've heard all of your podcasts and have my favorites on my Treo. So when you speak of records I can tell your collection is far and wide. When you chef up a beat, you use samples that make my ear jump like "damn that's my shit" and on your music page "Turn Away" is fire! You dug serious for that one?
Aw man "Turn Away" was easy. I was in the cave with the MPC on my lap listening to Ashford & Simpson and that part of the record caught my ear so I sampled it. I could have easily just looped it and threw drums behind it but that's lazy and lacks creativity. So I took the sample and chopped it into pieces, took a swig of Bombay Sapphire and went in.
Yea man, I'm feeling that. See a sample like that and the way you flipped it, I didn't recognize his voice at all and I'm a huge "Solid As A Rock" fan! So with all this said, where do you get your creative craving fix, besides looking at my picture (giggles/bats eyelashes)?
(Gas face) I find that I make my best beats after hearing a Dilla, 9th Wonder, Premier or any other dope producers' track. Hearing dope beats gives me inspiration. No question!
Oh yea? Well give me two tracks from Dilla, 9th and Premier that you keep on a constant spin. The ones that get your juices flowing, only two kid!
Man, that's a hard one because they all have fire beats but if I had to narrow down my favorite two from each, I would have to say for Dilla, "Players" - Slum Village. I picked that one because he flipped the sample which actually says "Claire" he made you believe it's saying "Players" dope! Also "Fall In Love" - Slum Village because of its mellow dopeness and I got to throw in a bonus, "Runnin" - Pharcyde. That shit still rocks at the parties. Now 9th, that dude has a lot of heat some dudes probably never heard before but one of my favorite joints hands down would be "Comfortable" 9th remix by Median. I think 9th flipped that Luther Vandross sample, he had to be high when he did that! Also "Let The Dollars Circulate" which is a beat and not an official record but it was ill the way he flipped that Billy Paul sample. And my man Preem, aw man that dude is a legendary inspiration to a lot of us producer cats. On this one I got to roll with "Friend or Foe '98" - Jay-Z. That's head nodding crack right there and of course "Dwyck" - Gangstarr.
Greg N-I-C-E. Ha-ha! One of my all time favorite hip hop jams hands down! I dig that; lay out some projects you got brewing in the pots right now?
As you know I stay busy and have my hands in a lot of projects that keep me focused and steadily growing to be a better producer and DJ. So far there's my project "tHE $1 aLBUM", The Trickle Down by Trav Williams and the new Dysfunkshunal Familee Album "Familee Reunion". You can catch me DJing live online at ESP51.com "Da G Spot" hip-hop show from 6-9pm every Sunday. Also Beatminerz TV, look out for Sounds of Bushwick, my production company. I have some other projects in the works but I'm keeping those under wraps for right now.
I hate secrets and you're stingy as hell! (Rolls eyes) Anyway, there are three songs on your page from "tHE $1 aLBUM", you got me hungry for more and now you tell me you got all these other projects that I have to wait for. ((Sigh)) So I heard some tracks from your project, tell me the concept beyond "Knish" and "C.R.E.A.M '09" which happens to be my favorite track.
That's what's up! Well, "Knish" was originally on my boy Crazy DJ Bazarro's mixtape. I took it and remixed it for "tHE $1 aLBUM". It was just a bug out song about a girl that he made up, he named her Knish. "C.R.E.A.M.'09" was actually the first track done for the album but I didn't have an artist to lay fire to it. As I was picking the artist I wanted featured on the project, my boy G-Slim gave me a copy of his CD. I heard a few tracks and was interested in producing for his group Queens Connex. So as I was chopping the Teddy Pendergrass sample, I was thinking this track would be perfect for them. So G-Slim sent me a Pro Tools session, I stripped the vocals and C.R.E.A.M was born.
Messing around waiting for the album to drop you better just call it CREAM '11! When is the album going to be ready? I've been faithfully holding on to this dollar for like a year and now we're in a recession homie. Will you jack up the price on us like everything else? The anticipation for the album is making me hungry. I'm about to go splurge on the dollar menu at McD's (stomach growls).
Ha-ha! Maybe $1.50! Hold on to that dollar a little bit longer because the project isn't at the point where I'm ready to release it. I feel like it can be better, you know? I'm a little of a perfectionist, all of the tracks from 1-14 will be hot. I'm not treating it like a regular mixtape this is an album for me, it has to be 100. This is my baby.
(Wipes tear/sniff) I can dig it baby! Time flies when one is having fun! So let's wrap it up Skinny, I always do by playing a game. Let's play "Remix It!" a combination of all the games. Here are the rules; "Speed round", I say a word you give me the first that comes to mind, I'll do this three times. I'll give you one "Dumb Ass Question" and one "This or That" question. Ok? (Cheese)
LOL, OK.
Bubbles:
Michael Jackson
LMAO! Brooklyn:
Dope Music
Pop:
Ha-ha! You wilding out shorty!
Me or Paris Hilton:
Paris Hilton
WT...?!(Rolls eyes/head) Oh this interview is so over!! (Snaps fingers) "Security?!"
Ha-ha! Why? Ha-ha!
Before I put this joint out, are there any smoke signals you want to send to anyone BESIDES Paris Hilton!? (cough::bitch:
Ha-ha! Yeah man everyone who contributed to "tHE $1 aLBUm", my cuz C Town, my Dysfunkshunal Familee; Amayss, Bazarro, D-Rock, Brain Dead & Diverse, Da Beatminerz; Evil Dee & Mr.Walt, The ESP51 Family, Triangle Offense and everyone that supports the kid!
Much love right there! (Singing) "Hey Mr. DJ." Ha-ha! You have been officially "Crushed by PinkCookiz!" Thanks for chilling with me! I had a great time sir and I better get an invite to the next boat ride!!
I will think about it... LOL!
Oh yea? Don't think too hard Skinny. (Smile) Peace... Keep Banging baby!
So I ended up getting the skinny on DJ Skinny, his crew and all of the tasty appetizers and full course meals he has on the menu. This DJ/Producer proves to maintain a promise by helping to keep hip hop thriving in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. His production and DJ skills are far from "malnutrition", maybe he should change is name? It's just nice to know you can still find pure, head rocking, soulful hip hop in a time of "Ring Tone Rap". DJ Skinny is keeping the hip hop pots bubbling with numerous projects. The Live radio show on ESP51.com, packs unscripted humor that will have you "rolling" and calling in requests. "Hey Mr. DJ, play my favorite song." Fattening intermissions of classic hip hop like Black Moon, A Tribe Called Quest, The Notorious B.I.G. also various underground artist like Trav Williams, Triangle Offense and Dysfunkshunal Familee; delivered on the one and twos by Bushwick's very own. Not to mention the dope protein enriched podcasts he dishes out monthly satisfying your craving for more of that "true" hip hop, you will undeniably be returning for seconds asking (in my best Oliver Twist voice) "Please sir, I want some more."