Albums from the recently deceased DJs

I have located some links where you can download albums of DJ AM and Roc Raida. Check them out and you will understand just how much of an impact these DJs had on the hip hop community.

I have been listening to TRV$DJAM's FIX YOUR FACE 1 for about six months now, and I love the transitions DJ AM creates as he moves from track to track. Mix DJs should take notes when listening to this album's flow.

FIX YOUR FACE 2 I just picked up the other day. I am not sure that I like it as much as the first one, but it still shows AM's honed skills in mixing and it may be one of the last recordings of his mixing before his death.

TRV$DJAM - FIX YOUR FACE 1 & 2

Roc Raida's 52 Beats is new to me. I actually just picked it up, and what I can say about it is that it stands as a testament of his amazing skills. I hear a lot of old school in this mix. I am sure that many of the techniques and patterns that you hear in this album were heard for the first time when Roc and his fellow Xecutioners debuted them and buried some poor unsuspecting DJ crew in a battle. He was not a follower, he was truly a leader and a pioneer, and this album contains some breaks, samples, and scratches that are the real definition of the phrase 'True School.'

Roc Raida - 52 Beats











-Later

R.I.P. Roc Raida

This weekend, another A-List DJ passed away. Roc Raida was not just any other DJ. He was a member of the X-men, who later changed their name to the Xecutioners for obvious copyright reasons.

He won battle after battle, culminating at the 1995 DMC World Championship. He was known for his beat-juggling and his tricks, like the one in the photo. Roc Raida was once featured on the show Saturday Night Live, being the only DJ to ever share the stage with the SNL House Band. Check out this video of Roc Raida from the 95 DMCs:




My condolences go out to his family, his crew, and his fans.

-Later

Scott & Alicia Mays' Wedding

This past Saturday, I DJ'ed a wedding and reception for Scott & Alicia Mays. It was a long, but very fun night. I spun music for most of 9 hours! I had a great time, and I picked up a few leads for some upcoming gigs.

You can find a few more photos in the 'Recent Gig Photos' slideshow in the column on the right.

There were about 100 people attending the ceremony, with (I am guessing) only about a third of those people attending the reception. I received some great compliments about my music selections, and there were a few requests for songs that I did not have, but overall people seemed pleased with the music. I was told by several friends who attended that they heard good comments about the music. Even so, quite a few people cut out early.

Those of us who did stay until the wee hours really partied hard. And we had a great time.

Congratulations to Scott, Alicia and family. I wish them a lifetime of happiness!

-Later

Record Spindle Hole Repair

Ever notice how some records have some slack space in the spindle hole? These records tend to skip when being scratched or backspun or touched in just about any other way.

So, how can you fix this?

On his first scratch instructional DVD, DJ Qbert recommended sticking the label that comes with a blank cassette tape through the hole, but since people don't really buy blank cassette tapes anymore, it could get expensive to buy a bunch of blank cassettes just for the labels.

So I started to think about what other type of labels could one buy that are cheaper, maybe nicer looking, and still get the job done. The answer I came up with is called 'Ring Reinforcers.' They are the little round stickers with a hole in the middle that you use to repair your 3-hole paper if you rip one of the holes out.

Here is a picture of one, borrowed from staples.com:


These are dirt cheap, come in a variety of colors, and are available almost anywhere. I bought two packages of them at WalMart for like $2 each. Since you get somewhere around 200 per pack, I have not had to replace my supply in around three years now, but I am certain that they are still cheap.

And, just for you lazy people out there, here is a link to the product at staples.com, so you can have some mailed to your door:
http://www.staples.com/Staples-Reinforcements-for-Hole-Punched-Pages-Clear/product_166322?cmArea=SEARCH

So, you put the ring reinforcer as close to the center of the spindle hole as possible, but don't get upset if it's not perfectly centered, it will work just as well. Next, just place the record on the spindle of your turntable, with the side that you stuck the ring reinforcer on down. Since the center hole on the record is larger than the center hole on the ring reinforcer, the spindle pushes the excess material up into the spindle hole on the record, and this material fills the gap that was causing the record to skip. The last thing that you need to do is give the record a few cuts, scratches or backspins, because it may be a little too tight at first. You may need to break it in, so to speak.

Have fun, and keep that vinyl spinning.

-Later