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DJ Wonder Does It All Artist: DJ Wonder Interviewer: Ritz Carlton |
DJ Wonder Does It All
Interviewed by Ritz Carlton 01-23-08
AmalgamDigital.com: How has the DJ game changed since you first started spinning and where do you see it going?
DJ Wonder: One Word: Serato! I used to carry 6 crates to every event, and that’s definitely a rite of passage for most DJ’s I know. Now, all you need is a computer and hard-drive and you’re good to go!
It has definitely made my world a lot easier, and I think my sets have become a lot more creative because of Serato. I make my own remixes and can try them out on the radio and in the club instantly.
In the future, I see a lot more live instrumentation incorporated into sets (MIDI controllers and stuff) and Video playback (Serato has recently included this in their latest software update). Maybe certain people will revolt and go back to using vinyl only
AmalgamDigital.com: How is rocking a club different from spinning on the air? What do you do differently and which do you prefer?
DJ Wonder: A club is a real-time experiment in crowd control. You get the most reward, because they are right in front of you, but you can take the most heat for messing up for the same reason (A Word of Advice: if you are DJing for the Shady Records crew – do not, I repeat DO NOT play Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam…). It’s sort of like a puzzle figuring out how you’re going to shape 4 or 6 hours of music into the perfect proportion.
Radio is all about creativity and breaking new songs. You can play remixes, you can play original samples, basically whatever you want. On Sirius I get a nationwide audience, so you can influence more than just a room of people.
I like both, but my heart is in the club, I like immediate gratification!
AmalgamDigital.com: You’ve done a lot over the last few years – radio host, engineer, DJing in clubs and on mixtapes, contributing for Vibe… the list goes on. How do you create these opportunities for yourself and how do you balance your time?
DJ Wonder: I don’t sleep! (This is where a cornball would put a quote from Nas “Sleep is the Cousin of Death”) I’m a person that keeps to myself. But if you know me, you know I go all out, whether it’s at a party or playing laser tag, or bedazzling sweatpants with my rhinestone gun, I PUT IN WORK! I don’t like to bother people for opportunities, but I think I get things more word of mouth. Once I’m offered something, I make it my mission to produce a quality piece of work, whatever it is!
AmalgamDigital.com: Cipha Sounds is a pretty funny dude. What’s the most hilarious memory you have of working with him?
DJ Wonder: He is hilarious! Like when he yells at me for not doing enough work when we are at our weekly aircheck meetings…that’s comedy!!!
Seriously folks, he cracks me up with his stories and random thoughts. The best memory I have of him is when we were at this Snoop Dogg concert and he went streaking in the quad!
AmalgamDigital.com: If you had to pick a pet peeve about your line of work, what would it be?
DJ Wonder: Dude, I can write a novel on this subject, but I have given up on HATING in 2008. A hard part for me is the early mornings and the late nights! I have to be at work for the morning show at 7am and sometimes I’m out until after 4am doing a party. It’s not easy, I pass out a lot and my face hits the control board several times a show… Also, I’m eventually going to want to have offspring, so this lifestyle can’t go on forever.
OK – you pulled my arm – One quick hate – WACK FEMALE DJs and WACK CELEBRITY DJs…..!
AmalgamDigital.com: What was it like as a host for BET’s Rap City?
DJ Wonder: That joint was NERRRRVOUSSSS…… I was plastered in Hot 97 gear and Tigger seemed like he wanted to go home… He got mad at me for asking to do another take… hahahaha… I did go to Film School, come on!
AmalgamDigital.com: Do you feel overwhelmed by estrogen when you’re working on the Lip Service show?
DJ Wonder: Really, it’s a man’s dream come true. I get to listen in on women’s conversations and see what they really think and do. It gets awkward though, I didn’t want to see a naked man getting C&BT (look it up…) by a dominatrix. I had to face the wall for that one… But I do get to play whatever music I want and it’s the only time you’ll hear R&B on Shade45. Also I get mad drops or whatever I want from artists because they are so open off of the women in the room…Suckers!!
AmalgamDigital.com: What’s the best late night spot to hit after the club in New York?
DJ Wonder: “Coffee Shop” on in Union Square is where you’ll find drunk models and Dave Chappelle. “The Diner” on 14th and 9th has good music and a live DJ. I used to like “Chelsea Diner,” until a shirtless Tracy Morgan ate my dang homefries!
AmalgamDigital.com: So on top of everything else, I heard you’re also a producer, how’s that going for you?
DJ Wonder: That’s my real passion. When I was a kid I used to wish I could make beats from cassettes I had. That morphed into using a little sampler on a DJ mixer, and finally into the equipment I have today. I mainly use a MPC-2000XL, a Yamaha Motif and a Mini Moog Voyager. People use computer programs, but I gotta play the stuff to really figure out how I’m gonna arrange a track.
I’m currently shopping my demo and I have some core artists I work with. I’m willing to work with anybody who is ready to step outside of the box…
MY CURRENT MISSION IS TO BRING BACK NEW JACK SWING!!!! Let me know if anyone would like to join my campaign – djwonder@gmail.com
AmalgamDigital.com: What’s next for DJ Wonder?
DJ Wonder: I’m probably gonna go order some Coldstone Ice Cream, cause I’m too lazy to walk to that joint…Oh you mean for my career…
I just wrapped up Cornerstone Mixtape #102 with DJ Premier!!! Also I’m doing beats and remixes and playing at parties throughout NYC. 2008 feels like a good year so far and I hope to continue my success. I hope to keep my mixshows going on Hip-Hop Nation and Shade45 at Sirius and I see some big things for us in the future! Most importantly, I hope to move into the house on St. Mark’s street where the exteriors to the Cosby Show were filmed.
Thanks to Reggie Hawkins, Geronimo, Ron Mills, Cipha Sounds, Angela Yee, The Emoticon, Leah Rose, Seneca, Eric and Luck, Jeremy Asgari and anybody else that’s supported me thus far! (Oh, I’m not getting an award…my bad).
