Describe your typical day.

Aside from the things I did today, I play basketball three nights a week. I also go to the gym four days a week.

Have you lived in New York City your whole life? Which area?

Yes. Brooklyn, but I recently moved to Staten Island.

When did you first decide to begin a career as a DJ?

1984. I listened to KISS and BLS a lot back then; DJs like Marley Marl and Mister Magic. People like Awesome 2 and Malcolm McLaren of 105.9 also influenced me.

Has hip-hop always been your preferred choice of music, or did you begin your career playing other types of music?

I've played everything from rock to disco to house, etc… I did a lot of creative mixing on my earlier mixed tapes I sold in the neighborhood. I like to play a whole spectrum of music and do things like drop an old Carly Simon Record over a breakbeat.

Have you ever found race or color to be an obstacle in being accepted as a hip-hop DJ?

Not Really. A lot of the guys I've dealt with in my life were from various nationalities. I was always a three-sport athlete. Sports and music provided a common element and allowed me to gain respect from those around me for doing my thing. Sports brought me closer with many other nationalities. There are the occasional hecklers, but for the most part, I have no problems.

How has your style evolved since you first began your career?

Earlier I did a lot of battles and more showmanship. I appeared with Third Bass on Arsenio Hall and won a two-man competition with DJ Skribble in the early nineties. I grew up in the same neighborhood as EPMD, Third Base, Das EFX. We all would practice together in the early days. Now everyone is older with more responsibilities so there is no time to hang out and practice anymore. Life for me now is fifty-fifty between sports and music. If I didn't get so heavily into music I may have even had a shot at the NFL. I played football for Hofstra University with Wayne Chrebet.

Which person or club helped to break you into the business and accelerate your career?

The first spot I got was through my friend, Erez. He got me hooked up DJing at Home Base. I did the upstairs room and Funkmaster Flex did the downstairs back in '92. Chris Reda and Joie brought me in at Palladium and Limelight and upwards and all over the place. Now I prefer to play for a downtown crowd. Bill Spector always respected what I did and secured me spots in places I enjoyed.

Which DJs or music industry figures do you most admire?

Marley Marl and Clark Kent were my main inspiration. I also admire Stretch Armstrong, Kid Capri, DJ Ace, Ted the Dillinger, etc…

It seems as though crowd response is your main motivation in choosing records throughout the night. Do you usually choose records on the fly or do you go into the club with a basic set in mind?

Everything is always on the fly. I used to do a lot of old school sets and try to have everything set. Now I do everything on the fly. It seems as though you have to stay on top of things more because the crowd always stays the same age, but the DJs keep getting older. I know what the new crowds want to hear and go with it.

Have you ever been booked to perform for a crowd that just wasn't feeling the music you were spinning? How did you handle the situation?

Yes. In Amsterdam they have different hits than we do here. The B-Side of a hit record here might be big over there. It is harder to figure the crowd out there. Some of our hits are big there also, but some are completely the opposite. Sizzahandz and I kept looking at each other and were shocked by the fact that some commercial stuff worked and some didn't. At first it knocked me off my game plan. It put me in safe mode and made me think more universally.

What has been your favorite venue or crowd to play for up to this point in your career?

I like to play for a city crowd that is over the age of twenty-five. I like a crowd that is ritzier but knows their music well. I like to quick-mix and play a wide variety of music. I like doing things like dropping "Billie Jean" into "Don't You Want Me Baby" and having the crowd appreciate it. The middle aged, musically inclined crowd seems to be my favorite to DJ for. As for places, I like DJing in Miami and Switzerland. The Swiss seems to take more pride in the underground stuff I play. They really like the type of stuff on my medley records of underground beats.

Is there anyone that you would like to work with or any place you would like to work which you have not yet had the chance to do so?

In production work, I would like to work with DJ Premier. He has done a lot of "real" hip-hop and street classics. Commercially, I would like to work with Timbaland. I met him a month ago. He uses much more modern techniques. I would like to sit in on a session with him and collaborate.

In the ever-changing club scene in NYC, are there any changes you dislike? Any you would like to see take place?

I would like to see a club give DJs better equipment to work on. Despite the fact that hip-hop is growing more rapidly than ever and appeals to a huge audience, it is always treated secondary. The hip-hop room in most clubs is always falling apart in comparison to the main room.

Are there any upcoming projects or appearances that we should be looking out for?

I have a couple of tracks coming out with DJ Kool and Fatman Scoop. They are putting a "Party Kings" album out on Bad Boy that I am doing some production on. I am also working on more beats under me and Sizzahandz' Crooklyn Clan identity. We started Crooklyn Clan after being inspired by the pioneers like Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. It started out as the Brooklyn Slum Lordz with Skribble and First Born. I then partnered with Sizzahandz and released our first major track as Crooklyn Clan on AV8 Records in '95. Our name holds strong with DJs and they will always trust in our work. I also will be DJing weekend parties and traveling a little. I don't like to travel too much. I would rather stick to tri-state gigs and concentrate more on production.

Where do you hope to see yourself 2 or 3 years from now?

I would like to be more on the production end of the business but still stay active in the clubs until I can't do it anymore. I still feel a connection to the crowd even though I am getting older. I would like to do more remixes and productions of major artists. I might like to try doing commercial radio on a steady basis. I have done plenty of guest spots over the years.

Do you have any parting words for your fans?

Catch me on 89.1 FM every Wednesday from 10:30 pm until 1:00 am. Also look for the new Crooklyn Clan records that will be coming out. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for my name on the flyers, because you could be sure that I will be there.

interview by Jay Matassa

photography by Brian Stefanelli