Roc4Raida

While fans and practitioners today often view Hip-Hop as art and entertainment, I hope that The City of Hip-Hop will spark more meaningful dialogue because at the heart of this incredible culture lies a story of martyrdom. Pre-order here - routledge.com/The-City-of-Hi…

I’m grateful for many things this Thanksgiving, including my family’s continued support and, of course, Rasul Mowatt for helping me get my first book published. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t extend that appreciation to my incredible year touring the country with my DJ partner in crime, @mistasinista, as @DaOddCouple. I’ve noticed that the sense of camaraderie in DJing has diminished over the years. Seeing so many DJs navigating the landscape alone is puzzling, especially considering there are more DJs today than ever before. Never forget, the individual fame one seeks in our industry doesn’t define the essence of DJ culture but rather the friendships and community that develop through our shared love of music Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

Have you all noticed how the racist rhetoric in contemporary Hip-Hop has started to diminish over the last two years? It seemed to particularly fade this summer, around the time Joe Conzo served Tariq Nasheed, the fraudulent leader of the FBA disinformation movement, a cease and desist letter for copyright infringement. This situation shows that the truth is mightier than hate and will always prevail. I want to give a huge shoutout to @respectthedjs_ podcast for inviting @mistasinista and me on their show, allowing me to address some of the divisiveness that has polarized Hip-Hop culture during its semicentennial. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube page and watch the full interview. It's streaming now. Also, don't forget to pre-order my upcoming book, co-authored by Rasul Mowatt, The City of Hip-Hop: New York City, The Bronx, and a Peace Meeting. The truth always endures when the smoke clears. Respect. PS When you order the book directly from Routledge (routledge.com/The-City-of-Hi…), you can save 20% with the code AFLYO4.

Surprises are guaranteed to happen when you’re DJing live. This also applies to the button-pushing, pre-produced bs DJing we often see at festivals. From missed cues to technical glitches, the unexpected is part and parcel of the live performance experience. But what happens when those missteps turn into full-blown mishaps? How do you navigate the sonic landscape of live performance when the unexpected comes knocking at your door, especially when the audience is watching you struggle? Take, for example, @DaOddCouple performance last week at The Howlin’ Wolf. We skipped soundcheck. In all fairness, @mistasinista and I were beat. We had a radio interview the morning of our show and then an in-store in the late afternoon, and I was still recovering from my Doom set at the @brooklynmuseum 2 days before. I was going on fumes while we were in New Orleans. But if we had done a proper run-through of our set, we would have discovered one of my turntables was defective. The RCA jacks were messed up, and Serato could not read it. Thankfully, @shmahaa, a fan who attended the in-store earlier that day, knowing we were down one turntable, raced home, grabbed one of his, and brought it back to the venue. In this video clip, you see him walk up on stage and set it up while Sin and I perform. When disaster strikes during a performance, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Your adrenaline is pumping, the audience is fixed on you, waiting to see how you’re going to adapt, and time seems to slow to a crawl. Since we can’t always predict what will happen on stage or in the DJ booth, DJs must train our minds and instincts the way athletes train their bodies and remain calm and focused under pressure. @DaOddCouple #realdjs

@DJROBSWIFT I never knew that one! I have so many questions! To hear that yall were the arch nemesis to the supermen is crazy but makes sense as to why yall were as good as yall were!