I always got shitpoppin TODO LOS DIAS! mi gente!! nah mean.. Just stay up on the city we live and love..

How old were you when you first started DJ’ing? And what was your first record you span?
Hmm, i was already cutting up my moms belt drive Technics that was inside the home stereo console and I used a cut switch from the receiver to transform when I was 12.. I was cutting up Run Dmc and Wilfrido Vargas merengue records from my parents collection.. The whole reason I’m so well versed now was because of my parents having diverse records and tapes.. Not bookoo amounts but well distributed in musical diversity.

Who or what would you say got you interested in being a DJ?
My cousin Nelson Tavarez in Miami.. We used to take trips down there every summer in the 80’s when freestyle house hip-hop and electro was all melted together. I was living in ATL since 86 and there was no new music yet down here. I used to have to go back to NY or go to Miami or have my cousin send me tapes to be up on the new ish. But he had millions of records and his whole room was a DJ booth. Extravagant 4 deck consoles with rotary mixers keyboards, speakers, and eqs. All the cool lights and knobs first fascinated me…

What is your favorite record? And why?
Well my dearest records are KMD’s Peachfuzz 12” and Gangstarr “Just to get a Rep” 12” cause I didn’t eat lunch for a 2 weeks just to cop those @ Sound Warehouse on Jimmy Carter Blvd. Now my favorite records of all time are Indestructible by Ray Baretto and Acid by Ray Barretto. Sorry I’m a Dj I got lots of favs.

KMD – Peachfuzz

What DJ would you like mostly to spin records with? And why?
Man I was just talking to Flux and Najee of Binkis about this. Next up on my list is Bobitto Garcia Dj Cucumber Slice. Cause our styles are so similar yet so unique…See I’m knocking em out as we go. I had a long list of cats that I have been eventually playing with. Just recently I scratched off two when I played with Dj Applejac (I grew up on some Applejac from the Warehouse Club and 88.5) and Dj Kemit. Those are like my two of my ATL idols and I played with them last week. Steve Deniro was another as well as Cullen Cole that I have had the pleasure of playing with.

What makes your style different than the next DJ?
Cause I’m Dj Mafioso, before I even started djing my number one Hip-Hop rule that I always stuck by since day one was being original. So that was already instilled in me growing up surrounded by hip-hop as a shorty in NYC. So when I became a dj I just naturally gravitated toward music and styles that were natural to me. But to answer your question my diversity makes me unique. I can rock a hip-hop party, I can rock a wedding, I can rock Latin clubs, I can rock so called Top40 clubs, (that really just play hip hop from the radio) or super thugged out trapstar clubs. NY, MIAMI, ATL, South America, Spain, Dominican Republic. I can do it all. Nah mean. You can throw me in the desert and ima make the sand do a dance. I’m never scared and I’m always willing to be challenged.

Where would be the perfect place for you to DJ? And why?
The perfect place WAS MJQ on weds. Steve Deniro and me were killing them weds and people are still talking about it like a local legendary status now. Basically anywhere I can do me and “NEVER BE Asked BY A PATRON TO PLAY A SONG“. A place where people are not concerned with being seen yet the emphasis is on dancing and having a good time. And where people really enjoy good music cause that what I bring daily…

What are the most common mistakes that most new DJ’s make?

Being closed minded to people or music. To be a good DJ you must have the ability to relate to people one on one without music. You got that down and your in. you can read a crowd and know exactly how to rock and shock there souls. See a dj doesn’t just play records. They control a crowd and create and ambiance a vibe a musical palette. If I’m having a bad day I might suck because of this rule. So that’s why I try to stay positive so that every time I’m out I’m iller than the last. Another mistake is being self-centered. We are a big community of dj’s its not all about DJ YOU help your other dj’s out even if you don’t like there style. Don’t play everything that the next man is playing really study music and dig up some gold or make some from scratch. If you sit there and play everything that’s on the radio people are going to overlook you like they do radio. Radio is free. Do you want to dj for free? If not then develop something different to have something unique to offer, carve your niche and like I always say to Rob Wonder no matter how long you been in the game you gotta always sharpen your pencils… nah mean

Finally, is there anything you want to say to the readers?
I love y’all. I send love without expecting its return. Look out for The Jungle 45 mix tape series that I created with the creator GoldiGold. Coming at you before JULY. Look out for La Bodega/SpreadLove Mix CD’s to follow. Look out for the New BINKIS RECS project cause that joint is fire (and if you didn’t know I AM THE OFFICIAL BINKIS DJ. Since 1999 taking the batton from DJ drama) I do cuts for mad people so check your liner noted and PLEASE support me every Tuesday @ TopFlr 674 Myrtle Ave and on June 26th if you are in ATLANTA as I will be Djing alongside Dj Kemit once again at his signature party, which is always dope Spread Love @ 595 North Ave for The Fania All-stars Tribute Night. And if anyone wants to holler at yo muchacho I accept praise and criticism alike you can do that at mafiloko@gmail.com FB (search Dj Mafioso and learn my real name) twitter.com/djmafioso or binkisrecs.com. Thanks to everyone who has supported me and stuck by my side throughout the years and especially in my recent life woes. I was down and out for a while but Mafiloko rebuilding and gonna be better than ever. Buford Hwy Binkis Bombers kid!!

Thanks

– For more information on DJ Mafioso check out www.djmafioso.com, www.binkisrecs.com, www.myspace.com/djmafioso and www.myspace.com/labodegamixtape

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.