Interviewing Southern California 93.5 Kday's Dj Prophet

1. TMT: By the way I just want to say thanks for the interview Prophet.

Dj Prophet: No problem, Thank you for having me.

2. TMT: Okay let's get started, how did you get into dj'ing? What age were you when you first started?

Dj Prophet: It all started my freshman year of college.I was 18. My best friends older brother was a dj and did street promotions for LOUD Records so we would roll with him to parties/clubs and hit the streets with flyers and posters every weekend. I would carry his crates and hang w/ him as he picked out records for the evening and see/hear him engage the crowd with the music. He was in charge of making sure everyone had fun and thats the part that intrigued me at first. He started giving me extra copies of promo records as payment so I  went out and got a whole dj rig set up on a "rent to own" plan. For $90 bucks a month I had 2 Gemini DD-20 turntables, a gemini Scratch Master 16, mixer a power amp and 2 !) o=inspeakers

3. TMT: Did you know from the start that this is what you wanted to do for a living?

Dj Prophet: I honestly didnt know right away, it was just something I was doing for fun because I love music and also love entertaining people and this was a good way to be able to do all that at once.

4. TMT: How did you get into dj'ing on the radio? What age were you?

Dj Prophet: I got into radio in college. I was 18.I was studying radio and television broadcasting because my original plan was to be an on air personality. So I got an internship on a morning show in San Diego. So I was pulling commercials and music for the morning show, that internship led to a job in promotions, so I was attending/hosting a lot of events and clubs which helped build relationships w/ promoters and club owners so they started having me "open" for their dj's. So I started creating a lil buzz in San Diego because I would play early and promote hard and  have the clubs busier earlier than usual. In 2002 I moved to Hollywood to try and do my thing in a bigger market. Gigs  weren't easy to come by so I got a job in promotions w/Power 106.  I was there for3 years then I got a gig hosting a TV show.  I didnt have the time to handle the promotions job , TV, and DJ so I just went all in on the TV thing and DJ'ng night clubs. So I got out of radio for about 4 years then my boy DJ BIZZY let me know that 93.5 KDAY was back and looking for mixers. Classic hip hop had always been my "thing" so I jumped on the opportunity to turn in a demo. The program director dug my style and signed me on as of Feb of this year.

5. TMT: What are the things you like about dj'ing on the radio as compared to dj'ing in night clubs? And vice versa?

Dj Prophet: Radio DJng and Club DJ'ng are 2 completely different animals. For me being a for the most part a"club" DJ most of my career, theres a lot more you can get away with in the club thatyou cant somuch on the radio. In the club if your mix slips/wrecks you can fix it w/out anybody really noticing but on the radio there's really no room for error. Theres no distractions of alcohol, men/women, dancing, sparklers, lights, etc. Its just you and the mix. In the club I always vibe with the crowd. I play unplanned unrehearsed sets to fit the mood of the room. On the air my sets are more thought out and planned. They have to be as flawless as humanly possible because on the radio the audience is actually "listening". I like the radio because its a much larger audience and I like the clubs because its a more personal experience. I like to physically see the reactionof the crowd, where with radio I just have to "hope" they dig it.

6.TMT: Are there formats and regulations that you have to stick with when dj'ing air? What are some things that you may share that a dj who doesn't dj on the radio not know about?

Dj Prophet: YES!. Radio is a corporate machine! There are lists of songs that are given to us every week that we are responsible for putting together in a creative way to capture our listeners. OnKDAY we get 3 "gimmies" an hour. Gimmies are song choices that we are free to put in that aren't on our "list". I have a lot of fun with those because it allows me to DIG for songs that may havenot got a lot of airplay but are none the less "classic". So I dig for gimmies that "REAL HEADS" recognize and respect.

7.TMT: What is your take on the night club scene? Is music going in a direction that you would prefer or no? Are there artists out there that your trying to push?

Dj Prophet: The night club scene has become less about the music and or quality of the dj and more about how much money they can make in the 4hours that they are open. Its more about how new /hot the venue is, who's promoting, and what celebrities are there. People could care less whothe dj is and most of the time most club goers have no idea who the DJ is/was. Unless its a celebrity musican/actor/model dj. The music has moved towards more of a mindless mob mentality. Loud computer noises w simple raps and hooks is where its at now. Nobody wants to think, listen or feel so the louder and faster and shallower the better.  Dont get me wrong, I'll play it but thatsjust honestly where its at. I have some artists thaIm working with as far as getting their music out but as far as production I havent gotten into...Yet.....

8.TMT: What style of music do you like to play? What would you consider your style to be like?

Dj Prophet: I enjoy playing it all. the 90's for me is my favorite era but when I go into a gig I wanna take everyone everywhere. I wanna "touch" everyone inthe room. From the first people there,bartenders management , bottle service, barbacks, security, etc.. They hear the same BS night inand night out, I like to play stuff early that they may have not heard in years or what they have in their I tunes that they sing/dance along to at home when nobody is watching. I'd consider my style "DEEP"  I want people to walk away from my sets feeling like they just re-lived all the greatest moments in their life because the music I played took them there.

9.TMT: Name 5 tracks that never leave your crate when dj'ing.

Dj Prophet:

DAMN JUST 5!!!??? lol  OK lets see...

TRIBE CALLED QUEST-AWARD TOUR

GANGSTARR-DWYCK

BOB MARLEY-COULD YOU BE LOVED

MICHAEL JACKSON-DON"T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH

SOULS OF MISCHIEF-93 till INFINITY 

10.TMT: Where can we catch you spinning at?

Dj Prophet: You can catch me on the weekends mixing on 93.5 fm KDAY www.935kday.com , Mondays- BEAUTY BAR 1638 Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood, Ca  Saturdays- HYDE LOUNGE-Hollywood , Monthly residence -Fridays-Rush St Lounge, Culver, Ca and guest spots in and out of town. Keep upw/me on Twitter @DJPROPHET for daily updates.