DEMOLITION MEN  (November 2008) | Interview By: Nima Etminan

      Dubcnn connected with the Bay Area DJ's DJ Devro and DJ Impereal aka Demolition Men to talk about the mixtape game, the Bay Area music scene, their "Playtime Is Over" mixtape with Mistah FAB, their main picks for new artist from the West Coast, their upcoming mixtape and DVD projects and their views on fans complaining about DJ's tagging their mixtapes.

As always we have both the transcript and the audio for you to check and please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: nima@dubcnn.com
 

Interview was done in November 2008.

Questions Asked By : Nima Etminan
 

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Dubcnn: Dubcnn hooked up with the Demolition Men out of the Bay Area to get the scoop on what they have going on right now. Let's get things going, what are ya'll up to right now.

DJ Devro: We've been staying busy. We're still dropping mixtapes, we got another DVD in the making, we're about to shoot a few videos for that, we're throwing our own events and release parties. You know, we're just trying to do our part to help get the west coast its due recognition.


Dubcnn: Describe what you do and how you got to where you're at in a few words.

DJ Impereal: Demolition Men Consists of 2 DJS - DJ Impereal & DJ Devro. Basically around 2003 we formed one of the dopest mixtapes crew in the west coast. During that time the mixtape scene wasn't big in the bayarea like how it is in the East or South, so myself & DJ Devro decided to get the mixtape scene poppin in the Bay. The mixtapes that were being put out at that time had all radio songs on it and no local artists. We took the step forward and started fuckin with all the bay area artists and we started breaking new artist.

We developed a promo team including us in it and we put our feet to the street. Going everywhere with our backpacks and selling our cds in the streets 1 for 5, 3 for 10 all the way from the bay to san diego for like 3 years non stop. Passing out flyers, promo goods etc. This is how we paid our rent, ate food and press up more cds. No clubs, No radio!!!! Eventually the pot boil and its been solid since.


Dubcnn: How would you compare the So. Cal scene to the No. Cal scene? Any major differences/similarities?

DJ Devro: There are a lot more similarities than differences. Both regions are heavy on the independent scene. Both got plenty of young talent, hungry and ready to push. The main difference between the two is styles. LA got its own style, San Diego got their own flavor, All the bay cities got different swags, but its all west coast. some cats are on that separation hype. we're not about that "divide and conquer"...we're about this "unite and takeover". That's more realistic to me.

DJ Impereal: Its the same because its all West Coast. But there's differences with the fact that in So. Cal the major lables are there. In the Northern Cali there ain't shit. Muthafuckers is really independent out here. Fuck a label we do it ourselves hype. Its 2008 & Muthafuckers is really still out here selling out the trunks like old school too short & the click days!!! Its still a struggle for bay area artist to get notice. Muthafuckers gotta drive 5 hours to LA or fly out to NY or ATL to make national buzz. But the scene here is crazyyyy. The fans really support Bay Area music out here.


Dubcnn: Which DJ's were your main influences to do what you do?

DJ Impereal: We come from hip-hop rooted DJ's so I'll say Kool Herc, Grand Master Flash, RedAlert, Ron G, Roc Raida, Kid Capri, Qbert, Jrocc, ShortKut etc.

DJ Devro: That's tough because i feel like every DJ I have ever looked up to that came before me has influenced me to get where i am at today. Dj Babu, Q bert, Roc Raida, Aladin, just to name a few. As far as mixtapes go specifically my major influences probably come from the Beat Junkies, Dj Vinroc, Dj Spinobi, I know I'm missing hella more.


Dubcnn: You're closely linked to Mistah FAB and you did a mixtape with him called "Playtime Is Over", tell us about that.

DJ Impereal: PlayTime is Over is one of the hottest mixtape Albums out now. This is Mistah Fab at his best!!!!! We straight shutting every hater from the West to NY with this one. Me & Devro A&R the whole thing, Getting all original production from some of the best producers in the bay, to getting the features, to getting it mix & mastered. It took 4 months to make.

DJ Devro: Its def not what you are expecting Fab to do right now. We're really shocking a lot of people with this mixtape. The Jacka, Glasses Malone, J Stalin, Krondon, Chamillionaire, Traxamillion, hella dope features. Its a mixtape for the streets, for those who are into traditional hip hop, whether you broke or ballin, we're exposing all of Fabs sides.


Dubcnn: Which other artists do you consider your main guys? Are there any artists that you have helped get signed?

DJ Devro: yeah we definitely have a couple camps that we have teamed up with. We've been helping push J Stalin, Shady Nate, & Beeda weeda...the whole Livewire/PTB connection. They have a whole roster of young cats with some serious gas. And they're all hungry. we've done many projects featuring Livewire artists. Most notable was the "Early Morning Shift" 1 & 2 mixtapes with J Stalin and we're about to drop the "Graveyard Shift" with Shady Nate that's about to smash on everything out! We've done two mixtapes with Beeda Weeda with great reviews.

We also push Alias John Brown who is from Chicago but transplanted to the Bay. His freestyle shits on most niggas writtens. There are a lot more artists here and there but these are the ones we have been with for years. They posses the talent and believed they could do something with it so we support that. Really, I don't think our goal is to help artists get signed though. Id rather help them build their label or their name so they can sign themselves. Make that real money and be in control of their career and future.

DJ Impereal: We fuck with The Jacka Real tough. The Jacka is the realest street rapper in the West Period. We fuck with all the Mob Figaz real tuff. We fuck with Mitchy Slick and The Strong Arm Steady Gang. We even fuck with a latino artist from Medellin, Colombia Dominic Perez. We shot a video out in South America. Look up Dominic Perez on youtube as Dominic Perez and check out his myspace @ www.Myspace.com/Dpdadogface. Straight GAS!!!!


Dubcnn: What are your opinions on the West Coast DJ scene? Who are you feeling and why?

DJ Devro: I feel the west coast DJ scene is going through a transition faze. A lot of new cats are coming up in the mixtape game and doing their thing. That's great for the coast as a whole. I just feel djs have to stop relying on internet only. Hit the streets and know your region. Get involved more with artists who are doing it big as well as cats on the block who got their shit straight but don't have backing. The DJ is the real A&R. Fuck what you heard. Don't always take the safe route, take chances sometimes. The streets will respect you for it. I feel any DJs movement who is in this for real and not on some gimmick or a get famous quick hype.

DJ Impereal: The West Coast DJ scene needs to be stronger. There's no real unity between DJs. Radio DJs stick to there own, Clubs DJs ain't really breaking local records, Mixtape DJs ain't really mixing nor doing anything creative with there mixtapes etc. Alot of DJs just want to follow trends and do what the East Coast & South do. To me that's not original and it doesn't help the West Coast movement. We don't try to be famous or follow trends. You'll never see us posing on the cd covers we rather let our hands talk and let the music speak for itself. We play what we like and what the streets want. Its always fresh, never watered down. So I'm bias *laughs*


Dubcnn: Which direction would you like to see West Coast artists take their music to in the near future?

DJ Impereal: I want West Coast artist to make WEST COAST MUSIC PERIDO!!! Bring back traditional styles and update them to 2009, 2010, 2011 style. Like I said before about following trends, A lot of West Coast artist are guilty for doing that. Muthafuckers wanna get signed so badly that the music loses creativity and it doesn't sound west coast. I hate when I hear some of my favorite artists mocking down south styles with screw & chop hooks or rapping like East Coast rappers etc. All I wanna say to that is let those Coasts do their thing stop being trendy and be more original with the music. Those Styles have never been West Coast styles.

DJ Devro: I want to see West Coast artists with that Jay Z status. I want them to own things. That way they have the ability to make things happens for themselves and the generation coming up underneath them so they don't have to struggle so hard to make it. That's what's missing right now, not many of the OGs who are deep in the rap game reach out to the next generation coming up. That's what it is to be an OG, to look out for and guide the younger cats not to make the same mistakes that they made. When you don't do that, it leaves the young cats to fend for themselves without the proper knowledge, and that's dangerous. its tough game right now...you see it.


Dubcnn: Who are your top picks as far as up and coming artists go?

DJ Devro: The Jacka, J Stalin, Mitchy Slick, Shady Nate, Turf Talk, Husalah, Beeda Weeda, Messy Marv, Suga Free, Glasses Malone, Mistah Fab, Krondon & Phil Da Agony, Laroo, Nipsey Hussle, Dubb 20, Killa Kiese, AP9,Guce, Matt Blaque, Planet Asia, Stevie Joe, Sumthin Terrible, San Quinn, 211, Lil Blood, Dem Hoodstarz, Big Rich, Boo Banger. I'm missing a lot more cause the west coast is really bubbling right now.

DJ Impereal: Everyone Devro mention and there's a lot of young niggas we missed. I'm talking about 18 year olds, 20 year old lil niggas gassin.


Dubcnn: What about yourselves, what do you have planned for the end of the year '08 and 2009?

DJ Impereal: More mixtape albums like Animal Planet & Play Time Is Over. We got one coming out with Mitchy Slick called, "Lost In The Yay" that's shittin' on everything coming out. Demolition Men TV Vol. 2.(DVD), One West - Starring Glasses Malone & More projects with the Jacka & MobFigaz - Jstalin & Liverwire.


Dubcnn: The Demo Men are known for their excessive grind and relentless hustle. What keeps you motivated to keep pushing?

DJ Devro: What has kept us going is the love and respect we get from the artists and the streets. Cause it definitely ain't the money! For reals though. They really respect what we do. That helps us out and lets us know we are on the right path. Also seeing artists grow & come up that are now shining that you where apart of. knowing we helped make that happen and is a great feeling. Plus we get a lot of feedback from people who hear the mixtapes and love our style and how we put it together.

DJ Impereal: The Fans, the Listeners and good music. As long as muthafuckers keep working and putting out good quality music then Demolition Men will keep pushing. Oh yeah and good weed. *laughs*


Dubcnn: How do you balance out the street grind versus the online grind?

DJ Devro: We try to stay on top of both, whenever we cant be in the streets, we have someone there representing us. if we cant be online we get help to cover that base. I think they are both equally important. The internet is a whole other game by itself.


Dubcnn: You released a successful DVD, are you planning anymore DVD releases for the future?

DJ Impereal: Expect a lot of DVDs. We're shooting our own videos for songs that we recorded and we're getting some of the best footage. All real shit none of that over acting bullshit.

DJ Devro: yup....you wont see the typical shit you see on urban DVDs. if you know about what we do then you know we carve our own path. our goal is to keep it real, street, and hip hop. giving it to you 100%.


Dubcnn: What's your opinion on DJ's tagging mixtapes or shouting over there, where do you stand as far as fans complaining about it disturbing the listening experience, while artists say it's an important promotional tool?

DJ Impereal: Fuck whoever complains. If you like the song go buy the album you bitches. Every mixtape DJ should have there own tags & own sound fxs. I personally love the sounds & tags. It makes it good driving music to mobb. I have had people come to us and say, I heard this song on your mixtape that I liked so I went & bought the album but I like the way it sounds on the mixtape better!

DJ Devro: I can see both sides. From a listeners perspective, you get mad hearing overly loud or annoying tags over a song or some dj yelling and shouting out his boys. Then on the other end, a dj/promoter can be scandalous and steal songs from another djs mixtape and pass it off as his, hence the need for the tags. I think their is a middle ground that can be achieved. Djs just have to find a way to tag their product in a less offensive way. Get creative with it. Don't do it exactly how the next nigga does it. Find your own style. Also too, you got people who are never happy with anything, and generally those are the same people who downloaded your shit for free anyways. So I could give a shit what them cats say. If your not supporting the artist by purchasing their music, you get no say and have no grounds to complain.


Dubcnn: Before we go, is there anything else you'd like to let everybody know?

DJ Impereal: Expect the best coming out of The Demolition Men. Support Independent Artist. Support West Coast Music. Check out for Dominic Perez(myspace.com/dpdadogface), Alias John Brown(myspace.com/aliasjohnbrown).www.WestCoastMixtapes.com coming soon!!!!!!! (Myspace.com/DemolitionMenMusic) Free Shipping on Mixtapes...

DJ Devro: Just keep an eye on us. We're gonna keep pushin this One West Movement till we are all eating again. myspace.com/jstalinofficialpage, myspace.com/thejackamobfigaz