DJ STRONG ON SOHH.COM

[HIPHOPWEST.COM]

DJ STRONG ON SOHH.COM
http://blogs.sohh.com/sohhleftcoast/2007/05/catching_up_with_dj_strong.html

When it comes to talking about DJs that are doing big things on the West Coast, you’d be seriously remiss to leave out DJ Strong. Besides having done mixtapes with everyone from Ice Cube to The Dogg Pound to E-40 to Lil Eazy E, he’s also one of the co-founders of HipHopWest on Pico Blvd and is constantly on the cutting edge when it comes to dropping new West Coast tracks on his Cali Untouchables Radio show with DJ Warrior (which you can check out Tuesday nights at 11:00 PST on Sirius HipHopNation channel 40).

SOHH Left Coast recently took a moment to talk with Strong about a few things, including what he’s up to these days, who he thinks will be next artist from the West Coast to blow up, and his opinion on the recent RIAA raid on DJ Drama.
SOHH Left Coast: So what projects do you have in the works right now, Strong?

DJ Strong:I got the Shiekh Shoes Mixtape I did for this clothing store; they are playing the mixtape in the store and down the coast. Also, you can download it for free online at www.hiphopwest.com. I do have a few other projects but they’re under wraps for now.
Are there any artists out there right now that you're hoping to work with in the near future?

Dre definitely- I think it would be dope to do that. And maybe Snoop Dogg if the time was right.

Out of all the new artists out there currently, who do you think has the most potential to blow up on a national level?

I would like to see Mitchy Slick, Tri-Star, Lil Tone, Mistah Fab, Kartoon, Crooked I and a bunch of other artists blow up from the West. I know I’m forgetting a bunch of people, but for real there is a lot of talent on the West Coast just waiting for the right deals to come our way.

For those out there who aren't already familiar, when and how did you and DJ Warrior link up to start Cali Untouchable DJs?

About 2001, I was doing my independent record company and he was doing his hustle and a record pool; he initially tried to get me to be in it, but we just clicked up and started pushing Cali Untouchable DJs which later birthed Hiphopwest and Cali Untouchable Radio and the whole slew of mixtapes we put out.

A lot of DJs make a name for themselves as DJs before switching to a role that's more based in production. Do you think this is the road that you'll go down?

I have done some minor production and I want to do more of it in the future- maybe even score a few movies but yeah, I will probably start out managing a few producers then transition.

What's going on with Stronghouse Records these days?

That’s a good question! We are getting ready to re-release the Black Brown White: 3 Shades of Rap Pt. 2 cd that I did with King Tech hosting it and put it for download worldwide on itunes, napster, rhapsody (and) all that, get some ringtones out there too. Look out for that in the next month and a half- Im gonna start doing some
press on that. Redesigned the cover too go check it out at
hiphopwest.com

After the whole DJ Drama/RIAA thing, what changes did you feel like you had to make in your game to avoid ending up in the same situation he was in?

Drama's situation is kinda crazy. I dunno what’s gonna come out of it but as far as us, it was never really like that. We did our promo thing to get our name out there and built it into other brands like the radio show and hiphopwest and we will be coming out with some albums soon. I guess the whole Drama thing just made everyone grow up.

What changes do you see happening in the DJ world so that what happened with Drama and Cannon doesn't happen with anyone else?

Hopefully the labels will step up and take part in the DJ culture and present us with the opportunity to make money with and for them. All it takes is a standard contract and the willingness to do it. But it just takes that one dude like Justo- RIP -to step up to the plate and put it on CEOs’ desks, ‘cause they all know it makes money, it’s
just not a priority to them at this point. I’ve heard some rumors so hopefully we will see the opportunity to do that.

What West Coast joints have you been bumpin' a lot lately?

Young Dre- “Get the Game Bacc Right”, Crooked I's freestyles, Tri-Star- “Dresscode Killa”, (and) Kurupt- “Pop Pop Bang”... I got that on the Shiehk Shoes Mixtape. It’s off the Big Squeeze Snoop Dogg joint.