After DJ'n for a while.......

[R-Tistic]

For the last few months, I've really just been DJing versus producing. I don't know how, but I haven't felt the production side of things much for the last year or so, and I gradually became a DJ just because I always had a lot of music and good sound systems. I upgraded my sound system Wednesday, and did two parties this weekend that were both major until the cops came. So with DJing these parties, I've realized a few things, with many being related the West Coast.....

-I can see why L.A. has been behind on the club music tip, because our vibe and most of our production this decade hasn't been aimed for the clubs. I've been in Florida for 5 years now, and I used to ALWAYS be the main one to ask the DJ to give us that one good West Coast song...but since I've been doin parties for non-Californians, I'll almost feel like I'm selling out if I don't play a single L.A. song, especially if it's people from L.A. there. The songs that we have that could easily become major club hits nationwide never get the push....such as Jag "Check out my swag" and Lil Bob Gotti and 40 "Get it girl". I can't play those during the "prime time" when the party is really movin and I'm playin all the hits...but when I play em early, everybody is on them hard as hell.

-Most of the biggest songs from California usually aren't the ones that California natives want to hear at clubs...and we'll ride to them because that's usually all we get, but the songs that make us act up the most are usually the ones that were never big outside of California. For the Bay, Tell me when to go is easily the biggest club song they've had since "I got five on it" and "The Humpty dance" to the rest of the nation....but when I play "Super hyphy" "Thizzle dance" and "Feeling myself", the Bay cats go a lot harder. For L.A., Drop it like it's hot, California Love, Nothin but a G thang, Regulate, and a few other major hits from the 90's are the main ones that we'll hear durin a short "West Coast segment" outside of California...but we go much crazier over tracks like "Why you bullshittin?" "G'd up" "Down down down" and "Ain't no fun"...and outside of Ain't no fun, we'll NEVER hear those outside of CA.

-After hearing enough Down South music to know what's usually hot, I feel that the Bay's music could have been just as big when the best Hyphy tracks were comin out, in the 2005-2006 era. Many of these songs blend perfect with the down south songs that have that 98-110 dancing tempo, and they sound similar to the Tampa Bay sound, which is actually dope as hell for the clubs. I think L.A.'s music worked best in the 90's, when club music overall was much more laid back from every coast. Outkast, Puffy, Jay, Big, and everyone else who had major club songs back then were all very laid back, so the L.A. artists vibes still matched with those. At this point, the laid backness just doesn't work in clubs or at parties anymore.

-Whenever we have our West Coast parties, it'll usually be 50-50, half from CA, half from wherever else...but everybody else starts complainin when I play 2-3 straight west coast songs, even though it's our party....so I still have to play more down south music. It does get females dancin more...but to be real, a lot of the songs they like are more of anthems that you sing along to versus dancin songs...and they just seem to feel left out when we play true west coast that they can't catch on to or that they haven't heard before.

-As far as music and energy goes, the Bay is much more like the South, and L.A. is much more like the East and Midwest. For one, the Bay and South have much more pride, and more of a bias when it comes to hearin there songs durin the party. People from L.A. just want to hear 2-3 of our songs, and we're good...but people from the South want to hear their shit all night, and could care less if that's all that's played. L.A. and the East's music this decade has still been laid back for the most part, so even the main East Coast singles that were big don't get as good of a reaction as some older south songs that people who've never been to the South haven't even heard before. For the Bay, I'll play 3 straight songs, and then go to some South or whatever...and half of them will still be beggin me to play more of their music. It can be annoying, only because it's hard to please two different coasts with entirely different sounds...but it shows that their music is a lot stronger for the club, and that they support it a whole lot more.

-This probably goes for most DJ's...but I HATE when girls bug you by standin right next to you or over you, and trying to command you, not request, but command you, to play this, this, and that. It can get annoying as hell, even if they look good, because you can't just play any song at any time...and because there are some songs that only a few people will care for. And I promise, if another female comes to me beggin me to play Soulja Boy when the party isn't even full yet...or beggin me to play it again just because they missed it.............umm....I won't do anything, but I will mentally slap the hell out of her.

-I've realized that you can't drop too much brand new music right during "prime time" which is when the party is at it's peak, regardless of how dope it is, just because people want to hear the tracks they know by heart. The funniest part about it to me is that you can try this, and people will look at you like "booo, cut this wack song off, this sucks"....but as soon as it hits radio and gets in rotation for a few weeks, they love it. I still remember the first time I heard "Drop it like it's hot" at the club...nobody but me and two people from L.A. were movin to it, and everybody else just stopped dancing....but a month later, they are all requestin it.

-Overall....the hardest adjustment that I had to make was learnin to play songs I don't care for at all, and not playin songs that I feel are much better...especially when I am gettin paid good money for it. I tried my hardest to never play Soulja Boy at a party, but I had to give in...and when I did, females acted like I was the best DJ in the world. The thing that people don't think about is that most DJs and producers become what they are because of their passion, knowledge, and appreciation of music...and we usually don't care for the "flavor of the month", fad, "song of the year that'll never be heard again" type of music...and for me, I started off doing parties only because I had music and equipment, and not because I really wanted to DJ for real. So when people started askin me to do parties, I'd still have the mindframe that I'm gonna play songs that are brand new that are gonna be big soon, songs that I feel were great but slept on, and not playin anything that is wack and would never be heard from after it burns out....but that just wasn't going to work at all. So at times, I feel like I'm sellin out, especially for the West, because I've always been the biggest advocate for West Coast music that a lot of people know...but when I'm getting paid, I can't just play what me and a few other people want to hear...I have to cater to whoever's there.

[Fonky Fresh]

Right so you're a victim in other words lol... just kidding

it's all i good i hear ya just maybe try to make remixes! Remix the shit that people like with some other westcoast track i don't know it's you the Dj if you really are the left coast's advocate i guess you'll find a way otherwise your viewpoint of the "system" is null & void to me.

[Tay]

Those are some damn good points!!! At least you give an effort to get the West in there, that's more than most DJ's do, even some of them that are out here in the West.

[Styles1]

It's tough to break any unknown record during what you call "prime time"... People just want to dance to what they are familiar with (usually through the radio) ...

Not sure if you use the mic or not, but during the other parts of your set, using the mic could help things. When I did my brief stint some years back, when I would play an old school song I would say, "Taking you back to the old school with ....." and when something was new I would say, "Here is a new jam by so and so..." That way people will know what to expect and not look confused when they hear something that they are unfamiliar with...

Good job though! Producers that DJ are usually the best ones....   

[R-Tistic]

Right so you're a victim in other words lol... just kidding

it's all i good i hear ya just maybe try to make remixes! Remix the shit that people like with some other westcoast track i don't know it's you the Dj if you really are the left coast's advocate i guess you'll find a way otherwise your viewpoint of the "system" is null & void to me.

LOL I feel you...I see it that I just need to keep doin parties to the point that people are familiar enough with me to not trip as much when I play our music..and it definitely helps when my CA people are at somebody else's party, so I always invite all of them. I do always mix the West Coast songs into the other songs, especially the Bay ones...and it works a lot, because some of the tempos and beats themselves just blend perfectly when they come in, so the people who are already dancin will just keep dancin and catch the hype off of the people from the Bay who are movin to it.

[R-Tistic]

Those are some damn good points!!! At least you give an effort to get the West in there, that's more than most DJ's do, even some of them that are out here in the West.

Thanks...yeah I definitely try to. It seems like some of them just got caught up in the "West is dead" argument or whatever.

[R-Tistic]

It's tough to break any unknown record during what you call "prime time"... People just want to dance to what they are familiar with (usually through the radio) ...

Not sure if you use the mic or not, but during the other parts of your set, using the mic could help things. When I did my brief stint some years back, when I would play an old school song I would say, "Taking you back to the old school with ....." and when something was new I would say, "Here is a new jam by so and so..." That way people will know what to expect and not look confused when they hear something that they are unfamiliar with...

Good job though! Producers that DJ are usually the best ones....   

I feel you..it just seems to be even harder here for some reason. In L.A., and even for West Coast people, it seems like they'll still dance and groove to certain songs that come in strong, even if they haven't heard them before. The only time that happened recently for me was when I broke "I'm so hood" back in June, and everybody from out here was askin "damn, what song is this?" and for remixes, I just start off with the regular one and bring the remix in.

Yeah I definitely started talkin on the mic this week, so I always do warn them of whatever. I played "Rebirth of slick" from the hook, then mixed into the bars right before "Yay area" last night, and I made an announcement about what I was doin...but I think I played the hook for a bit too long, because some people were like "he's really playin a laid back old school track?" but I just like takin people back a bit.

I remember somebody from Thaformula store tellin me that I should DJ, and that was back in 2002...and he said the same as you, and vice versa, because most of the big producers were DJ's at one time.

[Styles1]

I remember somebody from Thaformula store tellin me that I should DJ, and that was back in 2002...and he said the same as you, and vice versa, because most of the big producers were DJ's at one time.

Yup... that's how Dre came up with his 15 second rule for his songs. While he was DJ'ing, if a song didn't grab him within the first 15 seconds, it got tossed.

The best feeling about DJ'ing is knowing that you put on the right song at the right time... they let you know it too.

[R-Tistic]

I remember somebody from Thaformula store tellin me that I should DJ, and that was back in 2002...and he said the same as you, and vice versa, because most of the big producers were DJ's at one time.

Yup... that's how Dre came up with his 15 second rule for his songs. While he was DJ'ing, if a song didn't grab him within the first 15 seconds, it got tossed.

The best feeling about DJ'ing is knowing that you put on the right song at the right time... they let you know it too.

LOL yeah that rule is so for real...sometimes even a 3-4 second rule. You can hear two bars of the beat and get a feeling for it. Some songs take you longer to really get into....but on average, especially for club tracks, you can tell if it's hot as soon as you hear a loop of the drums.

Yeah that is dope when it happens...and I always try my best to save the best songs for when everybody is there, even though people will ask for them early on. I hate repeating songs.

[maxpowers]

you have good points and I think a lot of DJs feel the same. Now my question for you is, what do you think can be done to change this current issue of westcoast music not getting that much love in the clubs?

1) Should the artist switch to a faster tempo i.e dance records with catchy hooks and less few word play?
2) Force that laid back westcoast sound back on the radio so the power of the radio can influence the clubs? [point to note: In the south, their records get broken in the  clubs before they even make it to the radio]
3) Should westcoast artist artist give in and accept the new form of music and forget the laid back shit and just do club records or wait till the south gets played out?
4) Should they just start a movement by smashing clubs that don't play 50% westcoast music? By enforcing this notion in clubs and radio, gives the PD and DJ no other choice but to play 50% westcoast music. If they don't, they get beat up lol?

This my Opinion; I think the Bay lost for not having a follow up or at least a strong movement off the hype of 40's tell me when to go.  The song was a smaaaaaaaash hit but in reality people just thought it was just another lil jon hit record and not so much of a movement from the Bay. They had the look and it seemed like everyone was behind it but i guess the "ghost ride whip" was a major blow to the movement. Mistah FAB was a good follow up for the movement but once the industry hater block started on the video, then boom the movement is shifted back to the south.

The way to sum this is all is [and this is for the djs] NOPE. You cant do shit.........each region gets its 5-10 years shine and then it gets taken away when people get tired of it. SIMPLE, THERE IS REALLY NO SOLUTION TO THIS MATTER, JUST OBSERVE AND LET IT RIDE OUT.

[D1G1T4L]

thats one thing i hate the mentality of "ooh i didnt hear this on a radio before so it sucks"

[GangstaBoogy]

The songs that we have that could easily become major club hits nationwide never get the push....such as Jag "Check out my swag" and Lil Bob Gotti and 40 "Get it girl".

Hmm...I actually never heard those. Can someone hook me up?

everybody else starts complainin when I play 2-3 straight west coast songs, even though it's our party....so I still have to play more down south music.

Whats sickening about that is, I go through the same shiet everytime I get in my homies car. Its 4 of us that always hang out. One of my dudes is a West Coast fan but he's a closet South fan (hella into Jeezy, Luda, and T.I.). The other 2 somehow enjoy all this radio bullshiet. We get into arguements all the time cuz I'll put in a mix cd with like 13 West Coast songs, and about 5 South songs. They can sit through the shiet like Mims, Unk, and Soulja Boy, but hearing DJ Quik, E-40, and Crooked I back to back to back is unbearable.

[Mackin]

The songs that we have that could easily become major club hits nationwide never get the push....such as Jag "Check out my swag" and Lil Bob Gotti and 40 "Get it girl".

Hmm...I actually never heard those. Can someone hook me up?

everybody else starts complainin when I play 2-3 straight west coast songs, even though it's our party....so I still have to play more down south music.

Whats sickening about that is, I go through the same shiet everytime I get in my homies car. Its 4 of us that always hang out. One of my dudes is a West Coast fan but he's a closet South fan (hella into Jeezy, Luda, and T.I.). The other 2 somehow enjoy all this radio bullshiet. We get into arguements all the time cuz I'll put in a mix cd with like 13 West Coast songs, and about 5 South songs. They can sit through the shiet like Mims, Unk, and Soulja Boy, but hearing DJ Quik, E-40, and Crooked I back to back to back is unbearable.

^^Ain't That Truth!!
It's like Folks are scared to stand up and Say I'm aWestcoast fan and i only listen to Westcoast Music..

[R-Tistic]

you have good points and I think a lot of DJs feel the same. Now my question for you is, what do you think can be done to change this current issue of westcoast music not getting that much love in the clubs?

1) Should the artist switch to a faster tempo i.e dance records with catchy hooks and less few word play?
2) Force that laid back westcoast sound back on the radio so the power of the radio can influence the clubs? [point to note: In the south, their records get broken in the  clubs before they even make it to the radio]
3) Should westcoast artist artist give in and accept the new form of music and forget the laid back shit and just do club records or wait till the south gets played out?
4) Should they just start a movement by smashing clubs that don't play 50% westcoast music? By enforcing this notion in clubs and radio, gives the PD and DJ no other choice but to play 50% westcoast music. If they don't, they get beat up lol?

This my Opinion; I think the Bay lost for not having a follow up or at least a strong movement off the hype of 40's tell me when to go.  The song was a smaaaaaaaash hit but in reality people just thought it was just another lil jon hit record and not so much of a movement from the Bay. They had the look and it seemed like everyone was behind it but i guess the "ghost ride whip" was a major blow to the movement. Mistah FAB was a good follow up for the movement but once the industry hater block started on the video, then boom the movement is shifted back to the south.

The way to sum this is all is [and this is for the djs] NOPE. You cant do shit.........each region gets its 5-10 years shine and then it gets taken away when people get tired of it. SIMPLE, THERE IS REALLY NO SOLUTION TO THIS MATTER, JUST OBSERVE AND LET IT RIDE OUT.

It's really a hard call overall. I realize that for many L.A. rappers, and most New York rappers, it's just hard to make modern day club tracks without having them sound forced and synthetic. As weird as it sounds...cats like D4L make much better club music than talented cats like Crooked I do, and I compare it to high school...because it's like the smartest cats aren't always the ones that everybody likes, because they are over a lot of people's heads....but the most "popular" ones tend to be the silly ones who have the most personality, regardless if they are smart or have any substance to them. In some cases, there are people who have both sides covered, and these become the "Homecoming Kings" and the legends of the game...such as the Jay's, Pacs, Biggies who can make any kind of song sound authentic and not forced. So for the average L.A. rapper who tries to make club tracks...they tend to get a little upbeat track, use a Jay-Z inspired flow and voice, and the whole damm song is just about the club...and they'll throw a R&B singer on the hook trying to make it catchy. They'll have the overtypical "I'm in VIP, got bottles and models" and all that, and the song just won't have that feel to it like that.

So as far as the club scene is concerned...if L.A. and even some Bay cats want to have success in making club hits, they'll have to do the following....if they don't have their own unique sound, which is really on the producer, then take the blueprint from whatever is hot, and just evolve it into a style that has the same club feel, but doesn't sound like a rip off. Laid back tracks just aren't going to make it right now in the club, but the hard hitting "anthem" styled tracks are what L.A. and NY should focus on. I get money and Ballin are the two biggest East Coast club hits since Lean back and In da club, and these were laid back to an extent, but had that energy to them.

I do think the fact that hyphy didn't blow at that level was all bad...but they did make an impact nationwide that was still rare for an area to get limited radio play. It's funny to me, because most of the country still has no idea that L.A. and the Bay are different places, and they'll even be like "ok well Oakland is in the Bay...isn't that 15 minutes from L.A.? And isn't L.A. Orange County?" or "I thought San Francisco was part of L.A." and they have no idea that the music and culture is so much different between the two. So they always ask me to go dumb, or ask Bay cats if they can Crip walk.

[R-Tistic]

The songs that we have that could easily become major club hits nationwide never get the push....such as Jag "Check out my swag" and Lil Bob Gotti and 40 "Get it girl".

Hmm...I actually never heard those. Can someone hook me up?

everybody else starts complainin when I play 2-3 straight west coast songs, even though it's our party....so I still have to play more down south music.

Whats sickening about that is, I go through the same shiet everytime I get in my homies car. Its 4 of us that always hang out. One of my dudes is a West Coast fan but he's a closet South fan (hella into Jeezy, Luda, and T.I.). The other 2 somehow enjoy all this radio bullshiet. We get into arguements all the time cuz I'll put in a mix cd with like 13 West Coast songs, and about 5 South songs. They can sit through the shiet like Mims, Unk, and Soulja Boy, but hearing DJ Quik, E-40, and Crooked I back to back to back is unbearable.

I don't know if they'll be mad that I'm sharing them...but I just feel that these songs NEEEEEED to be heard, because they shit on damn near everything else out in my opinion. These are two of the only West Coast tracks I've ever been able to play right after "I get money" or somethin major like that, and have people hearin it for the first time but still reactin to it like "damn, this goes hard!" They are both examples of the route we could take as far as production...because they both have that bare, hard hittin sound to them, with catchy hooks that aren't watered down BS like what's on radio. Funny thing is that both songs were heavily influenced by "I'm a hustla", but still have their own identity. Jag's hook is flippin a Jay hook EXACTLY like they did on Hustla, and Bob Gotti's drums sound a lot like the ones on there...but his track came out a few months before "I get money" which uses the same kind of drums.

Jag - Check out my swag
http://www.zshare.net/audio/40922305dc26ce/

Lil Bob Gotti ft. E-40 - Get it girl
http://www.zshare.net/audio/409226154779ab/

And damm, I definitely knew some dudes in high school who were like that. It was funny because one was basically the dickridin co-signer to the other one...and I saw them five years after graduation, and dude was still on this dude's dick and hatin on the West with him. The main dude was into everything we were in Middle school, but he moved to the East coast from 7th-10th grade, and when he came back, he had the fake East Coast accent, long chain, and was rappin soundin just like Wu-Tang but sayin random shit that wasn't sayin ANYTHING...and bein out there for those four years made him feel that West Coast rap was garbage.