Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Monday Night Starr's @ Two Sha's

On a cold, wintery Monday night in the Bronx, you will find a corner spot full of the grown and sexy from Uptown and The Boogie Down.  Hosted by DJ Mell Starr with Frank Jugga on the mic, the party heated up early.  Opening at six, DJ Money Ern held down the spot with a blend of new R&B and Hip-Hop.  Up around 9 o'clock and continuing with the theme "Lady Starr's", DJ Ms. Chu tore up the place going from new school to old school to reggae and more.  With a plethora of Tru School royalty coming through, the party stayed jumping and the drinks kept flowing.  The kitchen in the back was serving up tasty hot wing and finger foods.  The selection of grown and sexy ladies kept the fellas coming in.  If you're uptown and looking for a nice spot to party, meet and greet, this is definitely a top flight choice.  Monday Night Starr's @ Two Sha's.  2576 3rd Avenue Bronx, NY... Photos to follow soon.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Not Really DJ Related But Dope Anyway

Join Mario and Melvin Van Peebles on Feb. 25 for a free screening of “Baadasssss!,” a documentary about the groundbreaking 1971 film "Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song." The night starts with a performance by Melvin Van Peebles wid Laxative band!

Learn More Here

Rest In Power Big L

Big L R.I.P. Anniversary 2/15
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the passing of one of the most prolific MC's to come out of Harlem.  Big L, although his life and career were cut short, left a profound impact on the game and there isn't a day that goes by that he isn't missed.  I'm not at any turntables today so I can't give him a proper tribute but I've found some mixes on Soundcloud to share with you guys that will hopefully satiate that need.  Rest In Power brotha.

Listen Here

Mission statement for DJ Administer

I created this blog originally in the hopes of promoting my own DJ skills but I am now interested in using this as a platform to unify the burgeoning worlds of the DJ.  Current there are two camps in the DJ world... I like to refer to them as Analog and Digital (hence the name A/D Minister) Analog is traditional Turntabilism with vinyl.  Traditional beat making with an MPC or SP1200 or other machinery of that type.  It is odd that all of those "electronics" constitutes the 'Analog' side of the argument.

Next is the digital side of things and even that hass an analog/digital type of war going on.  The Serato vs. Traktor debate.  The skillful non-inclusion of Torq, Virtual Dj, Mixvibes, PCDJ and more.  Also the many, many DAW's that are out there factor into this.  Ableton, FL Studio, Ms. Pinky.  All of this software is available for any use to try and delve into, but traditionalist DJ's lean toward Serato because of it's simplicity.  And yet as of late, Serato has gone to great lengths to position itself alongside DVS powerhouses like Traktor which seemed to have masterfully bridged the worlds of DJ'ing and production in one software application.

DJ Controllers have been popping up all over the place, but I am of the opinion that they have been around since before DVS systems came into existence.  Endless rotary encoders, keyboards, touchpads, X/Y pads, and midi treats of all kinds have been available for use since the 70's.  DJ's have been using echo chambers and effects boxes since the 70's as well.  It only made sense looking at the explosion in electronic music in the eighties that this technology would creep into the hands of Turntabilists and DJ's alike.

Left out of the conversation for the most part is one of the longest standing providers of DVS systems, Ms. Pinky whose proprietary timecode has been used for several other DVS systems including Torq (one of my favorite pieces of software still).  Ms. Pinky in and of itself is a stand alone DVS that can be used as a VST instrument in virtually any DAW giving the user vinyl control over whatever parameters they choose.  Ingenious, but here in the States, not included in the conversation.

I could delve deeper into all of the different technologies that are available to DJ's out there to use but that would just sidetrack me from the point I am trying to make.  When Hip-Hop first started (and any other musical genre for that matter) it was about who had the best sound.  Of course if you had the best and the latest gear you were the man but let's not forget some things:

1 - Some guy named Joseph Sadler from the Bronx who became synonymous with a swift footed comic book character who changed the entire way DJ's performed  by adding a horizontal fader to a nondescript mixer so he could fade between the two record players he was using.

2 - 3 guys from Long Island and their producer decided that their Hip-Hop album should have witty commercial breaks between songs, virtually mastered the art of sampling and got sued out of their socks for all of it.

3 - Kanye West went all Marilyn Manson on us in his latest offering after fighting for years to heard as an MC and reminding us what traditional Hip-Hop beats are supposed to sound like.

4 - Popping and Locking crews, danced... instead of killing each other.

The point is... it is about the creativity.  Whatever tools you use, master them.  Word to Rob Base, just make the music dope!  Oh yeah, subscribe, comment and everything else.  I am open to suggestions and looking for contributors!

Artwork Courtesy of AngryTalic

Friday, February 14, 2014

A little Love on Valentines Day


De La Soul To Give Away Entire Catalog TODAY


In a move reminiscent of the fat man in a red and white suit on the roof of suburban American dreams during the Christian celebratory season of the Jewish Messiah, De La Soul is giving away their entire catalog of classic TRU(GOY) school Hip-Hop. Ironically, for 25 Hours starting at 11 AM today, Valentines Day (Maybe their trying to replace the fat white guy with the fat arrow shooting cherub), you can go to their website, WeAreDeLaSoul.com and get all of this classic material. This is especially beneficial to all the little boys and girls who think Hip-Hop started with Little Wayne and CMB (No disrespect to Weezy, I think what that man has accomplished in his career has simply been unmatched by any MC/artist in the game... he's been doing this since he was 10?!?!?!?!? WHAT!). Go and find out where the Hip-Hop skit was first birthed, discover the errant beat making and production mind of Prince Paul; the triple threat assault weapon we know and love as POS, TRUGOY and MASEO; the conscious altering rhyme styles of the Native Tongues. Hopefully, this will rekindle our love affair with infectious beats, and thought provoking rhymes, although in truth, those two elements haven't gone anywhere but underground... can you say Hip-Hop/De La Soul is Dead! So Head on Over there and get your fix of the Daisy Age and make sure after you've enjoyed your trip down memory lane, you venture off into the other members of The Native Tongue movement. Who knows, this Valentines Day, 'Buddy' might make you a momma or a daddy 9 months from now.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Autograph from Q-Bert

Unfortunately I lost my phone and couldn't get pics of the in-store at Rock and Soul with Fat Fingaz, Shiftee, Ease and special guest NYC Regional DMC judge, DJ Q-Bert, but I did get an autograph.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

2014 NYC DMC Regionals Finals Winner - DJ Dwells (13 Year Old Phenom)

(As Quoted from Facebook) 2014 DMC NYC DJ Battle results! Congrats to: 1st: Dwells (13 yr old from CT) 2nd Dj Ease (NY) 3rd DJ Dirty Digits (NY) aka Dan Chaves (all vinyl sets!) 4th DJ Roli Rho (NY) Top 6 Finalists also included DJ Rugged One (NY) aka Greg Fils-Aime DJ Remedy (MD) After the Elims: Remedy was tied with Djsupreme Grandmastar for 6th place - each having a full 2 points (meaning one judge put each DJ in 5th place) - but the judges deliberated and selected Remedy to advance. D Spliff also had 2 points but they were two 1 points (meaning two judges gave him 6th place). DJ Revelation (CT) aka Steve Solomson and DJ Shame (NY) each received 1 point (meaning one judge selected them a their choice for 6th place. Oh I am getting way too sleepy! will write more tomorrow God willing! Thanks to everyone who battled and who came through to make this night the best!! DJ Precision, As One and AJ didn't battle Photos By Ignacio Soltero