Interview: DJ Shortkut

Step inside the party, disrupt the whole scene - By Morgan Short, Jun 12, 09



Boasting a resume that lists the greatest DJ groups of all time -- Triple Threat, Invisibl Skratch Picklz, and the Beat Junkies -- DJ Shortkut is an icon in west coast hip hop and turntabalism the world over. He's also a super nice guy.

Shortkut returns to Shanghai, playing tonight at the Quality Control night at The Shelter, rounding out their special series of events featuring members of the Beat Junkies.

SmartShanghai sat down with Shortkut at Wagas for some powerman smoothies.

Check out the event details here, Shortkut on MySpace here, and his main site here.

***

So when did you get into Shanghai?

Shortkut: Yesterday morning. Just been DVD shopping...

Right on. Did you get some good stuff?

Shortkut: [Holds out arms indicating a massive quantity of pirated DVDs]. Random shit. Random shit that just came out back home.

Is this your second time playing in China? Third?

Shortkut: Um. Fifth. I was here in 2005 at Pegasus, but my first time was at Ark Live House.

What do you remember from those shows? Were they good?

Shortkut: The Ark show was dope. Pegasus was a little different but it was cool.

So you're doing Shanghai and Beijing this time. Shanghai is at The Shelter and Beijing is at Bling. Have you been to The Shelter before?

Shortkut: Oh yeah... it's like my third time there. I was here for the DMC and I also played at Shanghai By Bus, which was one of my best gigs ever.

What sorts of stuff were you playing at Shanghai By Bus?

Shortkut: Oh, just foundation reggae. Studio One... and just a lot of stuff you can't even play at reggae clubs back home. Just really open. And then I was there for the DMC after-party, which was also great.

How do you feel about the DMC these days? Still going strong?

Shortkut: It's still going strong for what it is. It's still there, you know. Everyone's got good skills... the thing that I miss though is that people aren't using original records. Like the reason I got into it was looking at the DJ and wondering what the next record was going to be. But now I can't even recite anyone's routine anymore because people are using their own pressings -- and that's good for the production side of it -- but for me personally I like hearing, 'oh, he played that song!'. That's what gets me excited, but now that's gone.

So the majority of DJs in the competition are using special records?

Shortkut: Yeah, like they're using special pressings made just for that battle. It just kind of takes away from the rawness of it.

And the actual "selection"...

Shortkut: Yeah, exactly. It takes away, like, you as a DJ actually selecting stuff. It's kind of a lost thing. Call me old school but that's what I like...

Are you still following it every year?

Shortkut: Oh yeah, I still follow it every year. In a couple weeks I'm going to New Orleans for one of the US heats, so yeah I follow it. I'm not out of the loop...

So you've been here quite a few times. Have you had a chance to check out the Chinese hip hop scene? What are you thoughts on that?

Shortkut: I think its dope. I think just the fact that they have a scene is great, you know... I mean getting records is a big hardship. But now that there is Serato, it's like a free-for-all.

And that's not bad -- Serato -- it gets DJs out here the music. But now that you have the music, lets see now how you play those records, how you present it, and what you select.

But yeah the DJs here are dope. I've seen a lot of good ones here, especially the last year of the DMCs here. I was really surprised at the level of playing.

How is California these days?

Shortkut: Different. The US in general. As far as the DMC... that whole battle scene has kinda gone down. I think everyone's trying to get that next Vegas gig, you know. [Laughs.]. Or like everyone is looking to be the next DJ AM. And another thing is that it's just gotten so technically advanced that it's going over people's heads.

It's like there has to be some kind of a balance -- I hate to say dumbing it down...

Make it more transparent somehow?

Shortkut: Yeah, yeah, make it more understandable so people know whats going on, not just the headz.

Are you playing out lots?

Shortkut: Yeah, I was just in LA for a week and I'm doing video mixing now too.

Oh yeah I wanted to ask you about that.. how exactly does video mixing work?

Shortkut: Serato has a new plug-in -- well not really new, it's been out for a year and a half or something -- but it lets you edit and transition between videos, like fade in, fade out, grids...

Can you do the Star Wars screen sweep?

Shortkut: Oh yeah, there's so many different combination you can do with it. Yeah, the images are coming out of the laptop and you have to have the Serato mixer and that also does the audio and you can control everything from there.

What kind of content are you using?

Shortkut: Music videos and movie clips for transitions... movie excerpts.

That's pretty cool. I'm going to have to google that shit.

Shortkut: Yeah, if you look on Youtube right now...

Can't.

Shortkut: Oh yeah. [Laughs.] I found out about that the hard way.

So in 2007, you celebrated 20 years of DJing. Maybe you could revisit some highlights of your career.

Shortkut: Yeah man. I mean it's dope. I never expected I'd still be playing. I never expected I'd be doing it for this long. To come from the turntabalism scene and still be doing it. I've gotten smarter, traveling, how to adapt to a crowd... like Shanghai is different than Beijing.

Really. You know the difference? What's the difference?

Shortkut: Well playing at The Shelter I get to play more old school. Well, not necessarily old school, but stuff I like. And the crowd was very into it. In Beijing for the crowds you have to play a bit more mainstream, and I do that back home to, it's not just in China, you know. Some clubs you have to play more mainstream and some clubs you can balance it more. You gotta know what to expect when you go in...

But when you go to play a place that is actually called "Bling", you kinda know what the deal is...

Shortkut: [Laughs]. Yeah, well, no disrespect to Bling. I'm glad I can play certain things for some people and certain things for others. It's all about getting the crowd going. I have been in situations, however, where I¡¯ve been told, 'yeah do you, do whatever you want' and then I get there it's like...

More Eminem?

Shortkut: Yeah Beyonce, Jay-Z or whatever... then it's just balancing it with what I like and what I want to play.

Highlights. 20 years. Beat Junkies. Triple Threat. Skratch Picklz.

Shortkut: Yeah, Skratch Picklz vs. X-Ecutioners in '96. That was great for me because I was up there with Q-bert and Mike, and for years I was like the little brother, I was the little kid, and then they put me down with the crew, so that was big for me. On top of that I was battling the X-Ecutioners, who were like my main influences. I looked at Rob Swift as my mentor, you know what I mean, so that was a big one.

Another one was me, Mix Master Mike, and D-Styles opening up for the Beastie Boys in Oakland. And they had the stage in the middle of the arena, it was crazy. They turned off all the lights and we walked in from the dressing room into something like a wrestling rink. It was dope, you know. And it was the hometown...

What sorts of stuff do you have planed for the crowd at The Shelter on Friday? I guess you see what they're into first... try out somethings and then see? Could be chamber music and then punk rock and then you whittle it down?

Shortkut: Yeah I have to see. I'll definitely go off the last DJ to see what works. Like, 'they like that oh'...

So you've played here five times over a number of years... have you seen the crowd change? The people who are going to the shows? Are people getting the message?

Shortkut: It's changed ever since I've been playing at The Shelter. I can say that in Asia it's the only place that you can play whatever you want and people go with it. Which is good, why would you want to do what the other guy is doing. It's good that they're doing something different.

Yeah, it's good that they're also committed to making no money and a life of poverty. [Laughs.] It's all about "the music." Is there anything else you want to mention?

Shortkut: [Grabs voice recorder]. I love Shanghai. Shanghai is a breath of fresh air for me. From all the shit I do back home. Not to dis back home but I wish it was a little more open like it is here.

So try to come out. You might not know what to expect but you're guaranteed to have a good time.

***

Quality Control pres. DJ Shortkut ¨C Beat Junkies Special Vol. II at The Shelter. Cover is 50rmb. Starts 10pm. Support is The Lab crew.
Please sign in or register to comment
 
  • The Best of the Lit Fest
  • Get that JUE Feeling
  • Howie the Backstreet Boy
  • Gossip Maven Perez Hilton

shanghai.talkmagazines.cn
 
 

SmartShanghai presents:
Hassle free ticket purchasing and delivery for Shanghai's cultural and concert events.
More of SmartTicket here »

Hot selling:

May 1

Philharmonia Orchestra

The UK's foremost musical pioneer will perform selections from Beethoven and Rachmaninov conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Details & prices »

April 16-18

Formula 1 GP

The highest class of auto racing returns to Shanghai with all your favourite racing teams and celebrity drivers. Head on down to check out the fastest cars on earth.

Details & prices »