Happy Monday Shanghai. Hopefully everyone’s summer is going swimmingly. After being in Shanghai for over five years I’ve noticed a change in the summer dynamic. Now it’s parties, parties, and more parties. While the summer used to be a quiet affair with promoters unwilling to risk flying in artists, it seems nearly every week of this summer has been packed with international bands, producers, and DJs. Just a couple weeks ago shoegaze band Slowdive drew over 1,000 people. This week is no different, with banging artists playing Shanghai like Zombie Disco Squad, Moguai, and my personal favorite – DJ Z-Trip.
Los Angeles based DJ and producer Z-Trip is widely credited with inventing the mash-up genre, or at least playing a major role in its development. The man strung together 80's Madonna, Metallica, Phil Collins, and Whoodini — unlikely combinations that worked brilliantly in Z-Trip's hands. Smashing out on the scene with the release of the 2001 “Uneasy Listening, Vol 1” mixtape, Z-Trip quickly became a household name from Los Angeles to New York and beyond. Let’s start out with that tape. Remember – this is from 2001, two years before Diplo and LowBudget put out their first Hollertronix mash-up tape Never Scared. The actual disc says "THIS IS THE BEST CD I OWN".
The same year, Z-Trip was featured in the popular hip hop documentary Scratch. Fast forward just a couple years and he played to a crowd of nearly 500,000 people when he opened for the Rolling Stones. This was unheard of at the time, a decade before EDM DJs and their laptops were headlining festivals.
Z-Trip - Sure Shot (ft. Casual & Pep Love)
In 2005 DJ Z-Trip started to get serial about making money and released the album Shifting Gears on the major label Hollywood Records. Pulling together MC’s like Aceyalone, Lyrics Born, Chuck D, Soup, and Chali 2na, the album debuted with critical acclaim. Then Z-Trip got his political juices flowing and joined Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Was Z-Trip’s influence on America crucial to Obama becoming president? I’m going to say yes.
Beastie Boys - Don't Play No Games (Z-Trip's Evil Twin RMX ft. Kraddy)
Z-Trip reached his peak in 2009 when he was voted America’s best DJ, a title he parlayed into a Las Vegas residency where he played to the world’s elite gamblers and strippers. Z-Trip claims that playing a commercial gig one night then a gig playing underground funk, dub, and reggae 45s keeps him sharp on the decks. One of my favorite quotes from Z-Trip, in response to the old "the grass is greener on the other side," is “The real green grass is the grass you cultivate and mow yourself.”
Z-Trip later started a partnership with DJ software company Serato, who released a remix of a Bob Marley track that Z-Trip remixed together with Lee Scratch Perry. The Serato/Z-Trip partnership also led to a DJ mixer called the Rane 62-Z that Z-Trip designed himself.
Bob Marley – "Punky Reggae Party" (Z-Trip Remix ft. Lee Scratch Perry)
Z-Trip graduated from DJ battle competitor to judge, and this year he is deciding the DJ world champion in Red Bully’s Thre3style International DJ battle. This event is one of the biggest DJ battles in the world. Each DJ has to play a minimum of three genres in a 15 minute set that’s judged on originality of tracks, mixing skills, and audience reaction. And here's another Z-Trip remix.
DJ Shadow - Right Thing (Z-Trip 'Set The Party Off Mix' In Three Parts)
This Friday’s show also features hard hitting local DJ’s V-Nutz, Ceezy, Monk, and HBD. This one is a guaranteed jam session so dust off your Adidas and head down to Shelter. Details here. And for the punk rock heads, here's a recent tape that Z-Trip put out, featuring Dead Kennedys, The Clash, and more.
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