While his hometown can be a little hardcore with all the violence and crime he suggests is going on, he admits for him it was easy avoiding getting caught up in it all. “Sports and music were my only alternatives,” he professes. “I did both, but the music was calling me! Detroit is basically a music mecca – all sorts of genres can be heard all over the city – and sometimes at the same venue! I grew up around a bunch of bars so I heard nothing but great music pouring out of these places. I would walk around the house singing Kiss or listening to John Lennon records. Even seeing hardcore drug dealers riding around in expensive cars playing house or techno music wasn’t considered odd or strange.”
He even reminisces for a moment about how even his mom would throw parties and get togethers where he would DJ. “I would put on the songs and take a look to see what was going on. If the people who were there started dancing, I would get excited and be like, ‘Yeah, I’m doing a good job!’” And years later, the tour DJ for super group D12 is moving onwards and upwards, embracing the scene in the only way he knows how.
Studio-wise, the man claims he is keeping things flowing as well, but not so much that things become routine and boring. “I try to spice it up with some cuts and scratches or a slick remix. And now that I’m making beats, I try to incorporate an exclusive song or remix that can shake things up when I play. That’s the whole thing with hip hop – it’s just great music!
“The first time you hear hip hop it steals your soul. Your face gets all screwed up and you lose control of your arms and neck and you just start nodding your head to the beat. It’s uncontrollable! You have to have it all the time – like a drug! So you experiment with all four-corners of hip hop – whether it’s rapping, being a B-boy and break dancing or graffiti and being a DJ. I suck at rapping – even if Eminen wrote me a rhyme and Dr. Dre made the beat, I would still suck – that’s how bad I am!” At least he’s honest.
Musically, Don Q is playing some sets of pretty diverse music at the moment – and rather enjoying it. “Man, the world wants to move these days, so there is a lot of dance music but the crowds also love a bit of hip hop – guys like Big Sean, Young Jeezy, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Meek Mill, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky. The scene in Detroit here too is big so playing songs from within the large local scene is a must as well. For me personally, I’ve fallen in love with trap music. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a cross between dubstep, EDM, and south style beats. I’ve even started producing it myself.”
And with that, he explains that it isn’t impossible for the kids to kick start a career in music. It’s about determination and commitment. “You have to practice and practice,” he says. “Study your craft and learn from the best. When I was 16 I used to sneak into clubs and just stand at the DJ booth all night long! No girls, no dancing, just watching the DJ! I would go home and mimic the set until I had it down. Then I would make changes to certain cuts to fit what I liked. I was sincerely dedicated to being good at being a DJ. I think that’s the attitude you need if you want to succeed in any form of music.”
Finally, he shares a few words on his return to Australia for another round of tour dates, this time minus Eminen and D12. “I had a ball last time I was out there. But don’t expect things to be different this time,” he chimes. “Expect to dance and have fun; I don’t know about you, but I’m coming to party! There is a lot of great music out there and I want to make sure people experience as much of it as time will allow – all while drinking a beer as well!”
BY RK
