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Publication Date: April 1 2007
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the mix, as I was with GK REAL. I had some unreleased mix material
from GREENJADE, and then SONS OF LIGHT were very kind to lease
me one of their tracks, despite them signing a record deal with a
major label.
The first cut that was mixed was over 2 hours long so there were a
lot of artists that couldn't be featured due to limited time. However,
I managed to give a balanced mix of all genres ranging from UK
Party Tracks, Ragga, Garage, Hip Hop and R&P.
from GREENJADE, and then SONS OF LIGHT were very kind to lease
me one of their tracks, despite them signing a record deal with a
major label.
The first cut that was mixed was over 2 hours long so there were a
lot of artists that couldn't be featured due to limited time. However,
I managed to give a balanced mix of all genres ranging from UK
Party Tracks, Ragga, Garage, Hip Hop and R&P.
WE SPOKE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN TERMS OF CONNECTING WITH ARTISTS.
WHAT ABOUT THE BITS HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIXING DESK, IN
TERMS OF PEOPLE YOU'RE ACTUALLY PLAYING OUT TO..?
WHAT ABOUT THE BITS HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIXING DESK, IN
TERMS OF PEOPLE YOU'RE ACTUALLY PLAYING OUT TO..?
The number one challenge is playing music to a crowd that seldom buys gospel music.
You can't play long sets for people. If it ain't KIRK or MARY MARY, then some peeps (especially the older folk) don't wanna know. You end up playing the popular joints at parties, and unless you rotate and play them repetitively, people then walk off the floor and complain about the DJ...
And then worst of all, someone asks you to play some SNOOP DOG or JAY Z, and then you've got to explain that you don't play that sort of stuff, being a 100% gospel DJ. Again they walk off and complain - you get things like 'this DJ ain't hot...'
And then sometimes you get the people that don't want to pay you proper DJing money, despite the fact that you've carried in four Bass bins and amplifiers weighing 20-30kg and probably driven about 50 miles to their event.
You can't play long sets for people. If it ain't KIRK or MARY MARY, then some peeps (especially the older folk) don't wanna know. You end up playing the popular joints at parties, and unless you rotate and play them repetitively, people then walk off the floor and complain about the DJ...
And then worst of all, someone asks you to play some SNOOP DOG or JAY Z, and then you've got to explain that you don't play that sort of stuff, being a 100% gospel DJ. Again they walk off and complain - you get things like 'this DJ ain't hot...'
And then sometimes you get the people that don't want to pay you proper DJing money, despite the fact that you've carried in four Bass bins and amplifiers weighing 20-30kg and probably driven about 50 miles to their event.
You get them offering you a bottle of coke, a doughnut and a meat pie with a 'Bless you, child...'
I rarely had these problems playing secular stuff back in the day. I was playing in places like 10 ROOMS, NUMBER 10, MOONLIGHTING, SAMANTHA'S and peeps would feel what I was doing. Nowadays, I've had people say sad things like gospel DJs come 2 a penny!
However, I take consolation knowing that my DJing is part of my ministry as well, and not just as a means of making digits. If I can Deejay and play songs that will make 1,000 youth praise and worship God with their dance rather than listening to some negative lyrics and music, then nothing more gives me satisfaction than to go out and play those gigs.
I rarely had these problems playing secular stuff back in the day. I was playing in places like 10 ROOMS, NUMBER 10, MOONLIGHTING, SAMANTHA'S and peeps would feel what I was doing. Nowadays, I've had people say sad things like gospel DJs come 2 a penny!
However, I take consolation knowing that my DJing is part of my ministry as well, and not just as a means of making digits. If I can Deejay and play songs that will make 1,000 youth praise and worship God with their dance rather than listening to some negative lyrics and music, then nothing more gives me satisfaction than to go out and play those gigs.
IT'S THAT SAME OLD STORY, ISN'T IT..? ANYWAY, WITH THIS BEING ONE OF THE LONGEST 'UKG FIRST PLAYS' I'VE EVER DONE, I'M GONNA HAVE TO START WRAPPING UP
...WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR THE 'DJ YEMI URBAN MIXES'...?
...WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR THE 'DJ YEMI URBAN MIXES'...?
Many people don't realise that I am a music producer as well as DJ, and on VOLUME 2, my aim is to offer not just a DJ Mix CD, but a remix CD of some of the songs that I will be mixing, so don't be surprised if you get a DJ YEMI Mix of a FOUR KORNERZ song.
I've had a few discussions with GK REAL to do a megamix of some of their tracks on their upcoming album, and hopefully produce or mix of one of their tracks as well. I am looking forward to VOLUME 2, as a lot of interest was generated from the Volume 1 mix...
AND - as this mix is being promoted in America - it will be interesting to see what the future
holds over there. Who knows, a USA/UK collabo..?
I've had a few discussions with GK REAL to do a megamix of some of their tracks on their upcoming album, and hopefully produce or mix of one of their tracks as well. I am looking forward to VOLUME 2, as a lot of interest was generated from the Volume 1 mix...
AND - as this mix is being promoted in America - it will be interesting to see what the future
holds over there. Who knows, a USA/UK collabo..?
VOLUME 1 IS BARELY OFF THE GROUND AND YOU'RE ALREADY LOOKING TO VOLUME 2!
...IN KEEPING WITH THE PRESENT, THOUGH, TWO MORE QUESTIONS:
WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE REST OF 2007, AND GIVE ME AN IDEA OF THE SORT OF EQUIPMENT KNOCKING AROUND THE DJ YEMI LAB....
...IN KEEPING WITH THE PRESENT, THOUGH, TWO MORE QUESTIONS:
WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE REST OF 2007, AND GIVE ME AN IDEA OF THE SORT OF EQUIPMENT KNOCKING AROUND THE DJ YEMI LAB....
OK, equipment first: for the last six months, I have been sampling different DJ gear and have used a number of different systems ranging from Denon DNS 5000 to Technics and Pioneers. Some of the tracks were mixed using the Technics SLDZ1200 and a part of it was mixed using
the Denon DNS 5000.
It's easy to use software, but I like the feel of physical control of the equipment. I'm a big vinyl fan, but much of the kind of gospel music I like to play doesn't come out on vinyl (it's mainly a House music format, and I don't play much of that...).
Besides I think it's kind of embarrasing when you turn up to a gig and the Windows startup tune plays when you fire up your laptop, or - worse still - when you have a system freeze (which HAS happened to me...)
the Denon DNS 5000.
It's easy to use software, but I like the feel of physical control of the equipment. I'm a big vinyl fan, but much of the kind of gospel music I like to play doesn't come out on vinyl (it's mainly a House music format, and I don't play much of that...).
Besides I think it's kind of embarrasing when you turn up to a gig and the Windows startup tune plays when you fire up your laptop, or - worse still - when you have a system freeze (which HAS happened to me...)
THIS ISN'T THE SECOND QUESTION, BUT SEEING AS WE'RE TALKING EQUIPMENT, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON DJ MIXING SOFTWARE...?
AND FINALLY: WHAT'S UP FOR THE REST OF 2007...?
Well, a few things, as you can probably imagine...
Apart from the promotion of the Mix CD, myself and KARL NOVA (of GK REAL) have formed a sort of tag team where he comperes my events while I'm DJing, so that's looking really good
at the moment.
Like I said earlier, I'm also working on the release for VOLUME 2 pretty much straight away, so I am currently working out agreements with other artists.
Apart from the promotion of the Mix CD, myself and KARL NOVA (of GK REAL) have formed a sort of tag team where he comperes my events while I'm DJing, so that's looking really good
at the moment.
Like I said earlier, I'm also working on the release for VOLUME 2 pretty much straight away, so I am currently working out agreements with other artists.
I really like this mixtape (or - more appropriately - mix CD).
It's absolutely full of 'how did he do that?!' and 'whoa, that's cool...' high DJ skill moments. If you like your UK gospel music serious (or if you just like good gospel music, full stop) then this one's one for you to DEFINITELY pick up!!!
That's why UK Gospel.com is proud to be a partner of this excellent project. The CD is FREE with ANY purchase from UKG Shop.com, or - if you just want the CD - a small cost of £4 applies to cover admin. Not bad for 30 very strong, 100% UK
tracks). Head over to UKG Shop for yours.
It's absolutely full of 'how did he do that?!' and 'whoa, that's cool...' high DJ skill moments. If you like your UK gospel music serious (or if you just like good gospel music, full stop) then this one's one for you to DEFINITELY pick up!!!
That's why UK Gospel.com is proud to be a partner of this excellent project. The CD is FREE with ANY purchase from UKG Shop.com, or - if you just want the CD - a small cost of £4 applies to cover admin. Not bad for 30 very strong, 100% UK
tracks). Head over to UKG Shop for yours.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.
'CHRISTIAN ADVISORY - SPIRITUAL CONTENT'
GK REAL - AMAZING LOVE | MV - I CAN'T STOP | VIZION - MERCIFUL GOD
CLAP CLAP - FOUR KORNERZ | KARL NOVA - ANASTASIS | THE COMPANY - NO MATTER | THE WITNESS - NO MATTER | SIANI - JESUS | SIANI - MISSIN U | S. o. L - TRIPPIN' SKIT - Do You Read The Bible
GREENJADE - GUNZ DOWN | GREENJADE - M.U.S.I.C | KARL NOVA AND FOLASHADE - MY TESTIMONY | OH NO - ZION NOIZ | AFG NEXUS - WHERE TO GO | YOUNG WISDOM - IN GOD'S ARMY | S.O.E - ROLL OVER | EKKLESIA - I'M BLESSED | THE COMPANY - HEAVENLY PLACES | GK REAL - GET TO KNOW YOU | SIANI & JAHAZIEL - MY SAVIOUR | GK REAL - MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS | SIANI - COMING HOME | SIANI - EASE UP | SHADRACH - BORN AGAIN | ZION NOIZ - THAT FEELING AGAIN | JAHAZIEL - NO SHAME IN MY GAME | ONE QUEST - IT'S THAT BOY | THE WAY - LIVING TRUTH | COMMISSION - C.O.M.M.I.S.S.I.O.N
CLAP CLAP - FOUR KORNERZ | KARL NOVA - ANASTASIS | THE COMPANY - NO MATTER | THE WITNESS - NO MATTER | SIANI - JESUS | SIANI - MISSIN U | S. o. L - TRIPPIN' SKIT - Do You Read The Bible
GREENJADE - GUNZ DOWN | GREENJADE - M.U.S.I.C | KARL NOVA AND FOLASHADE - MY TESTIMONY | OH NO - ZION NOIZ | AFG NEXUS - WHERE TO GO | YOUNG WISDOM - IN GOD'S ARMY | S.O.E - ROLL OVER | EKKLESIA - I'M BLESSED | THE COMPANY - HEAVENLY PLACES | GK REAL - GET TO KNOW YOU | SIANI & JAHAZIEL - MY SAVIOUR | GK REAL - MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS | SIANI - COMING HOME | SIANI - EASE UP | SHADRACH - BORN AGAIN | ZION NOIZ - THAT FEELING AGAIN | JAHAZIEL - NO SHAME IN MY GAME | ONE QUEST - IT'S THAT BOY | THE WAY - LIVING TRUTH | COMMISSION - C.O.M.M.I.S.S.I.O.N
LINKS // CREDITS
Words: DJ Yemi and Yinka Awojobi
Images courtesy: Set Apart Records
Images courtesy: Set Apart Records
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