Publication Date: April 1 2007

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DJs went from being in the corner of
the room with serious audio kit to
being at the centre of the Urban
music universe...

UKG FIRST PLAY

Photos: SET APART RECORDS

I thought it important to do a FIRST PLAY on DJ YEMI for quite a few reasons.
I'll run the salient ones past you:

> He's been competitor in the DMC DJ world championships and a MixMaster
winner. Some of you know how big a deal that is...
> He's an ex secular/mainstream club DJ
> His company, SET APART RECORDS released KARL NOVA's 'THE
REDEEMED BEATS MIXTAPE VOLUME 1' last year. The project was
considered controversial in some quarters because of its use of mainstream
music
> His newly released mix CD (officially available today) is described as an
'authorised mix'. As the accepted practice is that most DJs pretty much
just press mixtapes and lob them out of the door without formal clearance
from artists and labels, I found that approach quite intriguing...

This is the second piece I've done on a DJ in recent months (the first was on DJ K. It's still around here somewhere). That's because DJs and DJing have arguably never been more crucial in the modern promotion of music, what with the role now spreading across several specialised segments: the club DJ, the sound system DJ, the radio DJ, and the DJ that - fuelled and inspired by their playing experience - morphs into a producer/DJ.

Our conversation kicked off with YEMI talking about the mixtape concept...

Well, there are two definitions of your mix CD...

Initially, mix CDs were called 'mix tapes' - due to the tape format, which has obviously now been succeeded by the CD. In places like New York in the early days of Hip-hop, people would make compilation tapes of tracks that had been released (or were soon to be released), and offer them for sale from the boots of their cars.

This trend still continues in America, and the major labels still support mixtapes from an
'underground' perspective. They can use them to promote an artistes as well as test the market for potential success of a band, so you hear 'R KELLY's mix tape' or 'JAY Z the mixtape' etc, so the concept of a mixtape is still exists in terms of pushing unreleased and promotional material, except it's recorded onto CD.

However, the format of mix CD/mixtape that I am referring to is the 'DJ Mix CD', which shouldn't be confused with the latter. On the DJ Mix CD/mixtape a DJ uses his skill

and ability of manipulating the music to create one continuous, non-stop blend mix with no interruptions.

From the middle 80s people have appreciated the wonders of beat mixing (playing two different tracks at the same time, fusing them together on the fly to create something different). This was a format that they were not used to, because most albums that you play gave you the silent treatment at the end of every track.

Night clubs in particular started to appreciate the
importance of having a DJ mix a track from one
song to another continuously (unlike the ice cream
days when your uncle would probably play a song
from his record player and then introduce the other
song while holding a microphone and painstakingly
trying to place the record on the platter, or switch

onto a tape player instead...)

By the end of the 90s the increase of dance and club music created the need for clubs to have
their music continue in an uninterrupted flow. From the breakbeats of New York to Acid House and Junglist rhythms of the UK, a continuous blend and mix of music in the night club
has shaped the way that music is delivered to those who want to dance, and it is this same experience that has created the desire for the club and dance experience to be replicated at our homes, in our cars, and in even in our churches.


Well, I can count how many gospel mix CDs have been produced. In the days that BIG BROVAS were underground (about 8 years ago) they did a gospel mix CD which was really hot.

I also learnt that DJ K produced one as well for the UK market, as has DJ ABBEY G. Therefore

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK A MIX CD BRINGS TO GOSPEL MUSIC..?

DJs are producing mix CDs but in limited quantities. I sometimes think that maybe the gospel listener does not appreciate the importance of mixing and blending a CD. Maybe some just want to listen to their music fading out, but there are a number of people that are intrigued by the 'mix up and scratch' effects that a DJ Mix CD gives.

It's nice to hear a song being delivered from the DJ's perspective, with songs being pitched up
(well, not too high, or else they might end up sounding like the BEE GEES), and having the DJ
create something different. Sometimes, you might hear a DJ play a track and then remix the track using another beat, and then you catch yourself thinking your version doesn't sound like
that. The DJ is always trying to create a fresh approach to what is being given to the listener...


Well, in the early days I only used to make American gospel mixes, simply because there wasn't much hot street Urban and Hip-hop UK gospel music out there (or maybe there was

SO HOW DOES THIS ALL WORK IN A UK GOSPEL MARKET CONTEXT..?

and I couldn't find them). These are the genres that normally appeal to a DJ to use in the mix. I suppose in those early days, people didn't feel the need to use gospel music as a medium for reaching out to the lost in the streets (or in the clubs).

Despite so much criticism KIRK FRANKLIN released a remix of his hit track STOMP (using the 'ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE' sample by GEORGE CLINTON and FUNKADELIC). He got so much flack for it. Little did the churches realise that he was starting a trend that would take
gospel music out from the church and into the world, which was where it was needed. I think it took some time for UK Gospel to realise this. Songs are now being produced by artists and producers who know how to take the church into the world.

I mean, I serve as a youth minister in my church and realise that the youth may not always connect with the 'traditional' gospel sound, so having songs that are 'street' for them is important.

And it's equally important to the DJ Mix CD because we want to have Christians in the night clubs praise God with their dance as opposed to dancing to bump and grind music that doesn't edify God. The more 'street level' tracks there are from the UK, then I suppose we will
have more mix CDs from the UK.




I wouldn't call it a contradiction, and I am certainly not talking about your nite club with cigarette smoke, strippers dancing on a pole and people getting high up on coke and crack.

I am talking about a night club whereby people are dedicated to Christ and see dance worship of Christ as part of their lifestyle. Psalm 149 as well as Psalm 150 tells us that God is actually pleased when we worship him with our dance so we should be doing what we can to encourage people to worship God by dancing on to him.

ISN'T THAT A CONTRADITION IN TERMS, THOUGH..? THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF SOME SUGGESTING THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN NIGHTCLUBS IN THE FIRST PLACE...

So if people are suggesting that Christians shouldn't be in the clubs in the first place, I agree with them if they are talking about the places that I mentioned previously. But at the same time they should not tarnish everything with the same brush, but look for ways to encourage and support Christian night clubs and places that are in line with the kind of places that Christians are meant to be going to.

How many people ever bother having a praise party in church, talk less of encouraging people
to worship God with their dance? People have often said to me that gospel night clubs do not glorify God and are meat markets for all the single guys and girls to eye each other up. I say the same happens in churches too...

In the Christian night club scenario, if the event is set up with the right intention and the right heart, you'll realise that people coming to a gospel night club can have an encounter with God. If you make steps to create the right atmoshphere for worship on to God, then you
will see the manifestation of God in the heart of the people that worship him...

I went to 'GOSPEL LOUNGE' in Wood Green once, and GK REAL were ministering. Now, you had a whole load of people that come on the night for whatever reason. But when there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on that day... Whoa, you had peeps on their knees worshiping the most high God. I'd say let's encourage people to have a wonderful worship experience in gospel night clubs that have been dedicated and set up to worship God with dance.



Apart from taking inspiration from you as you're the main man in UK Gospel (ha-ha), I feel that the UK gospel market has now grown to a level that I am able to mix and remix UK gospel tracks due to the beats and production skills that are utilised.

You have beat-conscious producers like EMMANUEL EDWARDS and LINSLEE CAMPBELL producing DJ-friendly songs that are also playable in the dance clubs as well. And I felt

I GET YOUR POINT. HOWEVER, I'VE A FEELING THIS WILL RUN AND RUN... BACK TO YOUR CD; THIS ONE HAS ONLY UK ARTISTS...










...AND WHAT'S THIS BUSINESS ABOUT THE 'AUTHORISED MIX'...?

that as a gospel DJ, I needed to up the level of what is being delivered from a DJ's perspective
in terms of promoting the artists, and as well as satisfying the needs of the gospel listener that appreciates DJ Mix CDs.


Over the years, I haven't carried a clear conscience of mixing and compiling CDs without some sort of agreement with the recording artist, irrespective of the fact that the CDs are not
being offered for sale, but solely based on promotional purposes.

I felt compelled to contact all of the artists concerned in order for them to give the permission to use their tracks, as opposed to producing the mix and then answering questions
later.

I took a lot of time in contacting various recording artists and their associated record labels to grant me the permission of mixing their tracks and using them on the DJ Mix CD.

I believe setting the standard in doing this will encourage other UK Gospel DJs to do the same...



It ranges from lack of trust from some gospel artistes, to artists and labels not believing the importance - or relevance - of a gospel DJ Mix CD, most especially for artist promotion purposes. You also get some overzealous record labels trying to slam down the project itself.

I also considered some genres of UK gospel music that simply wouldn't fit in the genres of this particular mix. Then there's also situations with artistes not submitting tracks/shoutouts in time. As a matter of fact this mix should have been released in December 2006, but I had to re-produce it due to a number of labels refusing clearance for the release of their tracks after some artists had agreed to the release. Producing this DJ Mix CD took a lot of time, effort and money, but it was worth every effort to see the justified end result.

THAT CAN'T HAVE BEEN EASY. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT..?











HOW ABOUT THE ARTIST RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SIDE OF THINGS..?

A lot of them have been more than generous. I was humbled by SHADRACH's contribution to

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