Veteran DJ and producer J-Rocc has seen it all in not just hip hop, but the many musical styles which span his diverse sets, and yet he still maintains a fresh and forward-thinking approach to music. You can hear it in his long list of productions and mixes, or at his live shows where pretty much anything goes and every style is on the table. Ahead of his return to Australia, with Red Bull Music Academy, for a round of free club shows - to promote the current application period for RBMA 2015 in Paris - we caught up with the Stone's Throw legend to pick his brain about what makes a good producer, what his sets are like, and more.
"I go through a little bit of everything, so it's going to be a good time", he says, letting us know to expect a night of diversity at his shows. "I can't really say what I'm going to focus on."
Sharing his thoughts on the work Red Bull Music Academy do, J-Rocc expresses great admiration for the institution. "They are pretty much on the cutting edge, they never run with one thing for just too long." And his happy to be on their radar and to be a part of the world-class producers RBMA bring to Australia on a regular basis.
J-Rocc also talks at length about how the "old school rules" don't apply to music distribution anymore and that kids can make their own lane if they feel their music is good enough; they don't have to wait for someone to approve before they start pushing it hard onto listeners.
Bringing it to his recorded music, we chat about artists like Guilty Simpson, J Dilla, and Pete Rock, as well as up and coming emcees and producers J-Rocc feels are making an impact.
Reflecting on his long career as a DJ, J-Rocc talks us through what driving forces he feels has sustained him and added to his longevity as an artist; from his open-mindedness to new styles, to his ability to adapt to a number of different styles.
The full transcript is as follows:
J-Rocc, what's happening?
I'm good man, how are you?
I'm good thanks. Where are you speaking to me from?
I'm just a home in L.A. Just getting me stuff together...packing and getting music together!
So you're coming to Australia for a tour with Red Bull Music Academy; what can people expect when they head along to your shows?
A good time. Just a good time man, I play everything so I can't really say what I'm going to focus on whether it's 90s hip hop, J Dilla, house music...or anything like that, I go through a little bit of everything so it's going to be a good time. I don't how else to explain it [laughs].
How important do you feel institutions like Red Bull Music Academy are for the progression of music?
They do an outstanding job, they have all the schools they do and all these parties. Like they are bringing me out, but I know they have other DJs come out and do similar things that I'm doing. They have beat battles out here! I know a couple of bars that used to have these beat battles where they'd have producers come up and just play beats. Now they have a freestyle thing where they just have a DJ come up and have to combine three styles and all. They are pretty much on the cutting edge, they never run with one thing for just too long.
I like what they do; everything they do is a good time. They are definitely not cheating the people out of that experience, not cutting corners on any of the parties or anything like that. I love it man, I wish I got to go to the school, the classes they have all the time seem amazing. Like the RBMA they just did in Japan and they had all these amazing artists, it's incredible. They are making moves man, doing big things. I'm happy I'm on their radar!
You and me both. So if you were going over to the academy in Paris this year and mentoring people, what would you say are the essential requirements, not on a technical level, to make for a good DJ/producer?
Just enjoying what you do man. And then just go from there. If you're not having fun making beats then you're just not doing it right. I have my most fun when I'm on the turntables man, life is great there. Just have fun, that's the first key. Then practice, you've got to put it X amount of hours before you are able to play out there.
Though nowadays kids can just make things and put it online and blow up, it could be your first thing and you could just blow up. The old school rules are out the window with all the waiting and trying to find someone. Now you just make your own lane. If you feel your stuff is good enough then you just get it out there and push it as hard as you can and not wait for someone else to tell you how good it is or for a label to come at you. You have Soundcloud, Bancamp...all that...there's a million avenues.
Just keep doing it and get your name out there. If you mix, put some mixes up; if you do beats, make some remixes...get some acapellas...get some of your friends who sing or rap or whatever.
So your debut LP Some Cold Roc Stuf came out in 2011, and there was that cassette you put out recently. Are there any plans of a follow up LP or anything like that?
I've been working on stuff here and there but I just haven't had the time. An album like that is all breaks and stuff flying in and doing all that crazy type of stuff. I haven't had time to make tracks like that. Lately I've just been making samples and putting drums over it and getting a rapper...stuff like that. I haven't made anything crazy like with samples coming in and out and everything going on.
I've just made a beat tape for Stone's Throw that came out last year. And then I've got something out with MED on it. Everything's been basic, regular beat style. No 15 layer beats or anything.
"Cold Roc is like a break, a loop, another break, another loop on top of that break, a loop again...and then something to go on top of all that. I haven't made any crazy stuff like that that I've enjoyed lately.
There's been a nice resurgence lately of one-producer hip hop albums like Madlib and Freddie Gibbs...Jake One and Freeway...yourself and MED. If you were to do more collaborative albums like this, who are some of the emcees you'd have on board?
The usual suspects man, all my buddies. Like the Dilated Peoples fam...Jonwayne...Scoop DeVille have a couple of lyrics I like. There's a couple of new cats coming out; there's a guy named The Koreatown Oddity out here in L.A who is pretty dope. There's a guy named Chris Clark with a quirky Quasimoto type style, not with the voice but like just fun raps, not serious "I'm gonna kill you and get your girl" type shit.
There's a lot of underground emcees out here who are dope. Established cats it's like whenever I get a chance to play them some beats, and if they enjoy them...actually...Guilty Simpson! There you go...finished!
That was the first name that came to my head when I asked that!
Yeah man, Guilty would be one of the main dudes. I was actually playing beats the other day and my dude was like "yo you need to holler at Danny Brown"...so maybe Danny...so we'll see. It's only February so I'll worry about it later. Right now we'll just focus on getting the ball rolling. There's a lot of emcees, but Guilty Simpson for sure, for sure. Actually I'm going to drop that in his ear tomorrow when I see him.
So just recently there was a lot of J Dilla tribute nights around the world. Did you take part in any of these in L.A
Yeah we have one tomorrow. Tomorrow night we have Elzhi, Guilty, Phat Kat, Bishop Lamont, my man Frank Nitty [of Frank-N-Dank]...heaps man. I'm going to get MED to come up and do the songs he had with Dilla. Actually since Guilty will be there I'll get them both up! It should be pretty good.
You've been doing this for over 20 years now and have seen a lot. How do you feel you've evolved as a producer and a DJ and what have been the main driving forces of this evolution?
Just being able to remain in the scene man. To remain current, I could say. Like not stuck in one genre, I think that's helped me a lot. Being able to go places and DJ with anyone. I could do underground hip hop and then I can go play somewhere else with a completely different style and play weird ass experimental music and house and everything else. That's helped me a lot, to be able to go back and forth and be able to adapt to each situation. And also bring those situations into my own sets so that I'm playing a little bit of everything. That's definitely part of my evolution.
And just being open to new stuff. Not being mad when the new sound comes out like "oh man this stuff sucks...trap, what is this crap!" and then going into the show and sounding like old fogey just playing A Tribe Called Quest or Black Sheep all day. It's just fun being able to experiment, I think that's helped a lot. Just liking the new music and adapting to the times, not being mad at it.
I think to myself all the time like, I brought all these records when they came out like the "Check Your Rhymes" and the Ol' Dirty Bastards and all. So to me, I don't need to play them in every set. I keep it fresh, like you'll hear that stuff for sure but I mix it. It keeps me having fun while I'm DJing. It's no fun just sitting there and playing a record.
Being able to tour with people as well and meet different people. DJing for Madlib or Black Starr - Mos Def and Talib...meeting people with all them. It's been fun, that's definitely shaped my outcome.
What are some of your goals for this year?
More music...more production stuff. So far, so good. I'm trying just to get out there more, being known as that kind of guy just getting to the point where I can go to a gig and play 15 minutes of my own shit and have people go crazy. For now I'm still working on it, I've still got a couple of songs I've made. I'm just trying to get my production up more. That's really it. More albums and more music. One mix a month!
One mix a month?
Not like a big production mix like that but just to have something in circulation every month. Like this month was a J Dilla mix, and last month I did a sampler cassette for an artist named Hanni El Khatib. He is basically rock so I was all like "yeah I'll do a rock mix" and that in turn might get me some new fans, you know people who haven't heard of me before might get into my stuff.
I'm waiting for the word, but next month will be something with Pete Rock. He has a new album coming out for the PeteStrumentals series. So I have to start on that.
Stuff to keep my busy when I'm at home, just to keep making beats.
J-Rocc Australian Tour 2015
Free entry with RSVP at the following link
http://www.dashtickets.com.au/tour/76
Wed - 18/2 - Perth - The Manor - supported by Charlie Bucket & Henry Sims
Thur - 19/2 - Brisbane - Woolly Mammoth - supported by Sampology & Gavin Boyd
Fri - 20/2 - Melbourne - Mercat - supported by Kano, Arks & Danielsan
Sat - 21/2 - Sydney – Goodgod Small Club - supported by Mike Who & Naiki
Sun - 22/2 - Adelaide - Surrender - supported by Kano* & Jimmy Caution
For more information on the tour click HERE