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DJ Craze: Exclusive Web Interview :: DJ Craze gets up on the new club sound while staying true to his DMC roots.

By James Shahan   Photography by courtesy of Fabric

01/28/08 :: URB web

So many people, whether it be in music, art, fashion or just about any other field you can think of, strive to be the best. While commendable and usually necessary to survive (let alone flourish) in an industry, being "the best" is never something that can be proven. There's always someone "better." What about being the only? Being the only is a true fact; there’s no room for opinion. Enter DJ Craze. You might think of him as the best DJ in the world. Perhaps it would be more important to recognize him as the only: he is the only DJ to ever win the World DMC Championship three times in a row. Since then, he's moved on to playing drum'n'bass and has now landed on the new eclectic style of hip-hop, b'more and Miami bass (as heard on his upcoming mix CD for Fabric). But for all the Serato DJs rocking the new sound, there is still only one is DJ Craze.

You’ve been on tour with DJ Klever. How did that come about?
Well, he’s an original member of The Allies ['90s turntablist crew with Craze, A-Trak , Infamous, Klever, J-Smoke, Spictakular and Develop.] He was the last member in the mix since we stopped battling in 2000. I’ve known him since 1996.

Technology has changed DJing so much the past few years. What’s next?
The Serato video thing and people messing with Ableton. Video is where everybody is going. It gives you a lot of freedom. But it wouldn’t be just playing movies with the music; it’d be freaking the video turntablist style. Putting words from songs along with the videos. You know, get sick with it, not just playing.

What changes are happening to DJing that aren’t technological?
It’s crazy. With Serato, you have so much to play with. Not just mash-ups; you play whatever the fuck you wanna play. You play what you want to show people your style. Right now, there’s a lot of freedom and a lot of confusion. It’s a very good time for DJs.

When did you know you wanted to be a DJ?
When I was ten. My brother sparked my interest in it. I’d go to his house and he had equipment, so I’d mess around with it when he wasn’t around.

 

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