The almighty Master Bling can put diamonds in your hair or on your neck. Hell, he gives pedicures in gold plated water. Here is a short interveiw with Emperor Choyce Kutz.
Choyce Kutz has been a hip-hop and dancehall DJ for the last 7 years in Taiwan, Montreal and China, and plays everything that is good no genre is off limits. Over the last couple of years he has taken his quick mixing, remixing and scratching style and applied it to other genres like house, rock, mash ups, and now Baltimore club music. He will be ripping the stage at THE BLING DYNASTY UNITES this Saturday, April 21 as he rocks four turntables with his former and soon to be partner-in-crime, Marcus Aurelius. DJ Taka and Teru will also be performing as well as Propaganda. In an email interview, Choyce Kutz lets everyone know what he’s been up to since the last time he graces these shores in 2005.
What first drew you to hip-hop?
Well the first tape I ever got was Electric Boogaloo in 1985 or 6. That got me doing backspins on my kitchen floor. After that was given Young MC and Rap Tracks Vol. 3 for a Christmas. So I guess I was always into hip-hop, even though I had my punk skater days as well.
Who are some of your influences and why?
For DJ-ing, I have to say Jazzy Jeff, A-Track, and Craze. These guys have 3 different styles of mixing but I have seen all 3 of them kill crowds with crazy techniques and style. They have all pushed the boundaries for years and still amaze me when I see them.
What are a couple of your influences and why?
What are a couple of my influences??? A couple of influences on how I DJ are alcohol, and how hard I partied the night before. No really, the whole remix seen and multi-genre DJs have been impressing me a lot lately. They have made me think about music and DJ-ing in a new way, which has made me a better DJ all together. Also the whole mixtape movement has had a big influence on me. If I could record all the time I would be a lot deeper into it.
List the three best parties/clubs you’ve ever played at and why they were so great.
I would have to say Summer Aquarian 2005. That was just the biggest show I have ever played at 6,000 people. The decks where crap but it was on Bai Sha Wan beach. I would have to say the F-1 party at Bounanotte in Montreal, Canada last year was intense. People where going crazy by 10:30 and I played a 5 hour set that brought down the house. The guy with the table beside the DJ booth was spraying crystal all over the club and my gear. In the end, he had a CAN$20,000 bill. Last I would say the first time I played in a club and the weeks after. I was in Edmonton and playing at the best underground hip-hop night in the city. That was when I really got hooked on the excitement of performing.
You have played all over the world including China, Taiwan, America and Canada. Compare and contrast these different countries.
Well, China and Taiwan are close in clubbing mentality. The club seen is still new and a lot of the people don’t really understand a lot about DJ-ing yet, so some of the more technical aspects of how I DJ are lost. As well there is no real knowledge about the history of music in the masses so you can’t get too adventurous in most clubs. When you DJ in North America the expectations of how you DJ are so much higher and people will walk off the dance floor if you aren’t on point. Also the new influx and popularity of mash-up and multi-genre DJs have created new expectations for DJs to fill, which has made every DJ step up their game. Also when playing hip-hop in North America you have to have dancehall as well. In Taiwan and China dancehall isn’t big yet. I like playing in each country for different reasons, but all of them are have some thing in common and that is good people trying to party hard.
What is the stupidest thing someone has ever said to you while you are DJ-ing?
I love the people that come up and say “Hi, can you play this song? I am going to leave soon” Now that I am using Serato I have a lot of people getting mad when you tell them that you don’t have some weird abstract track. They say well just download it. Like I have the time and wireless Internet in the club. “Play this song I know your boss, or do you know who my dad is…play this track.”
What are some of the things you miss most about Taiwan? What are you going to make sure you do while you are here?
DAN BING, DAN BING, and Ya, DAN BING. I went back to Canada so I missed the weather as well. The whole expat community and the fact that a lot of people are chill and are not trying to be the coolest. I miss the crazy late/all night parties as well as all the beach parties. I also miss all the friends I left behind. I will for sure be going to visit friends, eat Buddhist food, go to the night markets, and visit some places that I always wanted to go but put off while I was there.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I guess come out and party with us on Saturday. It is going to be crazy and full of surprises. I am going promise that after I will be able to say that it was for sure one of my new top 3 events played. If you come, make sure to come and say hi, I look busy but I always have time to say hi. Check out my website www.djchoycekutz.com for my podcast and random goodness. Special thanks to everyone that helped to bring me out and put this event on.
THE BLING DYNASTY UNITES!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
The Wall 11pm-4am
Roosevelt Road Section 4 #200 B1
金“珠”閃閃
4月21日 星期六 11pm-4am
The Wall 羅斯福路4段200號地下ㄧ樓
$300 in advance
(contact particia219@gmail.com, 0989.278.707, or by them yourself at Jahmunas Jamacian Stop 381 Renai E. Rd Sec 4)
預售優待票300元 (含ㄧ杯飲料)
請洽 patricia219@gmail.com , 電話0989.278.707
或 Jahmunas餐廳購買預售優待票（仁愛路4段381號）
$400 at the door
當天票價 400元(含ㄧ杯飲料)
