TF Archives

DJ Craze and where he keeps his three gold turntables

Author: Chris Wheeldon
Sunday, February 22, 2004
As DJ Craze gears up to head back to Australia in March as part of the Beat Fest Tour, Chris Wheeldon offers an answer to the question that so many are asking. Who is the world's best DJ-

Miami's DJ Craze is a DJ that could make a claim to such a title without ever thinking that he should do; a true champion. Being the only man to win three DMC (DJing Mixing Championship) World Titles along with two world team championships as a member of pioneer turntablists group The Allies, allows him to be classed in the world elite if not at the peak. Between 1999 and 2001 Craze was unbeatable; nobody could match him for skill, innovation, class, commitment and that rare ability to stop people dead in their tracks while he performed.

Craze does not just stand behind the decks, dropping all the newest and obvious tracks, he jumps between old and new jams, dropping beats and melodies in random order, making any club anywhere in the world bounce. Similarly unlike other traditional turntablists, Craze has crossed into the realm of drum and bass, and in the last few years he has been known as a drum and bass DJ rather than a hip hop trickster. The beauty is he can do both without upsetting either group, he plays hip hop at a DnB club and people love it, he plays DnB at a hip hop club and people love it, they simply change the way they shake their ass. Craze has integrated himself into the very secure drum and bass fraternity while still being a core member of a DJ community that progresses the art form further.

Firstly I have to thank you for heading back down to Australia. Do you enjoy your time in Australia- Do the crowds get into it-

It's all good man. Yeah it was great last time.

You're all set for the Beatfest tour- Must be a thrill to tour with Roc Raida, The Beatnuts and J-Majik-

Aw hell yeah. Roc Raida is one of my ideals, Beatnuts are one of my favourite hip hop groups and I love what J-Majik is doing right now. So it should be a good show.

Do you have any surprises in store for the tour-

I got two new routines that I'm going to try out. Got some new drum and bass and some new hip hop tracks that I've been working on and want to try out.

Some of you own stuff-

Yep.

You are one of the few turntablists/DJs that actually cross hip hop with drum and bass, as opposed to hip hop and funky breaks or funky house. Do you think this gives you a completely different element, different sounds to work with and a different vibe during your sets- And why drum and bass-

I've got something else to offer than other guys. I've got a different style of music, a different feel and rhythm to straight hip hop. I like the vibe in drum and bass, I like the production, I like the music and how it sounds in the clubs.

Is there a different feel in the crowd from when you drop drum and bass tracks to when you drop hip hop tracks-

I think people go madder for the drum and bass tracks. When you hear the right hip hop track all you can do is bounce, but with drum and bass they just go crazy and get down to it.

You recently mixed the first compilation release from A-Traks label Audio Research Records. Do you have any other projects in the works-

Yep, I'm trying to put out some hip hop stuff on Audio Research and I've just been working on some Cartel stuff with me and JuJu. And I think that we are going to release a mix CD with Cartel somewhere around September.

As a DJ and producer what do you think about hip-hop music and music generally at the moment- Is it getting a little predictable and mundane or is it moving forward-

With the hip hop stuff I'm starting to really get back in to it, because I'm really starting to feel the beats right now. I wasn't really feeling the mc's a while ago so I got into drum and bass, but now the production is just amazing with The Neptunes and Timbaland. I think hip hops doing alright but it's still over run by al
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