Interview With DJ Free!

Hey Free, it's good to be able to sit down and talk with you for a moment, how have you been?

"Busy, very busy, but good!"

I guess first I should ask, how did you get into DJ'ing?

"First and foremost I have an extreme love for music and a large affinity toward the hip hop community, so I have been listening to and analyzing music as long as I can remember. When I was a sophomore in high school, I remember listening to a mixtape without really knowing what it was. I kept thinking to myself, 'how do they keep changing songs without me knowing it?' Once I figured out how they did it and that I could do it myself, I was hooked."

So you've been DJ'ing since high school?

"Well not quite. Figuring out you can do something and being able to afford to do something are different things in this situation. I bought my first set of CD turntables Junior year of college and bought my first vinyl set shortly after that. About a year or so after I graduated I bought my first pair of Technics and have been spinning on those ever since. So I guess I've technically been doing it about 7 years."

You must consider yourself somewhat experienced then?

"I would like to think so, but I realize the better I get the more I need to learn. I spent many, many years and hours practicing the basics and am still doing that to this day. I want to be the most well rounded DJ as possible so I try to learn and incorporate different mixing techniques, as well as more complicated turntablist tricks."

Turntablist tricks referring to...?

"Scratching, looping, beat juggling, etc. I am still very much an infant in this, but I can do well enough to not totally embarrass myself, especially if no one is paying attention."

And if they are?

"Well I never really take myself too seriously anyway so if they are, I'm sure we'll both get some entertainment out of it. I consider myself a purist, some may even call it a snob, when it comes to music. So I like to stick as close to the roots of DJ'ing as possible. That's why I try to practice looping, echoing, phasing, and such without using any built in effects."

So you must not have much equipment to set up if you're such a minimalist

"I said I PRACTICE doing these things without built in effects. Once I convinced myself I could do it, my conscience rested easy in me using the effects and other bright buttons and knobs on my mixer. It's kind of like math, once you know how to add and subtract on paper you don't feel as bad using a TI-83."

You mentioned your affinity for hip hop music, does this limit the venues and events you can tailor to?

"Absolutely not. I have all different genres of music for various occasions so I am definitely not one dimensional. I should also add that there are opportunities to share my love of hip hop with other like minded individuals, even in Iowa."

Such as...?

"Well I'm currently DJ'ing for a local MC and we've been able to do shows with various artists where hip hop music is much appreciated, even expected. So in that way we've been able to gain exposure and express our love for the music."

Are there other types of events you are currently involved in?

"That has been a good percentage of it lately. I am also the house DJ for a poetry slam called Voicebox, which runs every Thursday from 9-11pm so I am there most Thursdays. I have played at a couple of bar/clubs recently and continue to push toward that scene. I've also done a few block parties for my church and of course the traditional weddings."

Before we let you go, tell us a little bit about the ministry you are involved in at your church

"Ah yes, The 4 Elements of Truth. This is an idea that combines all my passions in one big melting pot. My love for God, my love for music, and my love for developing the minds of our future. The name says it all, the 4 elements are the elements of hip hop: DJ'ing, MC'ing, Break dancing, and Graffiti. The element of truth is The Bible. My goal is to show people the truth as it is shown in scripture, through music. It is geared toward youth because these are the people who are inundated with music of the hip hop genre that does anything but point them to truth. It is also a good exercise to show people of earlier generations that there is a lot of value in the hip hop culture."

Sounds interesting, is this a monthly thing?

"Currently it is scheduled bi-weekly, but I am taking a break from it to restructure. I want it to be as effective as possible and I also need to be as efficient as possible. I'll make sure to keep all of the updates on the blog for those interested in joining the discussion, so stay tuned."

Well, that's about all the time we have for now. Thanks for letting us get to know a little bit more about you and your musical endeavors. We'll definitely have to do this again soon!

"Thank you, I look forward to it! And I'd also like to let anyone reading this know, if there are any questions you have for me, don't hesitate to get in touch with me. All of my contact info can be found here. And as always I'll remind you to consider me for any of your DJ'ing needs!"