BY AJA DIONNE

I am trying to find a word to describe her. Eccentric…funny…random…hot…talented…well-traveled…but the fact is DJ SYNCITY cannot be defined in one word. She has a resume that will blow your mind, under 30 with a peculiar insight and she’s been around the world and ay-i-i. During the hectic All Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Full Blast had the opportunity to probe the thoughts of a busy DJ.

FULL BLAST MAGAZINE: What experiences in the biz have led you to where you are now?

SYNCITY: Being an audio engineer led me to being a DJ because I use to do mixes with cubase and pro-tool programs.  I knew hot records and would constantly get exclusives.  I was asked to put one together.  Eventually, long story short, it was a dare.  It’s pretty much my thing.  Proving people wrong.  Making a living off of fun things to do from being a back-up dancer, a battle b-girl, tour manager, working at a label, and of course becoming a DJ.

FBM: What year did you realize that you wanted to DJ?

SYNCITY: In my teens, I expressed the desire to learn how to DJ but nobody took me seriously.  Also, equipments and collecting records were a very expensive habit back then.  I would go to friends’ house to mess around with their set.  In 2003-2004, I was given my first set of turntables and a mixer by the late Grand-Master Roc Raider and by that time, I had much promotional records from labels.  I would go get them every Friday. Plus I’d started buying vinyl from Rock and Soul in midtown NY and Beat Street in Brooklyn.

FBM: What are all the countries and cities that you have DJ’d in?

SYNCITY: I can’t remember every city I’ve been in but generally I’ve toured the United States 5 times over or more.  I’ve DJ’ed in Shanghai, Belgium, Montreal, Switzerland, like 10 cities in Germany, and the list goes on.  I try to visit each place I work at but sometimes we are on a tight schedule and can do but so much.  And then all I see are hotels, buses or airports and planes, and maybe the mall.  Not to mention McDonald’s is everywhere in the world.  I’m sure there’s one in South Pole.

FBM: What similarities and differences have you noticed (in crowds, clubs, music) as you’ve DJ’d across the world?

SYNCITY: New York and the rest of the world party differently.  New Yorkers are too cool to dance at 11pm.  They may nod their heads around 2 or 3am.  Los Angeles get their groove on early, probably because people have to drive in order to get to a place and clubs closes earlier like 2am, they are making the best out of the little time that they have to have fun.  Overseas, any breaks by Fat Man Scoop and Lil Jon work wonders.  Depending in which clubs you end up entertaining, some of the clubs like say in Zurich will be up to date on what’s hot in America because of the internet.  I’ve once walked in a hip-hop club where I felt I was in Atlanta and all the girls were wearing Baby Phat and the guys Rocawear but we were in Switzerland.  The generic clubs, mainly mega clubs anywhere around the world, always are into the obvious top 40 songs.  Uptempo remixes don’t hurt as long it’s familiar.  You have to remember the age group matters much, and to research local bangers.   

FBM: What influences you in your song selections?

SYNCITY: I play for the people first.  I go to the clubs and observe people’s reaction to songs.  Read in the body language, the vibe, the excitement.  I check out new songs on blogs, mp3 pools, in my email account.  Like any profession,  you can hear a hit from miles away.  I may not like certain songs but my job is to know what people like. 

FBM: How did you meet Roc Raida?

SYNCITY: When I was a B-Girl or what most out there call us, a break-dancer, I was heavy into the underground hip-hop scene, attending Rock Steady functions, Zulu Nation Anniversaries, DMC competitions, etc.  I met Raida through a mutual friend.

FBM: How did you learn to rock turntables?

SYNCITY: By watching others.  By trial and error.  Practice. 

FBM: How did you feel when digital DJ’ing came into play?

SYNCITY: When Serato came into play,  DJ’s regarded it as cheating since you didn’t have to carry crates anymore, you have cue points, bpm’s.  I thought it was wonderful and scary at the same time.  I didn’t quite understand the program and I always carried my CD’s and a bag of vinyl just in case as back up plan. I love the control vinyl still give you that original feel and you can slow down and speed up the tempo with your fingers just like any record but hate when the laptop decides it wants to freeze up and crash.  It happened to me when I was DJ’ing at Eva Longoria’s lounge called Beso, and Lindsay Lohan was being a bitch and was complaining about the highs being too high which was the system, not me.  Then my computer just happened to wanna crash!  That’s what I get for upgrading a BETA version for Serato. And of course, Fire Crotch stormed out and one of the partner heads of the club started yelling at me and said I was done and over in Hollywood.  The funny part is that months later, they called me to DJ there again.

FBM: Do you think that digital DJ’ing has turned any and everyone into a DJ?

SYNCITY: There’s a lot of old school rappers, athletes, actors, supermodels, playboy bunnies, club owners, singers, and I can go forever listing people that I think that have no business DJ’ing.  I blame it on the economy and technology.  I blame it on promoters that think gimmicks before quality events.  We do this for a living.  That means it’s how we pay our bills.  It’s not only a hobby, it’s a career.  It’s the love and passion into our profession.  There’s no way NBA or NFL would just allow me to play out of nowhere without training.  Or would I be casted lead for say a huge brand movie like Transformers just because it’s fun to act.  People take their crafts seriously, so do we.

FBM: What kind of DJ do you classify yourself as?

SYNCITY: Open-Format.  I enjoy mixing different genres like say electro house into classic rock to some Jay-Z or Brazilian Funk Carioca.  I’ve started as a Hip-Hop DJ but am very much versatile now.

FBM: People like to hear songs that they can sing along to in the club…Has the change in sound on the radio affected your club sets?

SYNCITY: Yes.  Radio has been dumbed down.  It use to be where people were smarter and could recite the lyrics and be fascinated by the metaphors but now, labels figured out that the more simple the song, the better because it can reach the simple massive which is a bigger demographic at the end of the day.  And all of that translate to money.  Major labels are less prone to take risks anymore.  Like it or not, major labels still run radio airwaves.

FBM: Are you still doing The Vixen Hour online on Mondays? Explain your concept behind this radio show.

SYNCITY: I took a break on the Vixen Hour until I find a new home for the show. It was an interactive livestream mixshow on Dofat TV.  We can see our viewers and chat with them live and get feedbacks simultaneously, good or bad.  I would DJ and mix a portion of my show then bring in recording artists, models, porn stars, actors, entrepreneurs, executives, to be my guests and I would conduct an interactive interview.  I would include the viewers within our discussions.

FBM: You have a really big persona. Have you ever considered working at a radio station as an on air personality?

SYNCITY: Maybe one day.  I’ve been encouraged by others to do so but I feel it will come in time whenever opportunity presents.  For now, I’m content with The Vixen Hour.  Being on the radio is time consuming whether on FM or satellite; I have to be ready to give it my all.  Right now, I’m focused on DJing around the world and completing my album.  I definitely want to do radio, television, and more in the future.

RAPID FIRE:

What is the first word or phrase you think of…

Love: Food, sleep, and gym, and most def entertaining.

Men: Chocolate.

Sex: Thick. Not too big. Not too small. Or go home.

Your Style: Delicious. Hipster. High-end. B-girl.

Favorite Band: Big Band…Making of the band…Cheesecake.

Favorite flavor of Now and Laters: Kanye. He’s like the futuristic A Tribe Called Quest.

Cocktails: Must say no, but ok for champagne because I’m a snob.

LA: Sunny weather, annoying and too thirsty up & coming anything, lack of culture.

NYC: My home, my foundation, busy.

9 to 5: Never again unless I’m DJ’ing or doing something I like.

Keep up with DJ SYNCITY @djsyncity and www.djsyncity.com 

Speakers Up!