Archive for the ‘Feature’ Category

It’s been a while but Urban Amore is improving to make sure that you get the most for your viewing pleasure. We brought back special features in which we interview the people you enjoy listening to the most.

It’s not only the males that are spinning “two turntables and a microphone” the ladies have been on the scene and their presence hasn’t been unnoticed.
Here are some of the female DJ’s making noise on the radio, web and clubs. If you didnt notice them now then you better wake up.

DJ Si Vu Play
Natasha Stewart
@ DeejaySiVuPlay

Genre: Whatever sounds funky

Tagline: Flava Infinite | Your Favorite Female DJ

What encouraged you to be a dj?

My love of music is immeasurable and if you can imagine, I did everything surrounding music back in the day, including disturb people when I played it. Eventually I was told I should just be a DJ … they were kinda like….Give it up girl…we’re tired. But I took it seriously and here I am.

What was it like performing your first set in front of a crowd?

A plethora of emotions. I didn’t know I was going to DJ that night. Its the classic story of a good friend signing you up for an open mic and not telling you…you know 8 Mile. It was Motion…a female MC from Toronto. She just told me to walk with my records to an open mic event she was performing at. I thought she needed to use them, possibly to give to the DJ playing that night for her performance. Long story short, Someone called my name to the stage, I was like WTF!! I played from the heart, never looked up at the crowd all night (Fear! aha), and got the greatest feeling from their appreciation of my selections.

Who is a DJ you dream of playing with?

I’d like to play with Beverly Bond. I respect her work ethic and mass appeal.

What advise do you have for aspiring DJ’s?
Stay focused and have fun! Also, Haters mean you are unique and unstoppable.

DJ MelBoogie
@djmelboogie

Genre: All genres (I’m a DJ!!!)
Tagline: Canada’s Ambassador – I deal with a lot of promoters, label peeps and DJs from outside of Canada and ALWAYS rep for Canadian artists, but of course I have a special place in my heart for the T-Dot!!!

What encouraged you to be a DJ?
Growing up listening to Ron Nelson on The Fantastic Voyage (on CKLN 88.1FM). Plus my dad bought my brother and I our own turntables so we wouldn’t touch his stuff!! It just grew from there – started taking it seriously in highschool and got on radio once I started @ York in ‘93. Been doing it ever since…

What was it like performing your first set in front of a crowd?
Really nerve-wracking, but once I got into it and saw the crowd was responding it was fantastic.

Who is a DJ you dream of playing with?
I don’t really think there is one – I would love to meet Jazzy Joyce and Spinderella. I’d much prefer to go on tour with an artist, opening for them and connecting with the crowd.

What advice do you have for aspiring DJ’s?
Be open to listening to and playing all genres – be a lover of music.
- Develop your own style of playing.
- Being a DJ is more than just playing music and rockin’ a party. You have to learn to think of yourself as a brand (something I’m now learning how to do myself!!) plus be very good at what you do.

Tasha Rozez
@TashaRozez

Genre: Reggae/Dancehall

Tagline: Rozez says” Bill” ( Bill means to be productive- To BUILD)

What encouraged you to be a DJ?
Wanting to have my own dubs..

What was it like performing your first set in front of a crowd?
I used to get nervous and throw up…right before I played …lol..like Emniem.

Who is a DJ you dream of playing with?
Umm..I have played with many dj’s, selectors and sounds.. I have played numerous times with Bass Odyssey Sound, but never with Squingy….that was always a dream of mine, for us to mash up a dance together.

What advise do you have for aspiring DJ’s?
Music is a mission not a competition. Never play music to prove only play music so people can grooveee….Self praise is no recommendation.

Christina Di Flaviano
DJ Queen of Spades
@djqueenofspades

Genre: I play everything! lol hip hop, r’n'b, soca, reggae, house, ol skool, retro

Tag line: Canada’s Most Versatile Female DJ

What encouraged you to be a DJ?
I grew up with music around me all the time. There are no words to describe how much i love music. I actually grew up dancing, but in 1996 I met a friend; Stasia and she was into dj’ing as a hobby. So, she introduced me to that aspect. I started going to the record stores with her (big up to Traxx,Play De Record,De Music Library,Bad Lad etc…), buying records and practicing at her house in the basement. And, it was jus something that grew on me. I ended up buying my own turntables, teaching myself to mix and as they say….that’s all she wrote! lol if you asked me 14 years ago if i would still be doing this today, i probably would have said no! hahahahaha But, when you are this passionate about something,

What was it like performing your first set in front of a crowd?
I dj’d at many events, clubs, bbq’s and parties before this, but my first official party as a “serious dj” was in December of 2006. It was at Tangerine and i was spinning with Jr Flo. I wasn’t on serato yet, so i brought my crates (don’t laugh, i love my vinyl…lol) and was trying to set up. Well, there wasn’t a cord or something that was needed for me to use my vinyl, so Jr Flo said to just use his stuff. Up to this point i hadn’t used serato that much yet, so u can imagine how nervous i was. And, for people who don’t know Jr Flo, he is a turntablist DMC scratch champ….. So, i asked him where the BPM setting was for his music. Hi response “i don’t use that feature” So, to make a long story short, i was sweating bullets the entire time i was playing. I can even remember a tear or two…..LOL Needless to say, it wasn’t long after that, i had my own serato and laptop.

Who is a DJ you dream of playing with?
Wow, there are so many dj’s i would love to play alongside, but my dream one would have to be Spinderella. I’ve been a huge Salt ‘n’ Pepa fan forever and i remember seeing her and thought she was amazing. Even though my dream back then wasn’t to be a DJ, she was still a huge influence. And now, with DJ’ing being my passion, she’s mos def one of the one’s I look up up to the most. Other’s I would love to spin alongside; DJ Jazzy Jeff, Funkmaster Flex, Kid Capri, DJ Self, DJ Jazzy Joyce, Cocoa Chanelle.

What advise do you have for aspiring DJ’s?
I always have up and coming dj’s ask me for advice and the main thing i always tell them; do it for the love, not the hype! It’s not an easy thing to do. Just because you can mix, doesn’t mean you’re a DJ. It takes 100% determination, dedication, passion and focus. And, for the female dj’s that come to me, i tell them never get discouraged. We are in a male dominated field and if you can break even one barrier, then you can do anything. Know what it’s about and always be one step ahead of the game.

Dont forget to listen to The Royal Treatment Mixshow, Every Saturday from 1-3pm http://www.globe-radio.com

Who is Eternia?

The planet in He-man, an 80’s cartoon. Also… me. Haha.

How did you come up with the name Eternia?

Well I guess I answered that in the last Q I am an 80s baby. I thought Eternia was a cool name. Plus, it was the center of the universe in the cartoon. (LOL).. what can I say, I wasn’t a humble kid. Hehe. I’m learning though.

What encouraged you to rap oppose to choosing another career?

I guess it was just something that I always did – well since I was around 8 – and people seemed to think I was good at it… so I got a lot of validation from a young age that this was what I should be doing. It was just natural really, I never ‘chose’ it, it chose me. But when I look back… it was a career that was a long time in the making.

Why did you leave Canada?

I’ve been moving around my whole life. Even when I was a child, my mother moved us every few years. So I guess I officially moved away from Canada in 1997, when I went to Connecticut for awhile (that’s the same time I was w/ Apathy, in the Demigodz). After that I lived in Australia too for a but in 2003, and I moved back to the U.S. in 2005. I’m a nomad really. That’s part of what that “5 Minutes Ago” video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5ulNESduNA) was all about. Me never settling down, and not picturing myself settling down, even though I want to.

What were some of the challenges that you have dealt with as a femcee?

I guess moving around a lot, that I mentioned above, could be viewed as a challenge. Although, I view most ‘challenges’ as blessings in disguise. At least in hindsight. Everything I faced in my life has made me who I am, and allowed me to rap as I do about the stuff I rap about, so it’s beautiful. I heard or read somewhere that tragedy, or challenges, are necessary for spiritual growth. I’m all about growth, so I welcome them.

Do you feel that you have to prove yourself more as a femcee?

As a female emcee? I mean, I don’t feel that way no. But I think everyone else does. *laughs* So I just walk into a venue or a situation and do me. I’m me. And confidant in being me. My gender is not something I have control over, so I can’t really take credit for being a good ‘female’ emcee. I can take credit for being a dope emcee period though. And I’ll take that compliment any day.

How do you plan on changing the rap game especially with the Nicki Minaj’s and Lil Kim’s bringing a more sexual image about the hip hop industry?

I don’t have plans to change the game. I think that’s grandiose. My little life plan is to continue doing what God would have me do. If that’s in the rap game, I can assure you I’ll be bringing a unique ‘image’ (ME), and narrative to that game. ‘Cause no one else is me, u dig? But I’ll let Nikki and Kim do them, cause no one else is them either. I really respect people’s right to be themselves. Just give me my right to do the same

You were doing a great thing with teaching girls about self respect with Masia One on the “Because I am a Girl” Tour. What are some other things you are planning to do in terms of inspiring young girls?

I am actually going on that exact same tour this spring, except across Canada this time so we’ll be presenting and performing for A LOT more girls!! (We hit 10,000 last time). It was fun! I made a video to show people what we do in these schools, because most people had no clue (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW8HcZyQDG0) . I literally rap, and inspire the girls with my song content and life story. It’s such fulfilling and humbling work. My plans are to continue working in these schools, if God allows, and also to ensure that my content and how I carry myself in the future can be something that young girls can look up to. Of course, we’re all human.

On Facebook you announced that you just got signed, congrats! What label? and should we be expecting a single soon?

We’re announcing the label at my “AT LAST (We Got A Record Deal JAM!” this Friday Feb 26th @ Sputnik in BK [Brooklyn]. So I can’t really tell you until I tell the rest of the world. We’ll DEF be leaking more than one single. I am shooting 4 music videos over the span of 4 weeks (which is pretty insane, since they take a lot of planning and are like 18 hr shoot days, multiple days). All those videos should leak before the album drops too. We got vinyl coming. We got remixes. We got the whole 9. We’re going to be doing this roll out right. Or at least that’s the plan.

If people want to know more info about Eternia where can they contact you?

www.youtube.com/Eternia777
www.facebook.com/EterniaMusic
www.twitter.com/TheRealEternia

www.myspace.com/Eternia

and any press inquiries can be sent to: DJ.Sav.One@gmail.com

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. My final question is what is the biggest lesson you learned in the music industry and what is a message you would like to tell other artists?

The biggest lesson I learned, that I would want to tell other artists, is do not let your whole identify be defined by what you DO. Your whole life shouldn’t hinge on the music biz. The minute I stopped caring (about the result) and just Let Go… things came to me. Like, its ok if I never drop another album after AT LAST. And that’s freedom. It’s important to have balance. It’s important to not make this all that your life is about. Because, I promise you, one day rappin’ will not feed your soul. And one day the music biz will not feed your gut. And then your emptiness will be vast. So be sure to build your being around more than just this.