So Fresh and So Green

Photo credit: “DJ C-REALITY” by Gigi Bio

The first time I spoke to DJ C-Reality was after one of his sets on The Underground Railroad with Jay Smooth on WBAI 99.5 FM in New York (also streaming live). I called the station and mumbled “That was a really nice set…nerf” and felt like a punk afterward because what I really meant to say was this:

One day I heard DJ C-Reality do a set and it was like I heard this music I’ve heard most of my life again for the first time. With a commitment to what we’ll call the “authentic” side of Hip Hop music and the breakbeats that birthed it, to me C-Reality truly makes art. With artfully done cuts and selections this somewhat jaded Hip Hop music lover will always appreciate the freshness of his sets. He’s been called a “purist” and that’s correct. I had a Q and A with New Jersey’s own DJ C-Reality. Hope you enjoy it.

What are the origins of your name?

Twizz, the MC in the group I worked with for years gave me that name. He said I always had the ability to see the reality in any situation, and since my first name is Chris it just fit.

Could you tell us a little about yourself- your background as a DJ.

I have been DJing about 20 years now, early on in my career I tried to create a local hip hop scene in New Jersey where I live, but people were always more interested in a more generic, top 40 type of event so I left that scene alone for a while. A few years later I hooked up with three of my childhood friends who also shared the same passion for the music that I did and we formed a group called,”Myndcrukz”. We signed a deal with AV8 records to release a single called Remember The Face that did really well in the underground scene. We performed all over NYC with other popular underground acts at the time. Company Flow were friends of ours and we performed a lot with them, DJ Mr. Len and I go way back to DJing house parties together! AV8 records was not the right place for us since they were not used to marketing actual groups, they are more known for their party records and that was what they focused on.

Check the shout to their DJ C-Reality towards the end…

We were totally lost in the shuffle at AV8, although we had critical acclaim and a decent fan base they just didn’t do enough on their end to help us get to the next level.The first time I ever went to WBAI’s Underground Railroad radio show was when we were promoting our single, that is how I made the connection with Jay Smooth and the reason why I am a part of the show now. I have also worked with several live bands, the latest of which was SunnyDaze a seven piece unit. We recorded two albums a live album and a studio album, we have performed with many big name acts, and hope to record a new album soon.

Who is the DJ made you want to be a DJ? What age were you when you got your first turntables?

DJ Cheese and DJ Jazzy Jeff played an important part in me becoming a DJ, all the early DJs who have made this whole thing possible Flash, Bambatta, Herc they are all so important to any DJ who plays now whether they acknowledge them or not. Stretch Armstrong was also very influential on me as a DJ because I loved how he would just be himself on the air and his DJ style was similar to mine, he made me feel like the regular guy could also have a shot at this DJ thing. I was 16 when I got my first tables.

What’s the first record you bought with your own money?

I think it was a copy of Apache, the classic breakbeat.

How and when do you decide what your playlist will be?

I don’t create playlists, I think that style of playing is for people who play in more top 40 venues and need to put something together to make everyone in the place happy. Since I only play records I like and feel confident about, I just go with the flow of the evening and figure it out as I go along.

What kind of gear do you use for your shows or is that a trade secret?

I was using vinyl until about 2 years ago,I am using Serato now. I use Technics 1200 turntables, although I do own other brands that I use more at home, I still prefer the old reliable 1200. I have had more mixers over the years than I can even remember, I have recently started to sell a few off, just because I am not really using them and I feel like they are going to waste. I pretty much use the Rane ttm56 now and the Pioneer 909 at my gigs because I like its built in effects.

What are 3 “nevers” for you in DJing?

I never accept a gig I know I can’t do, something where people expect a more top 40 type of vibe. I never compromise anything I do because I know it will “work” for a particular audience, I have to make it work on my own terms because the music and the art form of DJing is too important to me. I never mislead club owners and promoters when they show interest in hiring me just to get a gig. I am always very clear that I am more interested in creating an atmosphere and having a quality audience rather than just packing a place.

If singers and ball players have bad nights do DJs have bad nights too? What does a bad night sound like?

Yes, DJ’s can have bad nights, I have had many. A bad night for me is when I become totally frustrated with an audience and how they aren’t interested in hearing anything besides what they heard in their car on the way to the club. When I get to that point of frustration my playing becomes very random sounding and I don’t put much effort into cutting, mixing, and rocking doubles of records.. It seems like today’s audience has no idea what a DJ is, nor do most other DJ’s. I call them human jukeboxes, who have no skill they just play the shit everyone knows and scream into a mic between songs.

Here’s part 2 of my interview with DJ C-Reality…To contact DJ C-Reality email him at info@djc-reality.com.

Special thanks to Pipomixes for the C-Reality Breaks Mix.

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