So who is DJ Rob Stacks? We took some time to find out.

http://www.djrobstacks.com/

MVRemix: For those that are now hearing about you for the first time, tell us about yourself.

DJ Rob Stacks: Well I am DJ Rob Stacks. Member of the Future Star DJs and the Derrty DJ. Born and raised in VA. I been DJing since 1999 and other than my family music is my life.

MVRemix: How did you first get into DJ’ing?

DJ Rob Stacks: I got into DJ’ing as a Freshman in college. I was hosting a weekly campus radio show and working as a college rep for a couple record labels. One day, they needed someone to spin at a listening party and I stepped up. From there, I flipped my student loan money and bought some equipment, kept perfecting my skills, and the events kept coming.

MVRemix: Which DJ’s inspired you?

DJ Rob Stacks: I would have to say Ron G, Kid Capri, and DJ Clue.

MVRemix: Was there a particular song or mix that brought you in?

DJ Rob Stacks: I like the fact that Ron G and Capri were party DJs but at the same time they had skills. Blending, Scratching, and they could control the mic at the same time. I liked Clue because he always had the newest music.

MVRemix: Which turntables do you usually use?

DJ Rob Stacks: I have two Technics 1210′s that I carry with me when I DJ, and 2 Technics 1200′s that I keep at the house.

MVRemix: Any mixer preferences?

DJ Rob Stacks: I don’t have a particular mixer preference. It just has to have the right feel- layout, features, the faders, etc. I do try to stay away from certain brands however. My three mixers I have now are made by Stanton, Denon, and Vestax.

MVRemix: Describe the ideal show.

DJ Rob Stacks: I usually start off or warm up to some old school hip hop, then I go to some exclusives or up tempo R &B. After that I go to reggae to get the ladies on the floor. After that it just depends on the crowd or what kind of mood I’m in. I have so much music on my hard drive so I can pretty much go in any direction.

MVRemix: Any location you prefer performing at?

DJ Rob Stacks: I like DJ’ing at places where the majority of people are ages 25-35. When you got this age group you can really go deep in your records. A lot of times people 18-21 get stuck on whats hot at the time. They are however more apt to new music and party hard.

MVRemix: You refer to yourself as “VA’s Hottest DJ,” what’s this based upon?

DJ Rob Stacks: Depending on where you travel in VA the music tastes differ. I can say that because I have DJ’ed in the biggest cities and clubs and the smallest country-est places too. and I rocked. I can honestly say that there aren’t too many DJs that can move a crowd like I can.

MVRemix: DJ’ing has changed a lot over the years. Is a CD-DJ a real DJ in your eyes?

DJ Rob Stacks: It just depends. I seen some dudes get busy on CD’s. Its just not my thing. I know how it is to carry heavy ass record crates and go hunting for exclusive records, white labels, and throwbacks. Technology just makes it too easy for someone to call themselves a DJ. You buy some type of CD set up, put all of CD’s and bootlegs in a case, and now you’re a DJ overnight.

MVRemix: Do you prefer vinyl or have you moved along with the trends and gone with Scratch or Serato?

DJ Rob Stacks: I been using Serato with my turntables for close to 3 years now. I still have my records though. I like Serato because you can have all of your music in one place and not have to carry 5-10 crates to club. At the end of the day It’s a no brainer.

MVRemix: Tell me about the scene in Richmond, VA. Where should I head for the best nights?

DJ Rob Stacks: Wherever I am of course. Seriously though Richmond has clubs for all taste. I would recommend After 6, the Paradise Lounge, or the Martini Kitchen for those thats looking to party with a mature crowd with good looking women.

MVRemix: What are you currently working on?

DJ Rob Stacks: My main projects are my mixshow “Got Stacks Radio” and pushing my artist Jewlybonz. Other than that just spinning at weekly events, and kicking it with my family.

MVRemix: What separates you from other DJ’s? Why should I opt to listen to your sets above others?

DJ Rob Stacks: The thing that separates me from other DJs is that I am the total package. Some DJs can scratch, some can blend, and anybody can play whatevers on the radio. To me DJ’ing is an art, and every night I try to paint the perfect picture. Some people don’t realize how important the DJ is as a part of our lives. Think about how many couples and children there are that were created because a DJ was doing his thing that night. That’s what I do. I’ma take you on a ride for four hours while cutting, mixing, and playing the hottest songs you’ve heard and need to hear at the right time, all while being my own hype man.

MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la “Fight Club” – “If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight”?

DJ Rob Stacks: George Bush… Does he count?

MVRemix: Would you win?

DJ Rob Stacks: Well hell yeah! [laughs]

MVRemix: Do you have any non musical aspirations?

DJ Rob Stacks: To be the best parent to my son Kian and my daughter that’s on the way.

MVRemix: What next do we have to look forward to from you?

DJ Rob Stacks: I’m working on a few things but I will keep them under wraps for now. Let just say big thangs.

MVRemix: Any last words?

DJ Rob Stacks: I just want to say thanks for the interview and to the world don’t settle. If you in a club and the DJ wack slap the shit out of em. Just kidding. For the hottest mixshow on the check out Got Stacks Radio on RadioNHB.com and the6fm.com and be on the look out for my artist Jewlybonz. Shout to all the Future Star DJs and the Derrty DJs across the globe.

Back in Toronto, it looks like I missed the worst of the weather. My trip to Vancouver was relaxing where I was able to rekindle old friendships and see people one last time until next Christmas. Gung Hai Fat Choi to all those who celebrated it. – Shout out to Marcuss!

During the summer of 2005, I acquired a mixtape from a Toronto DJ in Vancouver. What I did not anticipate was that I would end up stalking this DJ to all his events when I returned to Toronto – from his past residency at Afterlife to his current weekly night at Chinadoll. DJ Mensa lives by his slogan, “Do it early, do it often” daily, discovering his love for music at the age of seven when his older brother exposed him to the world of hip-hop. Mensa confirmed his love when he gained his very first gig in high school at a friend’s house party. “It was so PG-13, it was great!”

Since his adolescence, Mensa as accomplished many achievements including many televised guest appearances on CBC, MTV Select, and MuchVibe. He now spins for Project Bounce’s Late Night Radio Show and is the resident DJ of Peachfuzz, every Thursday at Chinadoll and Where’s D’Angelo?, every third Saturday of the month at the Rivoli, co-presented by The Academy of Sound, an affiliate of Mensa.

When asked about his favourite gig, I was surprised Mensa did not mention any of his opening acts for prominent artists such as Kardinal Offishall, Lil’ Jon, BrassMunk, DJ Premier, Saukrates, or Masta Ace. Instead, he reminisced about his gig at a Western University frat party in 2005. “I went from 10pm to 6am. It was the wildest, girls lined up to dance at the speakers with sweat dripping from the ceiling. It was fabulous!”

To learn more about DJ Mensa click on his new website at http://www.djmensa.com or go to http://www.myspace.com/djmensa for some ear candy.

I know Mensa is going to kill me, but this is the reason why he’s one of my favourites, as he takes the role of DJ to a whole new level. Catch him at Peachfuzz with Rod Skimmins and guest DJ Needle Kineval from my hometown this Thursday at Chinadoll (587 College). Who knows, you may even be able to catch one of Mensa’s special after-party performances.

Welcome everybody to my new column, MVexposé, where we profile some of the most underexposed and talented people around the world. My name is Michele, and for the past year I have been neglecting MVRemix for my political activism. Well no more. I invite all criticisms, suggestions, and ideas.

Please email mee at michele@mvremix.com

Bozack Morris of Black Rap is perfect for MVexposé’s very first profile. Yes, he created my alias for this column, however his contributions to Toronto’s hip hop community is the precise example of what I’m trying to accomplish in this column. Bozack is diversely in the community through his involvement as a DJ, emcee, host of a radio show, graphic designer, promoter for parties and has even produced his own music. He explains, “I don’t like to classify myself, I just do the things I enjoy most.”

In 2002, Bozack and his associate, Big Jacks with DJ Islamabad formed the affiliation, Black Rap, responsible for some of the finest parties in Toronto. More over, Black Rap have developed a community through their forum where lasting friendships and networking takes places.

For more information on Bozack Morris or Black-Rap you can check out www.myspace.com/bozack or www.black-rap.com . You can also tune into Bozack on his weekly
radio show, Back Road Radio every Mondays 6-8pm on CHRY 105.5.

Originally when I first started this column, I wanted to mock a short-column by Enza Supermodel in the Toronto edition of the Metro. She featured people on the street with different jobs and gave the readers a small glimpse of their lives. My enthusiasm and excitement for the column compelled me to write more for MVExposé. In the past week, I have written about 20,000 words for my university assignments. I’m exhausted and apologize for this week’s shorter feature.

DJ Relik of Vancouver, BC is not like any other DJ I know. He is sincere, compassionate, and just an all out goofball – oh yeah, he plays good stuff. I need to give him props as he is the only DJ to ever play New Kids on the Block and Color Me Badd for me at a top 40 nightclub. Relik started DJ-ing because he was always complaining about the music that was played by other DJs and decided it was time for him to start. From the moment he placed the needle to the record, it was love. He spends his spare time as a devoted husband and father to a toddler.

Relik’s advice for anybody is, “First find out what you love doing and pray that one day you’ll get paid for it. With any passion you pursue, you get in what you put in. And don’t eat yellow snow?”

You can catch DJ Relik at one of his many residencies: Au Bar on Wednesdays, Plush on Fridays and 686 on Thursdays and Saturdays. This Thursday will be Tenka’s two-year anniversary at 686. Relik also DJs occasionally at single mingle nights and long weekend parties. Stay updated on DJ Relik’s newly constructed website at http://www.djrelik.com.

This past weekend, I was feeding my need for my form of heroine: facebook and blogs, when I came across a Toronto-based blog, The Rap Project where it discussed a CNN program called NOW, hosted by Paula Zahn. NOW aired a special “investigation” on February 21st, debating whether hip-hop was an art or a poison. Two days later, Zahn intensified my anger by accusing hip-hop for fuelling gay-bashing. Watching the clips and reading the transcripts, I was outraged. I felt like I was watching an amateur documentary that was only presenting one side of a story. But this is CNN here, not Michael Moore. This was a direct form of discrimination against a lifestyle and culture, and like any other, it can equally affect the lives of millions in every region, of every class and of every background worldwide, negatively or positively. I do not even know where to begin with my rebuttal or if I should even bother.

Why is hip-hop always targeted? How come the white, upper-class American mainstream media never target the Lindsay Lohan’s of today for raping their young daughters of their innocence or the encouraged suicides from the emo-culture or the Rock N Roll scene of the 1980s (or ever) where they had bands like Mötley Crüe and Black Sabbath (god bless their cheesy music) who probably fucked more groupies and encouraged more drugs-use than any rap star? They my as well just target youth culture as a whole and ban the adolescent experience. I witness optimism in the hip-hop culture everyday. This optimism is what society needs to showcase and focus on and not the gangbusting bling-bling image we see on MTV.

I really don’t know what else to say except thank god I’m Canadian and thank god for CBC.

MVexposé: Big Philly aka Phillysophical