DJ Envy, CEO of Blok Entertainment has made his niche in the mixtape market by providing exclusive music and freestyles by the hottest rappers in the industry . Signed in early 2003 to Desert Storm Records, he released his commercial debut The Desert Storm Mixtape: DJ Envy, Blok party Vol. 1. DJ Whoo Kid put his stamp on the industry with his radio show on Hot 97, as well as flooding the streets with various G-Unit exclusives. DJ Dirty Harry’s notoriety began with the release of the first double mixtape, Hang ‘em High, which infused classic gangster movie titles with songs by Hip-Hop’s most notable artists. These DJs, all hailing from Queens, sat with AllHipHop.com to discuss the current trends in Hip Hop, as well as their personal favorites to rock a party on any coast.
Let’s see what these Queens ground-breakers have to say. DJs take notes….
AllHipHop.com: What are your current projects?
DJ Envy: The album with Red Café, The Co-op (September 25th, 2007), Hot 97 (6am – 10am est), Sirius Satellite channel 40 (12 noon to 6pm est), Music Choice Corner Show, Cellfish (monthly mobile mixtape)
DJ Dirty Harry: Sirius Satellite channel 40 (Sun 2am – 3am est), A&R for Krucial Keys, producing, artist development, touring.
DJ Whoo Kid: Hot 97, Takin’ it to the Streets (12 mid – 4am est) Sirius Satellite channel 45 (Sat 10am – 8pm est), TV show, Pow! Magazine, website, touring, marketing, artist development
AllHipHop.com: What are myths about DJs that people believe?DJ Envy: That all DJs are chubby.
DJ Dirty Harry: Deejaying isn’t a real job.
DJ Whoo Kid: I don’t think there are untrue myths about DJs. Everything you hear is pretty much true. DJs are weird people. Every DJ can get women because there is always a nasty party groupie everywhere you go, so you can be fat, ugly, it doesn’t matter. There are plenty of DJs out there and they are all weird, including me. Also, some people think I can’t DJ, but I am the most booked DJ. I do shows all over the world. I just came back from doing a party in Kazakstan. You would never think a Queens DJ could get booked there.
AllHipHop.com: Do you remember the first record that you ever bought or received from a record label?
DJ Envy: The first record I ever bought before I was a DJ was Run DMC and Jam Master Jay. The first label to send me a record was Bad Boy. It was a Craig Mack record.
DJ Dirty Harry: The first record I ever bought was MC Shan, “The Bridge.” The first album I ever received from a label was from MCA. It was Heavy D & the Boys “Mr. Big Stuff.”
DJ Whoo Kid: The first record that I bought was Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle, and I stole The Chronic from the label. I told them I was deejaying all over the world and I was getting free records, but the records were going straight to my attic. My lies went from deejaying for Puff Daddy ‘cause I did a CD with him, but he just did some drops. So I went around telling everyone I was his DJ and that I toured Canada and I toured the Islands, and it went from there to hanging with Russell Simmons. You know the saying “Fake it ‘til you make It.” And now it’s hard to believe that I have been going to so many countries I can’t believe I went to.
AllHipHop.com: When did you realize this was the career for you ?
DJ Envy: I was too short to play basketball and I was getting Cs in school. So, I decided music was my best bet.
DJ Dirty Harry: When I sold my car to buy DJ equipment and a studio. DJ Whoo Kid: In 1992 [or]93. Whatever year I quit my job because I am not waking up for nobody. I tried to get fired so I could collect unemployment, but they refused to fire me. So I quit and became a full time DJ.
AllHipHop.com: Name an album that you think would have done better if it led with different single?
DJ Envy: Lil Kim’s last album, Naked Truth.
DJ Dirty Harry: I would say The Game, Doctor’s Advocate.
DJ Whoo Kid: I don’t really pay attention to music like that. If the rapper sucks, it’s their fault. A lot of the albums that came out this year are just regular, so if they had another single it wouldn’t have made a difference. A lot of music is all snap dancing. For me to pick a better snap dance from an original snap dance, what difference does it make? There is no ill music, record, or crazy album that came out. Right now, music isn’t really worth paying attention to those kinds of questions. Music is so generic because that’s where Hip-Hop is. If you had asked me these questions years ago when I could look forward to a Nas, Eminem or Jay-Z album, that would be different. T.I. is the only album that went platinum this year, because it was good. How am I supposed to answer that question when everyone is struggling?
AllHipHop.com: Name an album, where the single did so well you were gravely disappointed by the rest of the album?
DJ Envy: Diddy’s last album, I don’t even know what it was called (Press Play).
DJ Dirty Harry: Lil Scrappy’s last album, the title was long (Bred 2 Die Born 2 Live).
DJ Whoo Kid: I don’t know, the last Jay-Z album (Kingdom Come). The last one had two hot joints but the rest were all experimental, weird songs.
AllHipHop.com: Name a track that the crowd loves in the west coast but you could never play in the east?DJ Envy: [Snoop Dogg] “New York”
DJ Dirty Harry: Any Mistah Fab record.
DJ Whoo Kid: I love the “Keak da Sneak” record, but many people don’t understand it when I play it on Hot 97.
AllHipHop.com: Name a track that the crowd loves in the East coast but doesn’t get a response in the West?
DJ Envy: “What up Gangsta” by Dipset.
DJ Dirty Harry: Styles P, “I Get High”.
DJ Whoo Kid: The West coast doesn’t care about anything. I don’t play any East coast records when I’m in the West.
AllHipHop.com: Name a track that you use for every party no matter where you are?
DJ Envy: “Public Service Announcement”
DJ Dirty Harry: Dr. Dre, “Next Episode”
DJ Whoo Kid: Any Tupac [song]. “Gangsta Party” is a Tupac track that works everywhere.
AllHipHop.com: What is your favorite track right now?
DJ Envy: It’s a Red Café track called “Dolla Bill.”
DJ Dirty Harry: A track called “Next Story.”
DJ Whoo Kid: “I Get Money” by 50 Cent.
AllHipHop.com: What is the smallest crowd you performed for?
DJ Envy: The smallest crowd had to be about 30 people. It was a Sweet 16.
DJ Dirty Harry: Nebraska, including the promoter, security, & employees it rounded up to 50 people tops.
DJ Whoo Kid: In Iowa, there were roughly eighty people.
AllHipHop.com: What is the largest crowd?
DJ Envy: It had to be about 60,000 people when I went on tour with Fabolous, in 2002.
DJ Dirty Harry: In 2004, I was on tour with Nas and it was 60,000 plus.
DJ Whoo Kid: I deejayed for 26,000 with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
AllHipHop.com: Favorite debut artist in 2007, thus far?
DJ Envy: Red Café.
DJ Dirty Harry: Rich Boy.
DJ Whoo Kid: Lil’ Boosie.
