(AllHipHop News) AllHipHop.com recently spoke with Rob Swift and DJ Total Eclipse of The X-Ecutioners, as part of a series recognizing the DJ in the month of April.
Representing one of Hip-Hop’s most skilled and renowned DJ groups, Rob Swift and Total Eclipse broke down the world of DJing today.
The X-Men explained what the group has been doing in the aftermath of DJ Roc Raida’s passing, and how they are honoring Roc Raida’s legacy.
“Roc Raida was one person that influenced me as a man’s man. I’ve known him since I was 18,” DJ Total Eclipse told AllHipHop.com. “Ever since I’ve known him, he has been a big brother to me, whether it’s something that I learned from him about the turntables or about life in general on how to conduct yourself as a person. To get respect, you have to earn it by achieving as high a goal as you can with passion and a lot of vigor to sustain it.”
Last month DJ Rob Swift released a tribute mixtape titled “Roc for Raida” featuring fellow X-Ecutioners Total Eclipse, Mister Sinister and Precision.
“My idea was to compose a mixtape that revolved around the music that Roc Raida made on turntables as far as battle routines and as far as the music that he made for artists,” DJ Rob Swift told AllHipHop.com. “A lot of people don’t realize that Roc Raida was an amazing producer, beyond DJ’ing he also produced. I wanted to showcase the music that he released that people really weren’t aware of.”
The tape is narrated from audio gathered from a 1990’s movie called “Battle Sounds” by John Carluccio, that showcases The X-Ecutioners passion for DJing and the friendships that were developed through the art of DJing.
“When you hear the mixtape ‘Roc for Raida,’ you hear in our voices just how close we were and how much we mean to each other,” Rob Swift told AllHipHop.com.
Rob Swift said that the collective used music and DJ’ing to transform their lives and become world-famous.
“It’s not like he was the most fortunate person. Growing up poor, when he first started DJing he didn’t even own turntables,” Rob Swift said. “He used to have to go to other people’s houses to use turntables and now he’s left behind a legacy, so my whole thing is to Roc for Raida for the rest of the year.”
Fans can download the project at www.djrobswift.bandcamp.com, where all proceeds from the tape’s sales will go to Roc Raida’s family.