5.Nays

Nays is a French R&B artist who only started singing about 2 to 3 years ago in an attempt to become an all-round performer. Some of his greatest inspirations are some of the best artists in the business such as Timbaland, Brian McKnight, Marques Houston and Omarion. “Music itself is a very universal entity”, he states and through his music he intends to innovate his audience by bringing imaginative concepts through his repertoire. Nays wants his songs to be an enjoyable experience for all and a reflection of his love for R&B and Pop music.  He wants to be recognized as a high class performer who always blows away the crowd. Nays has had many memorable performances but one that has stuck in his mind was singing on stage in both English and French and astonishing the audience in his own native language. All in all he aims to bring out all of his creative juices and focus on creating more memorable tracks to come.

4.John D

John D is a Sydney R&B/Pop artist whose soulful, slick voice tempts any crowd.

His journey in music has not been an easy one but through sheer determination and perseverance he has finally managed to develop his talent.  When John first started out his natural talent needed honing.  He took the constructive criticism in his stride, put in the hard work and he is finally getting the acknowledgments he deserves. John has a tremendous amount of musical inspirations which have helped and pushed him over the years which range from major artists in the industry ie: Joe, Jamie Foxx, Israel, Neyo, Lloyd to underground artists such as J Flip, Kharisma, Mr Raf, Krayzi’wun, Ello C, MC Tuppz, Vee, Big Slang, Passion and Legaci.  Foreign artists like Big Bang, se7en and Jay-R have also inspired him. He best describes his music to be R&B pop but is currently working on new material which has influences of the rock/alternative genre. His main goals in music are to compel his audience to get up and dance and also live life, have fun and enjoy it.

3.Xcentrik

DJ Xcentrik is an in-demand R&B/Hip Hop DJ who hails from Sydney, Australia whose extraordinary mixing ability amazes any crowd. The inkling to become a DJ first started when he was in Year 8 while attending the end-of-year school disco and from then on he was asked to DJ at a friend’s house parties.  He managed to gather up his own audio system by pulling apart equipment from home. It wasn’t long before he became a popular DJ for house parties and with the help and motivation of his friends he got his first debut gig at ‘Choc City UN’ nightclub. He has had multiple gigs around Sydney and has had the chance to spin interstate in Melbourne clubs.  Some of his most memorable gigs would be DJing at ‘The Terrace’ and being one of the few international guest DJs to play at Freedom Festival 2009. What makes Xcentrik such a great DJ is he’s ability to feed off a crowd to keep his sets fresh. His big goals are to became a well recognized DJ nationally and internationally, getting resident gigs whilst supporting local acts and educating his crowds.

2.MC Ryoku

MC Ryoku is a fresh MC from the United States who has rapped for as long as he can remember but its only been in the last year that he’s taken it to a whole new level. His style of music is predominantly rap with touches of R&B, but he constantly challenges himself by trying to mix his music up to expand his repertoire. He explains that one of his main inspirations would have to be the ladies and of course, life itself.  He hopes his music is appreciated by all and that it inspires everyone to just do what they are aiming for in life. His impeccable rap skills have scored him a chance to work with “Ickest” from the YouTube comedy series “Class Project”. What sets him apart from other artists is his diversity.  He can pull out a hardcore track, switch it up with a slow jam then shock everyone with speed rhyming. At the moment, he is focusing on first of all graduating and finishing high school, then eventually work his way into the music industry.

1.DJ Ron Dawg

DJ Ron Dawg has been immersed in music since childhood and grew up playing the piano, the drums and the violin. But he always wanted to learn how to spin on the turntables, however, due to fiscal issues he moved towards dancing, where he learnt break dancing and krumping.

The thought of being a DJ always stuck in his mind, so by will and determination he managed to save up to buy all his gear, learnt from other DJ’s and found himself playing from parties to clubs in no time.  Now he is a resident DJ for ‘Meentertainment’ for clubs and events. He is an all rounded DJ and the music he plays is a reflection of what he feels in the moment and the element of surprise (he likes playing Old School hip hop and blending it into New School) in his mixes is the reason why he is considered to be a fascinating artist. He has been lucky enough to perform interstate and alongside some of America’s famous DJ’s such as like East Coast DJ/Producer Statik Selektah and ATL’s DJ J-Nice .  What sets him apart from any other artist is that he wants to have his own vision and take on his mixes.  He doesn’t play the obvious and loves mixing it up to surprise the crowd. One of his goals is to be regarded as one of the best DJs around but his ambitions don’t stop there.  He is also working on establishing his own company/brand Misfitz Productions which caters a wide variety of things from production of beats, music, clothing, photography, doing radio podcasts and so on.

INTERVIEW:

1. How long have you been DJing for and how did you get started?

Well, I was always into music since I was very young. I played a few musical instruments during my early childhood which includes the piano, the drums, and the violin. I always wanted and dreamed of being a DJ since the age of 15 but it’s the financial situation that held me back from doing it. As we all know, owning your own gear from turntables, mixers, records, etc is really expensive. So I kinda let it slide that time and moved into dancing. Been dancing for years, from hip-hop, a bit of breakdancing, and most of all krumping. Then just recently, which is in 2007, I came to a realization that I really want to pursue my dream of being a DJ. So I saved up hard and bought all my gear. Started practicing everyday, got some tips and advised from other DJ friends, and basically did my own thing. From that point, I played for house parties, birthdays, etc just to enhance my skills a bit more. Then just early this year, January 2009, I started my first gig in the clubs. Then the rest was history. Got weekly gigs after that. Then residency in clubs. Now, I am a Resident DJ for MEENTERTAINMENT for their clubs and events.

2. Describe the style of your own music.

I’m an all rounder. In clubs, I play what people want to hear. I sense the crowd and feel the vibe of the club. I can go from old school, to hip-hop, to current hits, or even mash ups. But my personal style of music, as most of the crowd knows, is that I play Old School Hip-hop and blend it into New School. I love it. I like surprising the crowd and making them think they know the next coming song but it actually ain’t the song. Hehehe… Like when I was krumping, I like to be unpredictable. So is my music.

3. What are some of your greatest accomplishments and most memorable gigs/memories in your musical career?

As a DJ, I was honoured and lucky enough to play along side with some of America’s famous DJ’s like East Coast Dj/Producer Statik Selektah and ATL’s Dj J-Nice. I also played in some clubs interstate. As a “rookie DJ” in the club scene, I am just very thankful to reach the status where I’m at right now. It is just so humbling for me that for the short amount of time that I’ve been playing in clubs, I’ve come this far. This is just the beginning of my journey as a DJ, and I’m sure that there will be heaps more memorable and fun gigs/memories to come.

4. What are some of your inspirations in music?

– In general, my inspiration comes from my favorite artists, family, friends, and life in general. The music that I play in clubs is a reflection of my mood or feelings. So therefore, there really is no room for me having a bad mood. lol. Some artists that inspire me with my music in general are Bone Thugs, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Westside connection, Lil Wayne, Michael Jackson, and definitely a whole lot more of old and new artists.

5. How do you want your audience to perceive your music, what is your message?

There are 2 kinds of DJ’s. You got your “turntablist” who does all those mad scratching, crazy kutz, and tricks. And you got your club DJ’s. I consider myself as a club DJ coz I am a crowd pleaser, an entertainer. I wanna make sure that I keep the crowd dancing, and keep that lively vibe in the club. My music will definitely bring you back and take you forward in time, and guaranteed to keep you boppin’. Music is my passion, music is my life. I love entertaining everyone and being entertained thru my music.

6. What makes you different to any other artist?

Well, this one is kinda hard. Especially these days that almost every DJ uses “serato”. Basically, everyone just plays the same songs too. So for me to be different, I try to stay away from the “current hits” as much as possible. I try to dig my music crate and play the old school club bangers that we haven’t heard in a while. Plus as I mentioned earlier, I try to be unpredictable with the songs I play. I try to mix my own beats too, to some of the trax that I play (beats courtesy of Misfitz Productions). I am not scared to try and experiment on new stuff. I’m known to mix old school hip-hop with some dope new school sound.

7. What are some of you future goals in and out of the music industry?

My goal is to be a better DJ and be in the top ranks. I wanna achieve an international status, not just for fame, but also for me to entertain a wider audience locally, interstate, and especially overseas. On top of that, my main goal is to establish and create my own company. In case no one knows, I’m currently busy spending time and establishing my own company/brand called “MISFITZ PRODUCTIONS”. It caters a wide variety of things from production of beats, music, clothing, photography, doing radio podcasts etc. (check our page –> http://misfitzproductions.ning.com).