Dj Skills Quotes

Most of the time - at the Grammys for example - a DJ will perform with just their hands in the air because they can't do anything and that makes it a little awkward, I think.

A good DJ is always looking at the crowd, seeing what they’re like, seeing whether it’s working; communicating with them. Smiling at them. And a bad DJ is always looking down at what they’re doing all the time and just doing their thing that they practiced in their bedroom

I made my name and reputation DJing in hip-hop clubs in New York. 'Celebrity DJ' is a term that I hated. To me a celebrity DJ is someone that's on 'Big Brother' or in some kind of B-movie who gets a gig to DJ even though they're not talented enough to do it.

I didn't really get that good at cutting because I didn't have those three years of gestating and nurturing my skills in the bedroom. I was kind of, like, out and playing in clubs after three of four months, because I was pushy with promoters. But I would just listen to the radio - Stretch Armstrong and Red Alert - and then I would go hang out with Mayhem, who did the WNYU hip-hop show.

Hip-hop is a competition culture. It's based around, "My DJ is better than you. My graffiti artist is better than you."

I've been sequencing all of my albums, from any Gang Starr stuff to Jeru to Group Home, all of it. I pay a lot of attention to that and really always have. I've even helped sequence friend's projects.

Now, the DJ becomes a star in itself because of the way he programs the songs with lows and then highs and then slowing it down. The big DJs, like Tiesto and Deadmau5 and all those guys, they are very, very creative.

What Skrillex does with Ableton it's like being a little god. It's not just pushing loops - that's easy - but to do the effects he's a genius.

I just think a lot of people don't give credit to EDM producers or DJs. People think they're just button pushers and just get on stage and don't really perform.

I basically taught myself how to DJ, but I've been inspired by DJs throughout my whole career. I have some good friends that would hook us up with music. You learn some little things here and there from each DJ and you just take it and put your own style into to it.

Dilla could flip a boring record and make you feel like you were flying.

For me, I have the highest amount of respect for DJs. There's a real skill set and ability to hold a crowd's attention for four to five hours, especially with an R&B/hip-hop and open-format music.

Anyone can be a DJ but it's understanding how to read a crowd and keeping them on the floor is what takes years of experience.

I use the echo effect a lot when I DJ because it allows for smooth transitions, especially at different BPMs. It also adds a studio quality to live DJ performances.

But generally I think I'm a good judge of character - you have to be as a DJ to read the crowds and understand their vibes. You can use that to suss out a lot of people.

Technology makes good DJ's better, but also allows your average person to think they're a DJ, and unfortunately there's no checks and balances about people making it a career.

I'm not a DJ - I don't know how to scratch or mix records, but I know how to party, and I know music. I grew up in Philly; it's a very musical city. My house was full of music.

At my shows, I want to be totally sharp and focused on every single song, on every single thing that I do, and plus, I have to because I'm, like, caking someone and have to run back and mix the next song... and I have so much fast, quick reflex timing.

It's weird being a DJ and you have a playlist of your own songs that you could hold it down for an hour.

The role of a DJ is being able to keep people on the floor for X amount of hours so you can't just push buttons to do that, you have to have good tracks and a knowledge of where to take people.

A DJ can't just play one song. It's about playing a set, or how you connect songs in those two hours, and where you place them.

DJ Jazzy Jeff is the best DJ you can have at a party. Did you see his playlist? He has good taste.