This past Friday, May 19, Club Babylon celebrated their 2-year anniversary with a special performance by DJ legend Mix Master Mike. HipHopCanada was granted just 5 minutes to speak with Mike so we did our best to keep it interesting. Luckily, Mike made it interesting all on his own. Here’s how it went down.
Q&A: Mix Master Mike
HipHopCanada: Who would you say is your favorite artist to work with?
Mix Master Mike: That would have to be Q-Bert (from Invisibl Skratch Piklz).
HipHopCanada: How did you get into DJing?
Mix Master Mike: I looked out my window and I saw this beam ship. A beam ship down on the field. I used to live on this mountain, in these apartments and I seen this beam ship land on the football fields. There’s this big ass soccer-football field next to my back yard. Like three glowing objects land on the field. They made these noises and they made me want to get into scratching.
HipHopCanada: What keeps the love of DJing with you? What makes you want to stick to?
Mix Master Mike: What makes me want to do it? Thats what I was brought on this world to do.
HipHopCanada: What year did you start in?
Mix Master Mike: ’85.
HipHopCanada: What is your favorite routine?
Mix Master Mike: Its called the Triple Eyed Ostrich Deluxe…… (pause) #3 Combo Meal.
HipHopCanada: What’s coming up for Mix Master Mike?
Mix Master Mike: Fly to the moon and do a show on the moon.
HipHopCanada: You’ll need some big ass speakers for that.
Mix Master Mike: Ya, we got them, we got the venue and everything. They got it up there already. Were just trying to figure out how to pay for the fligt.
HipHopCanada: (Laughing) No doubt. What about albums etc?
Mix Master Mike: Eye of the Cyclopse and Anti-Theft Device.
HipHopCanada: How did you hook up with the Beastie Boys?
Mix Master Mike: I met them playing golf. Golf in umm… Yugoslavia. Mike D and Adam was there. Shot a couple of holes and hooked up.
HipHopCanada: How do you like Canada so far?
Mix Master Mike: Nice, real nice. It’s like the United States… in some ways… in some ways.
HipHopCanada: Are you into a Canadian acts?
Mix Master Mike: Choclair, and I’m into a lot of reptilian music.
HipHopCanada: What was the craziest show you ever did?
Mix Master Mike: Probably in Germany… 120,000 people.
HipHopCanada: How important are DJs to rap music and hip-hop as a whole?
Mix Master Mike: We’re the cornerstone of the whole hip-hop movement. Were the musical messages behind the sound of hip-hop.
HipHopCanada: You are one of the best DJs out there, what makes you so good and original?
Mix Master Mike: Probably eating a lot of carbohydrates and stuff… and pasta, and my ear for the sound.
HipHopCanada: Who do you consider your biggest musical influence? I mean, you mentioned the football fields and all that, which is great, but who really influenced you?
Mix Master Mike: Jimi Hendrix.
HipHopCanada: Thanks, and thanks for your time.
Interview conducted by Jesse Plunkett for HipHopCanada
