ARE DJS MUSICIANS?
I’ve heard the argument that DJs aren’t musicians. I”m sure many fellow DJs can relate. Especially with the influx of button pushers in the DJ landscape who with the aid of technology, present A.I. generated DJing to consumers of music. But as a DJ myself I can unequivocally say, just as “DJs” who depend on the waveforms and sync features on their DJ apps to play music are faking, DJs who take to the stage left to their own God given senses and successfully can keep a full piece band, rappers and dancers interacting like one entity are definitely musicians!
Last weekend I had the privilege of sharing DJ duties with Wu Tang Clan’s DJ, Mathematics at their debut of THE SAGA CONTINUES… Las Vegas Residency, and the ability on behalf of DJ Mathematics and I to keep time and harmonize with the band and dancers at our backs, along with the rappers in front of us, took the same degree of focus (if not more) as anyone else playing an instrument on that stage.
Even if DJing is an easy field of music to get started with, the DJing you’re witnessing in these excerpts is very nuanced and complex to master. You must understand how to keep time, be in good shape, play with sound technique and be comfortable with improvisation.
Don’t get me wrong. While The RZA, the GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah and the Method Man, are no doubt the stars of the Wu Tang Clan, Mathematics is the backbone of the music you hear the group perform on stage and the DJ skills he and I trusted on essentially supported and tied the talent on that stage together!
And so it becomes clear that a true DJ practitioner’s role in the context of a band is special. It’s he who bears the responsibility of maintaining time and groove, and patiently waits for the perfect moment to fill in between. In truth, the DJ might be the only person aware of what everyone on stage is doing at the same time. As an afterthought, being a part of a rap group (or ensemble) is a team activity and although your ego can be compromised, as you’re not the center of attention, the synchronicity you develop with your mates brings with it a level of creative gratification that standing inside a DJ booth by yourself doesn’t. So, If you’ve been DJing for longer than 5 years and have not yet DJed in a group or band you’re missing out on half the fun of playing music.
I’m confident I’ve laid out a strong case for why DJs are musicians. This statement is by no means intended to discount the years virtuosos spend learning how to play instruments like the guitar or piano and read sheet music. I just think that in the hands of a skilled DJ, the turntable can also be transformed into a musical instrument!
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