Oct 16, 2020
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DJ Crooked Interview w/ ohmygoditskat
We arrived in Las Vegas' China town for our interview with Dj Crooked at his clothing boutique, KNYEW. a little early for the shoot, we decide to grab a little pastry from the bakery a few suites down. i got a ham roll with a coke.. pretty damn good!!
anyway.. making our way back from the bakery we finally catch up with DjCrooked to find out a little about himself, where he's from, what he likes, and what he wants to do.
He is accompanied by his long time friend and business partner DJ Neva, a New York native, while they work on their upcoming looks for the seasons.
of course influenced by their love for new york, the two dj's aspire to bring and share the style and culture everywhere they go, keeping true to their brand KNYEW standing for KEEPING NEW YORK EVERYWHERE.
check out more of the story at
www.djoybeat.com
and check out DjCrooked at
www.KNYEW.com
HANG THE DJ presents VERSUS 6/6/12 sponsored by KNYEW
In honor of this weeks VERSUS guest DJs Neva & Crooked of KNYEW fame, I am re-running DJ Neva's HANG THE DJ interview. I will be interviewing DJ Crooked this week and will post his interview soon. This will be my first VERSUS in which I will not be in attendance I'm headed home to LA for work but support my dudes and if you're in Vegas head over to Insert Coin(s) to hear these two do their thang.
HANG THE DJ interview w/DJ Neva
VERSUS 3/14/12 sponsored by KNYEW
This weeks Versus (tomorrow night) at Insert Coin(s) features KNYEWs own DJ Neva...
make sure you check out they're website for they're new spring collection...
as well as all of the other amazing brands they carry i.e. Hall of Fame, Black Scale, Diamond Supply Co., Dope Couture etc. DJ Five (below) was supposed to do this night with us as well tomorrow but was wished away to Mexico for a gig so we'll be re-booking him for VERSUS in April or May...
Shout out to fellow KNYEW owner DJ Crooked one of my favorite people in Vegas who can't be with us because of his Wed night spot at Lavo called Old School Wednesdays...but one of these days we're gonna get him in on a VERSUS night...thanks for supporting us regardless with DJ Neva and the KNYEW love tomorrow night! Also going on tomorrow night the going away party for Justin and our darling VERSUS mascot Roxy! (below) who ALWAYS represents on Wednesdays...her energy and beauty is incredible and we will miss her terribly although we're excited for her promotion in which she will be running the new Carlsbad, CA. Kelly Cardenas Salon location. Shout out to Le Panda for the photo...
So join us tomorrow night downtown as we send of a couple of friends and play a lot of dope gems. If you didn't catch DJ Neva's HANG THE DJ interview this past summer you can check it out by clicking on the link below..
HANG THE DJ - DJ NEVA
xxxohhh!
GUISEPPE ZANOTTI EVENT, OLD SCHOOL WEDS @ LAVO, & NOAH'S HOUSE CHARITY EVENT
Last Friday I had the pleasure of DJing an event for none other than Guiseppe Zanotti. Those of you who know me, know I have a bit of a shoe fetish...those of you who don't,...I have a bit of a shoe fetish!!! The event was hosted by Vegas Rated (formerly 944 Magazine) and held at the Zanotti store in Caesers Palace. It was a piece of tasty cake gig, I got to play disco records for an enthusiastic staff and for Guiseppe himself (what an interesting and lovely man)....
Mena Suvari hosted and was a doll...
not only did I get this AMAZINGGGGG bracelet/ring that i am OBSESSED with...
but I was also gifted these beauties!!!!...
Thank you to the staff at the Caesers store for making it a lovely evening with two fantastic gifts!!!
This past Wednesday night I went to LAVO for the Old School Wednesdays party that I love so much sponsored by my boys at KNYEW (who I'm getting ready to collabo with on something very special). DJ Crooked did his classic hip hop vs. current hip hop thing thing...it really is one of the only parties in Vegas that actually makes makes me dance, and really is the ONLY party in Vegas that is all hip hop all night...I went with my road dog Jolene and DJ NEVA of KNYEW...Kid Capri was djing that night but his "opener" was so terrible I didn't even stay to hear Capri...which is fine because Crooked gave me what I needed musically for the hour I was there. If you have not been to this party please do yourself a favor (if you love hip hop) and go...its every Wednesday night!
Last night I had the supreme pleasure of DJing the NOAH'S HOUSE 4th Anniversary event at Body English at The Hard Rock Hotel. WHAT AN EVENT. I was in tears all night it was so touching and so incredible to see the work at NOAH'S HOSUE does for women of domestic violence and they're pets. Noah's House is an extention of SHADE TREE, that houses animals of women effected by domestic violence. It is a small but growing shelter facility that takes care the animals while these women are staying at SHADE TREE to get their lives back in order and get away from their abusive homes. It was grueling to listen to the stories of these women but it was so rewarding to donate my time to DJ this incredible event...here's a picture of me with "Noah" who is the son of NOAH'S HOUSE founder Staci Columbo Alonzo (what a woman!)...
Noah got up and spoke with stellar confidence in front of hundreds of people and was by his mother's side the entire night. It was beautiful to see such a young kid so involved in this cause and so supportive of his mother's mission.
The other highlight of my night was getting to meet "Cowboy"...(picture at left above)a 65 pound red nose pit that was reunited with his family after being lost for a month after his "mother" had to enter into SHADE TREE for protection. They brought "Cowboy" up to the DJ booth to meet me and just fell apart...what a beautiful dog and family! (when I went home immediately told my three spoiled brats how lucky they are...I have three rescue PitBulls for those of you who don't know).
There were about 45 teenagers who volunteer at NOAH'S HOUSE who were in full effect running around all night assisting with the event..these kids were awesome and so involved. At the end of the night I was watching them and they wanted so bad to dance but the event was coming to a close. They were all milling around the DJ booth watching me...so I poked my head out of the booth and said "Ok, all of you get together and pick one song collectively and tell me what it is...I'm gonna give you guys your own little party for the last 15 minutes." They screamed with excitement...I felt bad for them because you could tell they just wanted to let loose after doing grown up things all night. One kid came back up to me and said "Ok, we got it"... "Drop It Low"... I burst out laughing it was so cute... So I told them to all run downstairs and go to the dance floor. I scratched it in and when they heard "drop it low girl" they lost their minds...they were jumping up and down screaming and dancing it was the cutest damn thing I've ever seen. I couldn't resist I threw the a couple more joints (clean versions) and they Dougie'd they're little teenage tails off. That was the perfect icing on my charitable cake...
A truly inspiring night to say the least. If you would like to donate to this very important cause/charity you can do so here...
NOAHS HOUSE
Tonight I'm DJing at Vanguard downtown and tomorrow I'm djing in the Boom Box room at Marquee...not a bad week indeed! If you're in town swing thru!
xxxohhh!
Next up,...DJ NEVA
"HANG THE DJ"
Not only is DJ NEVA a talented DJ but he's also is part-owner of one of Vegas' best street wear boutiques, KNYEW. He's a long time resident DJ for The Light Group in Las Vegas. I have had the pleasure of knowing NEVA for around four years now and he is just one of those people who you constantly want to be around because he does nothing but laugh all day long. I've never seen this dude break a smile.
KNYEW sponsors a night at LAVO nightclub (at the Palazzo, Las Vegas) called "Old School Wednesdays" that have become one of my favorite spots to go to on in Vegas. One of NEVAs partners in the store, DJ Crooked, is the resident DJ. They've had everyone from Grandmaster Flash to Slick Rick to Nice & Smooth. If you're in town on a Wednesday and you're a hip hop head LAVO is the spot you wanna be at.
NEVA is an old school head from NY who, like few others, have organically stayed relevant as a DJ, and holds down residencies at some of Vegas' biggest nightclubs.
Its my pleasure to introduce to you,...DJ NEVA a.k.a "The Black Panda"!! (lol)...
How did you start?
"Growing up in the Bronx I was surrounded by music. Every weekend DJ's would come in my neighborhood park, bring their equipment out and play all night long. Also my mother use to book DJ's like AJ Scratch & Lovebug Starski to spin at my project community center monthly parties. It wasnt until I was 19 when I asked my Grandfather if he could give me $1000.00 to buy equipment. He actually gave me the money. As soon as I got that check I cashed it and I spent the whole day buying equipment piece by piece by myself."
What was your first gig and when? Were their any memorable moments that night good or bad?
"I'll never forget this. It was in 1992 and the spot was Houlihan's Restaurants on 34th Street & 5th Ave. They had a club downstairs in the restaurant and this promoter I was cool with threw this upscale R&B party. I was spinning with this DJ named Darryl James. He use to do this weekend mix show on 107.5 WBLS. So I was already nervous because of that. So that nigh Darryl James started it off. The crowd was hype and everyone was feeling it. He was spinning all R&B. So me being a hip hop head and this being my first gig I really didn't know what to do. So finally its time for me to get on. The first record I drop was Schoolly D "PSK". The energy just dropped. I was so embarassed. Then I dropped Superlover Cee & Casanova Rudd "Do The James". That didn't help. After that I dropped Stetsasonic "Go Stetsta". That just made things worse. I started hearing hissing and some booing. Finally one of my boy's came up to me and told me to play some new music. So I dropped Mary J's "Real Love". The crowd went nuts. After that the rest of the night was great!!"
How long have you been DJing?
"21 years."
What genre are you "known" for?
"Hip Hop/R&B"
What do you/would you love to play you don't get booked for or that you're not known for?
"Alternative/Dance, 80's New Wave & Disco"
Whats a couple of your new favorite artists or songs in the genre(s) your known for and especially genre(s) that you aren't know for but really dig?
"This guy named Action Bronson. I wanna say he's from Queens. He sounds like a cross between Ghostface & Big Pun. He's nasty. This chick named Kreashawn. She's from Oakland. She's straight up hood but she's really dope. Then there's New Young Pony Club. They have that new wave 80's sound that I grew up listening to."
If you weren't Djing what would you be doing?
"Maybe still doing building maintnence in the PJ's."
What is your hobby or interest when you're not djing that people don't know about?
"Im the co-owner and co-founder of Knyew clothing boutique. When I'm not spinning I'm slinging tee shirts."
Whats in your dj bag (aside needles, headphones, vinyl, and slipmats)
"My mix CD & Knyew stickers"
How do you deal with requests?
"I just smile and say yes. Even if I don't play it (which is usually) and they keep coming up to me I continue to smile and say it's coming up."
Why do you think people think the DJ booth is a coatcheck?
"Because there is alot of space in the booth and it's the safest place in the club."
Who's the "character" in the club that annoys you the most? i.e. club promoter, birthday girl, makin' it rain dude, Jamie Foxx on the mic doin his "stump the dj" bit, etc.
"The one that asks for a shout out and the one that ask for the birthday song (In The Club) for their friends birthday. After all these years you would think they would know the name of that damn song by now."
Your story about people asking you to play "hip hop",...when you're playing hip hop?
"While I was playing Biggie's Hypnotize I had this chick come up to me and asked when I was gonna start playing hip hop. I looked at her like she was crazy and told her this is hip hop. She told me she wanted to hear some new hip hop like Black Eyed Peas & Britney Spears. I seriously wanted to slap the shit outta her."
Worst gig you ever had?
"It was my 2nd gig. It was New Years Eve and I had to bring all my equipment to this bar in the Bronx. There was like 10 people in the spot. To make matters worse the promoter tried to give me $50.00 for the night. After arguing with him about my pay he finally decided to give me $150.00. Then he told me never to come back in his bar."
Best moment djing?
"I was about to say I've had so many good moments, until I thought about it. I was spinning at this spot in Manhattan and it was kinda dead. But I kept spinning like my job was on the line. This dude came up to me at the end of the night and tells me that I spun one of the best sets he heard in a minute. When I looked up it was Jazzy Jeff. My heart suddenly started beating fast. I couldn't believe it. After that compliment I was definitely feeling myself."
Tips - biggest and smallest or any short story about getting tipped?
"I can't front. If I do take a tip it has to be over a $100.00. One time this obnoxious asshole was trying to give me $20.00 to play a song. I told him to keep his money and I'll eventually play the song. But after him coming up to me after the 5th time I finally snapped. I took $100 out my pocket and told him I'll give it to him if he left me the fuck alone. He just stared at me then walked away."
Least favorite thing the dj opening before you or going on after you does?
"I hate when the opening DJ drops the latest bangers. I kinda feel like that's disrespectful."
What would people be surprised to know about you?
"That I'm not related to Russell Simmons or Run."
Whats your poison? (drink of choice in the booth)?
"Its a toss-up between Jameson, Henny, Grey Goose or Belvedere."
What will you be/or want to be doing 5 years from now?
"I wanna see Knyew grow into a successful business. I also wanna continue to DJ. I know some people say that when a DJ hits a certain age they should think about quitting and start doing something else. That's bullshit!!! Look at guy's like Funkmaster Flex, Kid Capri & Junior Vasquez. These guys been spinning for over 30 years and still murdering clubs. Even like older rock musicians like Mick Jagger & Paul McCartney. These guys are pushing 70 yet they still go on world tours. If you really love what you do then you gonna continue to do so regardless of what people say."
CHECK OUT MY MAN DJ NEVA'S LATEST MIX:
http://soundcloud.com/djneva/business-neva-personal
...Or follow/find him elsewhere:
twitter.com/djneva about.me/djneva neva.simplygigantic.com