DJ Spinna is an extremely diverse and hardworking DJ / producer. Spinning records and DJ-ing since the 1980’s while growing up in Brooklyn, DJ Spinna has evolved into a very successful and well-respected producer of innovative and underground hip-hop music. His styles are as diverse as the people he produced. He has produced songs for J-Live, El Da Sensai, Sadat X, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Mr. Complex, Eminem, Vinia Mojica, De La Soul and many more. He has done remixes for Michael Jackson, De La Soul, DAS EFX, MC Eiht, George Michael, Mary J. Blige, and more. Some may know him from his work with Polyrhythm Addicts, an underground super group consisting of him, Mr. Complex, Apani, & Shabaam Sahdeeq. Others may know him for his consistent work with Jigmastas. He even started his own label, Beyond Real Records. Now, BBE Records just made him the next producer to be apart of The Beat Generation Series. Sharing this honor with Jay Dee, Jazzy Jeff and others, The Beat Generation is a series of albums that are completely producer-driven. Produced completely by Spinna, “Here To There” is a very diverse album filled with many underground emcees, singers, and musicians. By having an album filled with hardcore hip-hop, jazz music, house music, and soul, DJ Spinna has made a name for himself as not only a talented and diverse hip-hop producer, but as an innovative producer of any genre of music.

T.JONES: “How are you doing?”
DJ SPINNA: “Good.”

T.JONES: “Your new album is titled ‘Here To There’. What’s the reason for the title? Tell us about it.”
DJ SPINNA: “It took me a while to come up with that title but it hit me one day because that’s what the album is. It starts in one place and finishes somewhere else. A lot of my hardcore fan base started out with underground hip-hop. But over the years, I have been doing a lot of remixes and eclectic production. A whole bunch of different things came my way so I wanted this album to reflect on that hip-hop element. Still, I wanted it to start off in one place and end somewhere else. That’s basically what it does.”

T.JONES: “On your LP ‘Here To There’, the majority of the artists are unknown. Was this done on purpose? Why did you choose those specific artists to be on it?”
DJ SPINNA: “I really just worked with people who I have a relationship with. There are people on my album like Vinia Mojica, who has been around for years but she still hasn’t made a huge presence. There aren’t really many solo Vinia Mojica tracks floating around. I always wanted to work with her and I met her with my Mos Def experience, touring. It’s the same circle of people. Once you get in with one person, it’s easy to get connected with others. That was actually the first song I started to work on for the record and it took 2 years because it took her a while to write something. ‘Idols’ is a very personal record for her. Then, there’s Soulive on ‘All Up In It’. They aren’t super-mainstream but they do have a following. I was working with them anyway. We had several jam sessions together. One day we just got together. I made a crazy drum track and they just started vibing. Then there is Shadowman on ‘Drive’, who is part of the Beyond Real crew, my label. We put out a lot of underground and independent hip-hop out. He’s one of the artists. I wanted to use this album as an opportunity to give him some shine. This way, it would get more publicity with this Beat Generation album than any other Beyond Real album we put out. The same thing for the song ‘You Got To Live’ with Akil and Jigmastas.”

T.JONES: “When I first saw the name Akil, I thought it was Akil from Jurassic 5.”
DJ SPINNA: “Many people make that mistake but it’s not the same person.”

T.JONES: “Do you have a favorite song on ‘Here To There’?
DJ SPINNA: “It’s hard. Every song has its moment. Many people love the Vinia Mojica track (‘Idols’) and the Angela Johnson track (‘Glad You’re Mine’). The Vinia Mojica track is definitely one of my favorites. The intro track called “Alfonso’s Thang” is how the album all came together. It started off as just a short intro track that was going to be a 3-minute joint. It turned into a crazy jam session, which just began to go places and get real funky. Joc Max came on the song and started talking a whole bunch of jive. Alfonso is a nickname for Joc Max. To me, it sets up the album perfectly.”

T.JONES: “Out of all the LPs of the Beat Generation series, which one is your favorite (besides yours)?”
DJ SPINNA: “Jay Dee’s ‘Welcome To Detroit’ but between Jay Dee’s LP and Jazzy Jeff’s LP. I’m a Jay Dee fan so I’m biased when it comes to that. I love his stuff. I felt what he did on that album. He was taking chances.”

T.JONES: “How did you get your name?”
DJ SPINNA: “I was dubbed Spinna. My boys were hanging out and one of them called me Spinna one day because I spin records. It just stuck. This was in the mid 80’s.”

T.JONES: “How did you hook up with the Polyrhythm Addicts?”
DJ SPINNA: “Polyrhythm Addicts were put together by Mr. Complex, Apani, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and myself. They all had their own thing going on. Mr. Complex came up with the joint ‘Not Your Ordinary’ which was really his song featuring Apani and Shabaam. Then, Nervous Records wanted to do an album. It was a collaborative effort for all of us to be a group for that one record. We split because the label didn’t want to support the record. There were some shows getting booked. After that, we all went our separate ways.”

T.JONES: “Do you think Polyrhythm Addicts will ever work together again?”
DJ SPINNA: “No. I don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon. Everyone branched off and began doing their own thing.”

T.JONES: “J-Live is an incredible emcee. How did you hook up with him and what was he like?”
DJ SPINNA: “I’ve been down with J-Live since day 2, meaning his 2nd single he ever put out. I did remixes for ‘Bragging Rights’ back in 97. He’s like family. That was a natural situation. I did 2 tracks on his first album and then, ‘All Of The Above’ happened naturally. He definitely did his thing on that last album. I have a lot of respect for him.”

T.JONES: “You worked with Eminem? How did you hook up with him and what was he like?”
DJ SPINNA: “Yeah, I worked with Eminem quite a few times while he was negotiating his contract with Interscope Records. Basically, I produced ‘Soundclash’, that was the flipside for ‘5 Star Generals’ by Shabaam Sahdeeq. I worked with Eminem like 3 times. On Beyond Real, my label, I did a song with him, Shadowman, Skam called ‘Old World Disorder’ featuring Eminem. That’s what he’s talking about in the song ‘Stan’.”

T.JONES: “How did you first get started in DJ-ing and DJ culture?”
DJ SPINNA: “I’ve been into that since the late 70’s. I’m not an old-foggey but I’ve been influenced to become a DJ by watching older guys on my block do block parties and listening to radio. The World Famous Supreme Team is a crew from the 80’s who used to have a radio show. They used to come on really late and I would listen to them. They were cutting up break beats when it was really underground. Stuff like that influenced me. Then, Grandmaster Flash and anything that came out on Sugerhill that Flash was apart of influenced me too.”

T.JONES: “How did you make the move from being and DJ to being a producer?”
DJ SPINNA: “I have been into production at first in 83 but didn’t get really into until 86. The first time I went into the studio was 1985. I produced a track. Then, before Jigmastas, in 91, I started to develop my style. By 94, my first record came out that said ‘Produced by DJ Spinna’.”

T.JONES: “Tell us about Jigmastas. How did you hook up with Kriminul and will there be another Jigmastas album?”
DJ SPINNA: “There will be another Jigmastas album. Kriminul and I are teenage buddies. We grew up together. We haven’t really started working on it. I’m just coming up with tracks right now.”

T.JONES: “Where were you born and where did you grow up? What was it like growing up there?”
DJ SPINNA: “I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. It was live! I loved it! I’m still here. I have been heavily influenced by the styles and vibes of Brooklyn producers. People like Da Beatminerz. DJ Premier lived in Brooklyn at one point too.”

T.JONES: “Who are some of the producers out now that you are feeling?”
DJ SPINNA: “That depends. I am open on Madlib right now. Madlib is really ill. I’ve been a fan since he’s been down with Lootpack but the stuff he’s been doing since ‘Yesterday’s New Quintet’ and Quasimoto, Madlib took another direction. He’s on some other, other-other stuff. I like people who take chances.”

T.JONES: “What emcees would you like to work with in the future that you have not worked with yet?”
DJ SPINNA: “Wow! I would like to work with Common. I did some songs with Pharoahe Monch but I would like to work more with him. I was trying to get on his upcoming album but the timing didn’t work out. Rakim is another emcee I have a lot of respect for. Black Thought too. I haven’t heard the new Roots album yet but Common’s new album is incredible.”

T.JONES: “What is your favorite sampler? drum machine?”
DJ SPINNA: “The 3000. People rave about the 2000. It’s between the SP-1200 and the 3000. I like the machines because of the sound.”

T.JONES: “What LPs have you been listening to recently?”
DJ SPINNA: “That’s a good question. I was listening to Kool & The Gang’s album ‘Music Is The Message’.”

T.JONES: “Do you do pre-production often? Do you go into the studio with a set idea, drum track, loop or do you create right then and there?”
DJ SPINNA: “Most of the time the production is driven by beats. I’ll have the basics of the track done. It would be enough of something for an emcee to write lyrics to. Yeah, you can say pre-production is done.”

T.JONES: “What song took you the longest to do?”
DJ SPINNA: “I would say the Vinia Mojica track ‘Idols’ took a long time to do because it took her a very long time to write the lyrics. ‘Fly Or Burn’ featuring The Bedouin took a while too. I had the raw beat done 2 years ago. I had Eric from Soulive come in and play guitar. That took 1 ½ years to get done. A lot of times, I don’t think a track is finished until mastering. ‘Galactic Soul’ was done in only one hour.”

T.JONES: “What is hip-hop missing these days?
DJ SPINNA: “Originality.”

T.JONES: “Where were you on Sept.11th? How did you deal with it? How do you think it will affect hip-hop?”
DJ SPINNA: “I was in my bed and I got a phone call to wake up. I bugged out because by the time I turned on the TV, one of the buildings fell and I didn’t even realize it until the 2nd building fell. I couldn’t believe it. I was in total shock. I’m not that far from Manhattan. I felt the impact and I saw people walking back to Brooklyn covered in soot. It was crazy and I freaked out because my wife was out in the city. She didn’t get back to Brooklyn for a while. As far as hip-hop, I think people should pay more attention to love. I’m not saying we should get all sappy and make love hip-hop records but I just think all the frivolous stuff in hip-hop should die down because it’s not important. It slowed down but it didn’t slow down enough. When I think of it, hip-hop has always been braggadocios. Sure, Rakim bragged but Rakim has lyrics. Not all of these emcees, who do nothing but brag, have lyrics. They can’t really rhyme. The intellect is not there or they are not really using it. Back then, lyrics meant something and now, it’s out the window. People are rhyming like nursery rhymes right now. It’s ridiculous.”

T.JONES: “Abortion – Pro-choice or Pro-Life?”
DJ SPINNA: “Pro-choice.”

T.JONES: “The death penalty: For or against?”
DJ SPINNA: “Against.”

T.JONES: “What was the last incident of racism that you experienced?”
DJ SPINNA: “I just came back from vacation and while I was away, I took a tour on a tour bus on the Caribbean. I was operating the door to the van really by choice. One of the women on the bus made some comments. I became the doorman basically. I didn’t really appreciate her comments. They weren’t vulgar. She didn’t come out of her face but the racism was there. I felt it. After a while, what started out as ‘He’s opening up the door again’, turned to ‘Open the door!’. It was a little bit more demanding. I was the only black guy on the bus. Some people do not know how to act when they are around people of color.”

T.JONES: “Who did the vocals on the final track ‘The Originators’?”
DJ SPINNA: “Believe it or not, that’s a comedian named Godfrey. He’s the new 7-Up guy. He’s an up and coming comedian and actor. He doesn’t talk like that. He is African but he doesn’t talk like that. He does not really have an accent. It was all an act. I was cracking up.”

T.JONES: “What would you be doing if you weren’t a DJ/producer?”
DJ SPINNA: “That’s hard to imagine. I think I would be working for people because I’m a people person.  I would be working with kids or some kind of social work.”

T.JONES: “Was there a point in your life where you were thinking of giving up DJ-ing and producing as a form of income? Did you ever get pressure from your parents to get a so-called normal job?”
DJ SPINNA: “Never. I never thought of doing anything else. I had pressure from my mom at one point to get a regular gig to help pay bills and all that jazz. Even with that, I stuck to the music thing because I knew that it would eventually be the thing that would pay the bills. It’s a life long dream and every single day, great things happen. I only see it getting better.”

T.JONES: “You are going on tour. What are your live performances like? Who’s going to be on stage with you?”
DJ SPINNA: “I know that I will have a band but I haven’t started it yet. There are at least 4-5 keyboard players that played on the album. I have a lot to choose from. I’m bringing emcees from Beyond Real.”

T.JONES: “What is the remix you are most proud of?”
DJ SPINNA: “There’s 2 actually. De La Soul remix of  ‘Stakes Is High’ is one of the first remixes I ever did. They made the effort, the call, to get me. I was a De La Soul fan so I couldn’t believe it. People don’t really know about it but I did a Michael Jackson remix of an old track from the 1970’s. I got the master tapes from the song. Being able to remix a Michael Jackson song called ‘We’re Almost There’ from the 70’s, when he was off the hook, nothing gets better than that.”

T.JONES: “What is the biggest mistake you made in your career?”
DJ SPINNA: “I can’t really see anything I did as a mistake. I look at them as learning experiences. I don’t have any regrets right now.”

T.JONES: “Word association time. I’m going to say a name of an artist or producer and you say the first word that pops in your head. Ok?”
T.JONES: “DJ Premier”
DJ SPINNA: “The Illest”
T.JONES: “Big L”
DJ SPINNA: “Tragedy.”
T.JONES: “Kanye West”
DJ SPINNA: “Dope.”
T.JONES: “Hi-Tek”
DJ SPINNA: “Dope.”
T.JONES: “DJ Clue”
DJ SPINNA: “No comment.”
T.JONES: “Domino of Hieroglyphics”
DJ SPINNA: “Dope.”
T.JONES: “J. Rawls (of Lone Catalysts)”
DJ SPINNA: “My man!”
T.JONES: “The Rza”
DJ SPINNA: “Underrated.”
T.JONES: “The Soulqaurians”
DJ SPINNA: “Off The Hook.”
T.JONES: “Dead Prez”
DJ SPINNA: “One of my favorites.”

T.JONES: “What are some major misconceptions about hip-hop producers and DJ’s?”
DJ SPINNA: “That they have no skills. It takes a lot. Even if you are sampling, you have to have vision. A lot of people do not credit hip-hop producers. A lot of cats who produce hip-hop records have to learn not only to get the best out of a sample but also get the best out of an emcee or artist. That’s where real production comes in. Anyone can grab a sample and a drum track and make a song but can you produce an entire album? Can you give the singer direction? It used to be that one producer would produce the entire album. Think about early hip-hop records or soul records or funk records. They only had one musical director. I think it’s done because people want different vibes but one good producer should be able to bring diversity to an album. You don’t necessarily need to be the one to be programming or playing on a record. That’s not really the role of the producer. A producer can bring in a programmer to make the record. It’s all about having vision for the project and getting the best out of the artist.”

T.JONES: “What do you want on your epitaph (your gravestone)?”
DJ SPINNA: “Something about me as a person. I think I led a good life and treated people right. I see myself as a person who received love and gave love back. I’m a lover of music. Anything related to that is fine with me.”

T.JONES: “What can we expect from DJ Spinna in the future?”
DJ SPINNA: “I don’t know. I don’t know what to expect myself. I don’t know what I will be doing a year from now. I know that I will definitely be working. I’m a workaholic. I’m constantly in the grind. I plan to do a whole jazz album one day. I plan to do a full length house record one day. Lately, I have been feeling the vibe of that hardcore sound, loops, and making records sound dirty again. I miss that whole Marley Marl and Pete Rock era. For a while, I was so disheartened in the whole hip-hop movement. I didn’t like where it was going even though we’re making lots of money. Hip-hop is a billion dollar business. Musically, I’m not feeling most of the mainstream stuff. I like Kanye West and Just Blaze but there are a lot of knock offs. The soul is missing. I need that soul. ‘The Blueprint’ by Jay-Z put sampling back on the map. It never ended for me but for the mainstream audience, people began looking at old records again. Mobb Deep and Redman and Busta had joints that had that element but as a whole, hip-hop didn’t. We have to look at the big picture of hip-hop.”

T.JONES: “Any final comments for the people reading this?”
DJ SPINNA: “When it comes to my record, try to have an open mind. I have a house joint on there. I have jazz. I have broken beats. I have hip-hop. I’m just trying to make good music.”