DJ Zeus Interview |
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Hi DJ Zeus, thanks for taking time out for this interview.
Hey, thanks for having me on board. It is a pleasure speaking with you.
For Rappfox readers, who aren’t familiar with you, tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, I’m a simple and chill dude living Down Under. I did my high school in Perth and went to UWA. I’ve graduated with 3 different degrees, the highest being a Masters in Neuroscience and I plan to further myself in this field. Apart from that I love sports, music, dance and comedy. Did I mention I’m a DJ? :P
How did you get into DJing?
Ah, this is an interesting question… How I became a DJ was an accident. The story goes like this: I was always interested in the idea of remixing songs. Back then, remixed songs usually had a DJ name as the artist and you’ll often hear “DJ AHHH’ (this dude probably doesn’t exist, bear with me here) at some point in the song similar to DJ Khaled, albeit in a less obnoxious manner. And so, I thought that was what DJing was all about. In my pursuit to be a remixer, I decided to buy a cheap ass controller to learn the ropes of remixing because I thought that’s how remixes were made (don’t ask me how I came to that conclusion... because thinking about it now, I just cringe so hard like wtf was I thinking back then :/). Once I got the controller, I approached someone I knew that was a proper DJ contrary to my idealisation and I asked him about working this thing. He looked me dead in the eye and asked me if I wanted to be a producer or DJ? I was confused about it and he took time to explain the key differences between them and he asked me the same question again. I said I wanted to a DJ. He went into his room, took out a turntable and a 4-channel mixer, chucked it to me and told me “here you go, learn”.
I wasn’t confident about using the equipment he gave me, so I decided to learn using my controller. I actually learnt DJing using the traktor manual that came with software (you might be mind blown at this point). After a few months, I was jumping across equipment/software. Throughout this phase, I was already competent in DJing in the first few months and I was naturally scratching on any equipment I had. Moreover, till today, I’m still completely self-taught. Everything I knew about DJing came from the software manual and the few videos scattered over the Internet. It was not until my first battle last year when I bought a set of turntables and mixer so that I could battle and really become a complete DJ.
Hey, thanks for having me on board. It is a pleasure speaking with you.
For Rappfox readers, who aren’t familiar with you, tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, I’m a simple and chill dude living Down Under. I did my high school in Perth and went to UWA. I’ve graduated with 3 different degrees, the highest being a Masters in Neuroscience and I plan to further myself in this field. Apart from that I love sports, music, dance and comedy. Did I mention I’m a DJ? :P
How did you get into DJing?
Ah, this is an interesting question… How I became a DJ was an accident. The story goes like this: I was always interested in the idea of remixing songs. Back then, remixed songs usually had a DJ name as the artist and you’ll often hear “DJ AHHH’ (this dude probably doesn’t exist, bear with me here) at some point in the song similar to DJ Khaled, albeit in a less obnoxious manner. And so, I thought that was what DJing was all about. In my pursuit to be a remixer, I decided to buy a cheap ass controller to learn the ropes of remixing because I thought that’s how remixes were made (don’t ask me how I came to that conclusion... because thinking about it now, I just cringe so hard like wtf was I thinking back then :/). Once I got the controller, I approached someone I knew that was a proper DJ contrary to my idealisation and I asked him about working this thing. He looked me dead in the eye and asked me if I wanted to be a producer or DJ? I was confused about it and he took time to explain the key differences between them and he asked me the same question again. I said I wanted to a DJ. He went into his room, took out a turntable and a 4-channel mixer, chucked it to me and told me “here you go, learn”.
I wasn’t confident about using the equipment he gave me, so I decided to learn using my controller. I actually learnt DJing using the traktor manual that came with software (you might be mind blown at this point). After a few months, I was jumping across equipment/software. Throughout this phase, I was already competent in DJing in the first few months and I was naturally scratching on any equipment I had. Moreover, till today, I’m still completely self-taught. Everything I knew about DJing came from the software manual and the few videos scattered over the Internet. It was not until my first battle last year when I bought a set of turntables and mixer so that I could battle and really become a complete DJ.
What do you enjoy most about DJing, whether that is musically or technically?
Party-rocking. That’s DJing for me. Party-rocking. I enjoy fusing turntablism with mixing to create something that’s novel to the audience rocking with me. Both aspects (technicality and musicality) are really important in DJing and for me, they kinda work in synergy because they complement and exemplify each other, which is what makes DJing really fun and eccentric.
Tell me about your practice routine for the DMCs on the 25th of August.
It’s going good so far. It’s kinda tricky at times, because no single practice session is the exact same. Sometimes you get slight differences so it’s a constant battle to try and keep them as congruent as possible without getting carried away and changing things. It also takes a slight toll on you, so it’s important to keep that in check.
What can punters expect from your set?
I hope they find my set relatable, interesting and just all-round dope! J
Thank again for your time and all the best for the competition on Sunday 25th August at Universal Bar.
It’s been a pleasure speaking with you. Big props to Rappfox for supporting this event and I wish everyone well for their battle. I hope the crowd enjoys their time and find it a relaxing way to wind down their weekend. Hope you have a nice time in London, and I look forward to speaking to you in person. Thank you once again for the opportunity 😊 Best Wishes, Z.
The 2019 WA DMC DJ Championships are on Sunday 25th August at Universal Bar, event page here.