If you check out local concert and club listings on a fairly regular basis, chances are you've probably seen the name Flosstradamus listed a million times in the last year or so. Currently one of the hottest DJ acts locally, the Flossin' duo of J2K and Autobot have also been getting nationwide attention in such high profile rags as Fader and URB Magazine. This week, the boys are heading to New York to rock the music industry masses at this year's CMJ festival, which should undoubtedly bring them even more national (or even international?) acclaim. RFC caught up with Josh "J2K" Young last week via email to find out what keeps these party peoples going and when we can expect to see their hot mixes finally available on store shelves.
So, how long have you guys been at it?
Curt (Autobot) has been DJing for 8 years, and I've been at it about 5 or 6 now. We met at some house party Curt was playing. People knew we both DJ'd along the same lines, and had pretty much put us in touch. We normally answer that question Eharmony.com
Do you consider yourselves DJs, Producers or Remixers? (maybe all of the above?)
Definitely putting in work in all three categories. DJing is how we make a living, throwing parties all over the country for now. Ideally we'd like to get to a point where we can tour proper with an actual record to promote. That would allow us a little down time to actually work on music as opposed to playing 15 shows a month, scattered all over the place.
Right now it seems like you guys are manning 2-3 parties/shows every week, does your schedule ever get a bit taxing and/or what's the key to your stamina? (Lots of Sparks?)
Yeah, it gets taxing for sure. You get sick, and tired, and cranky, but it's still awesome. Rocking parties is how we established ourselves, it's what we do best, and it's usually pretty fun. And fuck Sparks, that shit will give you a heart attack. Like I mentioned before, we would like to have time to work on a record so we can actually do a tour proper instead of playing randomly all over the
place. That shit can really wear you down.
Do you guys have a favorite club or venue?
Our favorite venue is Town Hall Pub. Our favorite club is Sonotheque.
What else are you guys cooking up in the near future? And when can we finally hear some Floss down on wax?
Well we have wax now. The remix we did for Walter Meego called Romantic is now available on 12". We're going to be working on a record over the winter, and you'll probably see an EP in stores around January or February. We're working on some tracks with Kid Sister and Vyle as well.
SPEED ROUND
So why is everyone and their brother sampling Afrika Bambaata this year? Bambaata was the shit and was/is hugely influencial, but why suddenly am I hearing "Perfect Beat" and "Planet Rock" in everything this year?
Well every beat Jazze Pha makes sounds like Bam, and always has. Both Cool and Dre, and Jermaine Dupri used "Perfect Beat" pretty well. Dupri on J-Lo's "Lose Control" and Cool and Dre on "Holla At Me" which was easily the better track. It's all good though, as long as the beat slaps, and they do Bam justice. But Jazze Pha needs to cool it a bit, I can only hear Ciara over the "Planet Rock" formula so many times.
...Same with "The Percolator," not so much in sampling, but I swear I hear it everytime I go out to a club or a party.
Dunno, Diplo played it?
ESG, will people ever stop sampling them? And what were your thoughts on their reunion record from a couple of years ago?
No...and we like South Bronx Story.
Who do you think will be the next old school icons from dance and hip-hop to be heavily mined?
It's already started, everyone is going to be on Dilla's shit for the next decade, and any Baltimore Club producer who has been at it for more than 2 years.
Finally...Who do you think are the top beat makers/producers/remixers currently in the game?
Nitty (see Pattie Cake Man), Switch (see A Bit Patchy), Sinden (see Red Hot), Mano (see Bang That), Trackademicks (see Grocery Bills), Diplo, Nephets (see Gettin' Some Juked), Para One (see Clubhoppn), Orgasmic (see Regarde Dous Mes Game), basically anyone from France at the moment, and Polow Da Don (see Throw Some D's, Blindfold Me, and London Bridge) are all killing it right now.
Flosstradamus returns to Chicago on 11/15 for another installment of their monthly "Get Outta The Hood" nights at Town Hall Pub, 3340 N. Halsted.
Download: Spank Rock - "Put That Pussy On Me (Flosstradamus remix)"
I love "holla at me"! Paul Wall fucking kills that shit. personally don't mind the whole Bambaataa-on-repeat thing, albeit on a case-by-case basis.
Posted by: jaclyn | Monday, October 30, 2006 at 09:58 PM