Having cut his teeth at the Stones Throw Beat Battles and contributed to more than half-a-dozen Pragmatic Theory compilations, it's safe to say that DJ Sapien is carving his own creative space. In our seventh interview, he shares some of the experiences that helped him shape his sound.
"Take Five" to tap into the talent beyond the surface.
1.) You hail form Taiwan and currently reside in the Northwest US. How has your transition to the States impacted your work?
Yeah, you know it's kind of funny in a way because growing up I pretty much explored all kinds of Western music more. I would hear my folks listening to Taiwanese pop songs or Chinese opera at home and, while I liked those types music, I was more interested in hip hop, soul, jazz and reggae. It was only when I started making beats a couple of years ago that I actually went back to my roots to find inspiration. While you won't find it much in my work as in sampling (per se) the influence is definitely there subconsciously.
2.) The Stones Throw Beat Battles helped solidify your skills. What was your greatest takeaway from that experience?
The Stones Throw Beat Battles were a turning point for me. I went in there just about two years ago and I was blown away by the amount of talented cats battling each week. I was just a beginner at the time and those guys were
so influential in shaping my perceptions, philosophy and style as a beatmaker. I learned everything from using filters and effects to not quantizing and how to get those drums to swing, so I owe everything to those battles.
3.) How did you connect with the producers at Pragmatic Theory?
Sev En from Pragmatic Theory was following the Stones Throw battles and she contacted me about being on one of their compilations. This was in August of last year, so I'd been polishing and refining my skills in those battles for nine months. I felt I was ready to put something out and the timing just all fell into place. They had put out their first compilation which was a Curtis Mayfield tribute so I was invited to be on their second release "Summer In the City". We really jived so I've been on every compilation since.
4.) You have edited Blu, Macy Gray and Danny! (to name a few). How do you determine which tracks to transform?
Well, first of all I have to like the original version but there's really not a method in choosing what to remix. Sometimes I'll be doing a beat and it will remind me of another song. Other times I'll just happen to come across an acapella that I'll specifically craft a beat for. Either way, I always want to result to have a completely different vibe than the original.
5.) Your tribute to Etta James is exceptional. Do you have plans to work with any other great vocalists?
Yeah, I've used some Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Dinah Washington (the greats) samples in the past and I've been avoiding vocal samples for a while now so it would be nice to get back to those again. I've been listening to some artists who maybe aren't as well known but are great nonetheless, just not household names. You might be hearing some Angelo Bond, Ruby Andrews or Sam Dees soon so stay tuned.
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