DJ Superstar Jay
Mixtape King of New York
One of the more interesting aspects of modern music has to be the rise of the mixtape. So many artists from so many genres make their bones these days by crafting a killer mixtape, distributing it and finding the right audience. It’s really an unbelievable concept, and it’s been around forever. DJ Superstar Jay, who has an album coming out called Why Not? knows the mixtape game all-too-well.
“My grandmother bought me my first deck, my first turntables, when I was 12,” Jay said. “That’s what got me started. For a while I was playing basketball, and I had a promising ball career ahead of me. Then I went to college, and it didn’t pan out like I wanted.”
Indulging his other passion, music, Jay began spinning for different radio stations, venues, and more. When he came to New York, he knew he had to make a splash, because the level of talent and the amount of people looking to do what he was doing was incredibly high.
“It’s funny because, I get asked that question all the time, how I got started and all that,” Jay said. “It was just a hobby at first, local stuff, parties, mixtapes. DJ-ing was always the love of my life. RUN DMC were my idols. I wanted to be Jam-master Jay. I didn’t want to be the rapper, you know? The DJ controls the crowd.”
Jay was spinning when he was in college and was met with some doubters, but he showed them that not only could he spin, he could spin great. “People used to call me basketball Jay,” he said. “People started calling me Superstar Jay, which was good and it’s stuck with me. I came home from college after graduation and I was on the radio. When I came to New York City I had to find a way to stick out from the crowd, and mixtapes was it. I haven’t stopped since.”
The landscape of mixtapes has changed over the years. Back in the day it was literally a cassette tape handed out, person to person, generations of tape being copied and distributed until finally, an artist finds their audience or a producer who elevates them to another level.
With the advent of the internet, the mixtape game has changed forever. With sites like SoundCloud and others, it’s much easier for an artist to distribute their mixtape amongst a wide group of people. Jay has approached the Internet possibly the best way possible, by dominating it and turning it into an avenue to get his work out there.
“I feel mixtapes are always going to be the most important thing for an artist,” Jay said. “Whether you’re getting into the game or getting back into the game, it’s a free art, you know what I mean? Youre giving it out for free. Hit records come from the people, and they come from the streets. When I was in college, I never denied technology. The Internet was blowing up. In 2004, friends were downloading music, and I knew this was the future. I was getting the hottest music from my friends, and from these sites. MP3’s began replacing tape, you know? It’s easier for a guy in Hawaii to download a song in one minute, than it is for him to seek out your material. Whatever gets my music out to the public faster.”
One of the characteristics of a great mixtape is collaboration. Whether it’s with an unknown artist or with someone well-known like Tony Yayo, DJ Superstar Jay knows the value in a great collaboration. “I just recently got off the phone with some of my collaborators in G-Unit, they were some of the first to give me my break,” Jay said. “It meant a lot to me then, and still does. They’re still big, and I remember how big they were at the time, and they really embraced me. Dealing with artists and anything I put out, I want it to be a classic. Everyone I’ve worked with, many are perfectionists, and I’m very hands-on. So whatever advice or guidance I can provide, I do it, because I had it from when I was starting out. It’s good to know what records are hot, and what records are not. DJ’s can give rappers an idea of what’s hot or not, and really give them an idea of what’s going on. The bond between artists and DJ’s is real good.”
Reaching an audience is what every artists strives to do, and DJ Superstar Jay does just that, not only by using the internet to reach his audience, but also by touring quite a bit. “Right now, I’m working on an album called Why Not? I feel that when I was putting my album out originally, there was so much to go through but now, you put it out on iTunes, and it’s much easier,” Jay said. “People will gravitate to it and purchase it, or listen to it. Why not? I figure, why not cut an album, you know? Also, I got a website that I partnered with, that I’ve been working on for a while with a friend, it’s similar to WorldStar. It’s called GlobalHipHopTV. It caters to a global audience, and the music game worldwide is so big, it’s important to bring more talent together from the global community.”
That passion for bringing the global hip hop community together is something that really sets Superstar Jay apart from his contemporaries. You never know where the next big thing is going to come from. Jay is on the cutting edge of that with his website and his concepts, it’s really an exciting idea.
“It’s good to shine a light on talented artists from other places, so those in the United States can see what music is like in other parts of the globe,” Jay said.
Jay’s toured all over the place, but his favorite country he’s visited and performed in is Canada, Toronto to be exact. Not only one of the world’s cleanest cities, Jay highlights the fact that the city is really in-tune with the music scene. “Toronto is very good, as far as knowing what’s going on,” Jay said. “Puerto Rico is pretty great, too. I’m just, you know, very into Toronto. It’s not my favorite country to get into, but it’s my favorite country to party in. It’s very difficult to get into Canada these days!”
Jay started talking a bit about his connection to the bully breed and what drew him to check out Bully Girl Magazine. “I’ve always been in love with dogs, but when I did my research into the magazine, I had no idea the bully breed was one of the top breeds, and that there are breeders all over the country who focus solely on this particular breed,” Jay said.“ I just did my research and looked into kennels and breeding. I felt like the magazine brings what’s going on now to the public. It’s what’s going on right now, you know? The magazine brings a nice collaboration between pretty girls, beautiful dogs, hip hop, sports and the culture together in a way that’s a lot like a mixtape.”
“You can put different things in this magazine, the love of dogs, pretty girls, I think it’s a dope idea. I’m really happy to be a part of it,” Jay said. “Bully love is a great thing and it’s a great thing to see in a magazine. Bringing people’s love of the breed together is a great thing. You read other magazines and get everything from the cover. With this magazine, you can read about dogs, the proper care, different breeds, kennels, breeders themselves. It’s interesting.”
Of all the praise I’ve heard of Bully Girl, I think the mixtape analogy is the best. You blend different aspects of culture, life and the love of a great breed of dogs into one magazine. On one page, you’re looking at a gorgeous young lady, on the next, you’re reading an interview with a talented artist or athlete. You’re holding something pretty fascinating in your hands right now, and DJ Superstar Jay is the one who put it all in perspective.
