I was playing dominoes with my daughter this afternoon. While we played she had a music channel on the TV. She knew almost every song word for word. She also had a dance for every song and didn't even have to stand up. I always new she would be musically inclined. It's funny because she does what I used to do and still do. She makes up beats and songs on the spot. I've heard her sing, make up a hook and do the a beat box in one car ride.
One of my cars doesn't have a radio, so I make up my own music. I sometimes beat box. I also rap my favorite raps (mostly Biggie) At times I will sing, most of the times it's Salsa, because I know all the words to a lot of Salsa songs. My favorite is to sing random songs with a thick Spanish accent. Lately I have made it a point to sing Punk songs with a Cockney English accent. I have even tried my hand at freestyling on the car ride home. Sometimes I'm good most of the time I suck. I guess I need to write some lyrics. I also feel I don't have the right sound for rap. My voice is too soft.
I always wanted to be a producer. When I was in high school I learned how to DJ. I actually learned how mix, scratch, beat juggle also known as Turntablism. My best friend Ernesto was the one that got me started. His father was an audiophile and hobby DJ. He had the storage room in their condo set up with turntables, a mixer, recording equipment and tons of records. One day they went to upgrade the turntables. Ernesto talked his father into buying some Technics 1200 MK II's. So that's when it all began.
Ernesto had DJ's on both sides of his family. Jose was the one from New Jersey. He taught Ernesto how to scratch and mix. Edgar was his other cousin from Florida. Edgar was more into House, Trance, and Trip Pop. Ernesto learned how sample and mix more extensively from Edgar.
When Ernesto started buying his own records he started to teach me everything he knew. I would go over to his house everyday after school to practice. I started making house mixed tapes. Then I starting buying records too. I think at one point, together we had over a thousand records. We ranged everywhere from Old School Hip Hop to all the best of 90's rap. We also racked up on house music. He had a penchant for Latino influenced house. I gravitated for deep bass and repetitive hooks. I loved getting behind those turntables.
We would DJ all our family functions. When we went to Catholic University I even got us a radio program on the universitiy's radio station. It was on WCUA on Friday nights at 9. The Beatdown. The first Hip Hop show on WCUA. Really it was just us hanging with our friends, smoking, and talking shit.
I did manage to throw one party. There was bar a below the student union. One Friday night we threw an old school block party. I got another campus DJ to alternate with me. I don't remember what happened but Ernesto wasn't there. He did let me take all the records out. I had at least 12 crates behind me. My brother in law came along for the ride. To this day he tells the story of how I made the records "cry". All my friends were there. It was one the best feelings ever. I even got a few of the guys to spit some freestyles. I remember grabbing the mike and flowing. It was sounding pretty good until I stepped on the cable and disconnected the mic. A breakdance crew came out too. The best part was when I started my house set. Everyone started to dance and they didn't stop till I stopped.
After I left college I started working. DJing was the furthest thing from my priorities. A few years later I went to visit Ernesto and asked him to give me the records. We began looking for them in his closet where they were last. They were nowhere to be found. One of the times he moved out, his mom either threw them away or gave them to goodwill. I would've taken them off her hands.
Now that I'm older and haven't really done anything with my life I still get the itch from time to time. I always say when I have the money I would buy some equipment and start collecting records again. I did buy a few here and there, but it's an expensive hobby.
Music is always gonna be my first love. I got the love for it from my parents and brothers. My mom taught me how to dance. She gave me the love for 50's Rock and Roll, and Disco. From my dad it's Tango, Bolero, and Mambo. My older brothers gave me 60's and 70's rock. My other brother of course started me with Hip Hop from his breakdance days. He also gave me Salsa and Merengue. I'm passing all that down to my daughter.
She's like me, she loves a good beat. She'll dance to anything. I love beats and will never stop dreaming about making the crowd move.
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