Coming up on Thursday, September 1st is one of the illest collabos you’ll see in a long time when the X-Ecutioners and the Oakland Faders unite with the big homie Rob Swift alongside DJs Ammbush & Platurn!
Grab more information and RSVP for the event here and cop your advance tickets here.
In collaboration with this event we’ll be releasing some music and other fun stuff in the next month — for starters here is an interview and guest mix courtesy of The Arch himself…
www.djrobswift.com
1. State your stage name & occupation.
Rob: My stage name is Rob Swift. But you can call me The Arch. I
deconstruct and reconstruct sounds on vinyl. In other words, I’m a
DJ/Turntablist!
2. Explain how you got the name Rob Swift?
Rob: Originally, my DJ name was DJ Robby Rob, LOLOLOL. I still have
old records with that old named tagged up and down record covers.
Then a friend of my older brother’s named J-Von, decided I should call
myself “DJ Swift” after seeing me cut it up in my living room on my
dad’s equipment. So I was SWIFT for a number of years. Right before
I entered my first battle, the 1991 East Coast DMC, I decided I would
fuse “Robby Rob” with “Swift” and hence, DJ Rob Swift was born.
3. Any relation to E-Swift, Ken Swift or J-Swift?
Rob: We’re all Hip Hop cousins. Don’t forget Cut Master Swift in London.
4. Please explain why digital DJing should or should not be scoffed at
by modern day DJs/turntablists?
Rob: I think it’s important for DJs/Turntablists to adapt to
technology. I see nothing wrong with learning how to incorporate
software like Serato Scratch Live into your set. That being said, I
hate seeing DJs rely on software to hide their flaws. If you can’t
back spin a record, don’t be lazy and use cue points on your laptop as
a way of masking your weaknesses. That’s not true DJing. It’s
cutting corners and I can’t respect someone that can’t do what they do
using a laptop with regular vinyl.
5. Do you still buy records?
Rob: Hell yeah! Then I digitize them for the Serato library. This
way I can leave them at home safe when I travel!
6. Top 3 sweet soul, top 3 disco and top 3 reggae breaks in your arsenal?
Rob: Top 3 Sweet Soul: (1) “Funky Drummer” James Brown (2) “Hey
Joyce” Lou Courtney and (3) “Getting Nasty” Ike Turner
Top 3 Disco: (1) “We Got The Funk” Positive Force (2) “I Hear Music In
The Streets” Unlimited Touch (3) “Like This” ESG
Top 3 Reggae Breaks: (1) “Get Up Stand Up” Bob Marley (2) “Bam Bam”
Sister Nancy (3) “Welcome To Jamrock” Damien Marley
7. Talk about what it was like growing up in Jackson Heights? Who were
the local heroes that influenced you the most?
Rob: Growing up in Jackson Heights was amazing. I lived on 89th
Street between 37th Ave and Roosevelt Ave. Just 2 train stops away on
74th Street was USA ROLLERSKATING RINK. For those that don’t know,
that’s were the famous battle between Rock Steady and Dynamic Rockers
took place in the documentary “Style Wars”. Jackson Heights oozed Hip
Hop back then. All of my friends were either B-boys, Graf Writers,
MCs or DJs. I remember you could see the 7 train from my street and
while we played two hand touch football on the street, we’d stop every
time the 7 train pulled up to see what new piece the legendary FUZZ
did on the #7. Queens Bridge projects isn’t too far from Jackson
Heights so Marley Marl was a huge hero of mine. Honorable mention to
Dr. Butcher, Kool G Rap and last but certainly not least, my older
brother UNI!
8. Raida will be sorely missed — a quick story about your friendship
& why he was one of the greatest of all time.
Rob: Honestly, there’s not way I could give you “a quick story” about
my friendship with Raida and do it justice. I’d need way more time
and you’d need way more space in this interview. That being said,
what I would like to say about Raida was he literally came from
nothing and went on to establish himself amongst legends in the music
industry. Raida could of easily took life’s negative route. As a
kid, he grew up amongst the worst of the worst. But his resolve and
character took him out of the streets and on to stages full of 30,000
people in awe of what he could do on turntables. Accomplishing that
alone makes him the greatest in my book! Since he’s not here in
physical form to continue on, It’s my duty to carry on his legacy!
9. Top 5 DJ songs of all time? As in, a song where the DJ was the main
feature (so can be a rap song where the MC is bigging up his DJ, not
just a track with the DJ strictly cuttin’ it up).
Rob: My top 5 DJ songs in no particular order are (1) “Scratching To
The Funk” Cash Money (2) “The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff” Marley Marl (3)
“Clifford’s Mustache” D Styles (4) “Raida’s Theme” X-ecutioners and
(5) “Marley Scratch” MC Shan & Marley Marl
10. Some favorite aspects of the Bay Area and what you always have to
do when you come back?
Rob: In the 90’s the Bay Area was the Mecca for Turntablists. To this
day, every time I return memories of causing scratch havoc with cats
like Disk, Q-bert, Mix Master Mike, Apollo, Shortkut, and Quest come
to mind. The weather is beautiful, not too cold, not too hot. I love
the hills! But the one thing I ALWAYS have to do when I get back to
the Bay is make a trip to the homey Mr. E’s Papalote Mexican
restaurant. Their carne asada is the TRUTH!
And to top it off, here’s a free mix from the man himself…
DJ Rob Swift_Back To The Bay Promo Mix by OaklandFaders
You can also preview it on Swift.fm and download it at Mixcrate.com
