MOJO: Digital setup with no records on the road?

Z-Trip: It's hard in one hand because I started with 'em 20 years ago, but on the other hand it's healthy because I can stretch out a little bit more and do things I wouldn't normally be able to do. It was hard for me to dump everything down to digital. I also had to go out and find all that stuff in digital formats. It's a bit discouraging as I thought I had my corner of the market secured, but then when you think about it, anyone can go to Guitar Center, buy the equipment, hop online and have all the songs that I have. However, the upside is the fact that I've worked all those records. I've played them all, I know them all. It taught me how to deejay, stretch out and read a crowd. So it's one of those things where just because someone comes along with the same tools and technology, doesn't mean he or she has the same skills as the guy who's been seasoned. You can tell a guy who's been playing a long time versus someone who's fairly inexperienced, so thank god I've got that for me. And at the same time, I can't knock new technology - it's saved my back. Hell, it's saved all of our backs! Deejays are getting older man! Especially going overseas, it's much easier going with a backpack versus 4-5 crates of records, not to mention the cost behind all that luggage! I can remember going to Australia and spending $1500+ in overages for only 4 crates of records!

MOJO: Music selection is the difference between a dope mash-up deejay and a dull competitor. How do you keep it fresh?

Z-Trip: You have to have a high threshold for whack shit! There's so much garbage out there that I try my hardest to only play the upper echelon of music. I'll try a million things at the house, but 80% of it will never see the light; versus a guy who's just doing any of those 80 things. I try a ton of new stuff and let a lot of it go. That's why when I find something that's incredible, I try to release it and work with it. Self editing is something that a lot of people find hard to do, but it's what makes a deejay better.

MOJO: With the onset of digital music, the neighborhood record store is becoming a rarity. What kind of resources would you recommend a junior deejay explore to find that unique sound as an artist?

Z-Trip: I would say look for an older collector. I used to learn a lot from the guys who were running the stores, who have been in the store for 20 plus years. The key is finding somebody who can teach you things, somebody that you respect; it's always good to have a mentor. The other thing is to try and be as individual as you can possibly be, to have your own sound. Too many deejays sound alike. Strive for uniqueness.

MOJO: Who were your early influences, the ones that hooked you?

Z-Trip: Oh wow! Jazzy Jeff, Cash Money, Mr. Mix from 2-Live Crew. There's a ton of deejays that I think are incredible scratchers and what not, but I think Marly Marl is the guy who got me into this. I grew up in New York listening to him on the radio with Red Alert. They were the guys that I really heard mixing records. I figured out where they learned it from -- old school people like Grand Wizard Theodore and Jazzy J, Bambaataa and on and on... Grand Master Flash. All those guys were the originators. I got into it a couple of years after those guys were getting established. I did a lot of back research and it made me appreciate everybody, and started getting into all kinds of deejays -- reggae deejays, house guys. I learned a lot from everybody. There's a million names but these are just the ones that stick out in my head at this moment.

MOJO: You went from listening to legendary artists to having them appear on your albums! What was it like creating ‘Shifting Gears’ with heavyweights like Chuck D, Grandmaster Caz, Murs, Supernatural, Soup (Jurassic 5) and others?

Z-Trip: It was like giving birth. Probably the most trying thing I've ever done. The original album that I wanted to do was a mix album and I wanted to get all the stuff cleared. That didn't happen so I had to start from scratch. I felt that I had to make my first record a Hip Hop record, just to give nods and props to all the people before me. So, it was heavy man. Working with Chuck D was amazing, Chester from Linkin Park was amazing. Grandmaster Caz, Whipper Whip and all the new guys like Lyrics Born, Aceyalone, Busdriver, Soup -- all those guys are incredible! All in all it taught me a lot! I learned a ton of shit about making music and everything that goes along with it. Its funny too because its probably the first and last record that I'll ever make for a ‘major’ considering the whole climate change. I mean nobody makes "records" anymore. Really!

MOJO: What are your plans for future albums and projects?

Z-Trip: I plan to make more albums, it's just that I'll never go through the motions of major labels and distributions. It's kind of irrelevant nowadays to make a record in that fashion, considering the new technology we have before us. For me, its all about promoting the next show or the next tour.

MOJO: As the industry's power shifts from in-store to online distribution, artists are naturally having to rely on live performances as a major part of their income. That said, what does it REALLY take to "make it" as a performing artist these days?

Z-Trip: You need to establish some sort of history. You need to have paid your dues, really. I'll cite Justice in the sense of a great band that makes records. They're incredible in the studio. But their live shows? I watched some of their performances on YouTube the other day, and it was boring as hell. The tunes were incredible but their deejay skills were like watching a couple guys smoke cigarettes and play records. When their shows die down, and their name isn't as hot, if they don't really get their chops up, they'll just be the same guys playing records. Everyone needs evolution. They need to be really good in the studio and then go on the road. Nobody's really good right out the box. But if those guys keep at it, eventually they'll have a good live show. As far as producing, they burn, they really fuckin’ smoke! They just need to get their legs out on the road, as every artist should. If you're good in the studio and good on the road, you can have a life-long career, regardless of industry highs and lows.

MOJO: In your opinion, what is the current state of Hip Hop?

Z-Trip: I was watching some show at some venue the other day, and it was a rapper with like 20 dudes standing behind him, smoking or something, getting high and just standing. Every so often they'd be like "yo!" and throw a hand up. There was one emcee on stage rappin’ without a deejay. Now here's the funny part, everyone in the crowd was just standing their, with their phones out YouTubing them and capturing the performance. Nobody was partying. Nobody was loosing their mind or dancing. I was watching this thinking holy shit, this is the current state of Hip Hop? In most peoples eyes anyways. It's scary because it's real!

MOJO: What's your take on the Vegas music scene?

Z-Trip: Vegas is like a bus stop for a lot of people. There's so many people coming in and out of here that it’s hard for Vegas to have an identity, musically speaking. The sub-culture is always where it's gonna be at, and there's a big sub-culture of people here. The hard part about Vegas is that there's a million things to do here at any given moment, and so it's hard for individuals to fully subscribe to one single sub-culture, such as Hip Hop. To try and create something in a bar or "off the beaten path," is a challenge. People do it and succeed at it, but it's definitely challenging. I think John Doe is the first guy in Vegas that I know of, who's been doing it from scratch; crawling and crawling, creating his night of funk and doing well! There's quite a few people following in his footsteps, but Iremember a lot of the old school cats like Elof, when he had his Hip Hop shop out here you know? All these guys, they were all trying to do it but it was an uphill battle because of the location. It's a revolving door. People are moving in and out at a rapid rate. So when I come to Vegas nowadays, it's really hard to find the real shit because it's so far underground! It's not flashy and it's hard to find by nature, raw, gritty, etc. You need to be connected to know, and it's not happening in competition with the major things on Friday and Saturday. I know it exists but you really have to look for it. So if you can make it in Vegas, you can make it anywhere!

MOJO: That said, you have to take a look at what Revolution is doing. They've created a new scene on the strip, and a new trend in my eyes, by catering to the anti-Pop crowd every Tuesday and Thursday night. It's still in it's infant stages, but it's already drumming up major support within the community. There's a major buzz around town that finally someone on the strip "gets it." The Beatles Revolution Lounge has started a revolution of its own, worthy of major artist support. You never know who's gonna stop by: Dallas Austin, The Killers; it's crazy here!

Z-Trip: Absolutely, I appreciate spinning to a crowd like Revolution's! They're real music fans here. I do come here and spin to the "revolving door" crowd from time-to-time, where I have to play shit from the radio for tourists and what not. So when I have the freedom to stretch out and do something I want to do, it's way more interesting and fun. And for Revolution to give me the opportunity to do it is great! I can do it in North Carolina, Florida or Chicago, but Vegas is always a harder place to do "this" kind of underground-classic spinning because by nature, Vegas is really mainstream. All the shows are here, all the fights and anything that's hot and happening is here. It's hard to compete against that, and so I give Revolution a ton of credit.

MOJO: Rougher terrain creates a stronger soldier.

Z-Trip: Yeah! Always, always!

MOJO: Revolution has chosen to carve its own path with "Live Revolution" on Tuesday nights, and let's face it, being original is not an easy task! Although it's challenging in more ways than most will ever know. The idea is brilliant! Do you have any words of encouragement for guys like Kozmoe and Scott at Revolution, who are in the trenches laying the foundation, daily, as well as everyone showing up on a weekly basis to support Revolution's movement?

Z-Trip: Keep doing it! You're on to something great. You'll end up creating a name, in this nameless cookie cutter pop culture scene. I commend you guys.

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Photos by Richard Rasner.