Michael Jordan (Original Mix)
If there is one thing I can say about Global Dance Festival every year at Red Rocks in beautiful Colorado it is this; three epic nights with some of the best artists in the music world today. And of course for a music blogger, these are the experiences I live for, seeing live acts, sitting down with amazing musicians and seeing music lovers everywhere unite for a grand weekend. This past Saturday I had the chance to sit down with one of my favorite up and coming EDM artists (or as he says, the artist who is the death of EDM) Dj Carnage. Have a read below as I sat down with the King of the Chipotle gang as we discussed his new release “Michael Jordan”, his Maryland upbringing and why his music is like an Okapi.
TMN: On this lovely summer evening up at the beautiful Red Rocks theater, I have the pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Dj Carnage. Thank you so much for taking time before your set to chat with us.
TMN: It sounds like music has been part of your life for a very long time. So let’s start off from the very beginning when you were just a little nugget in your mom’s belly, did your mom tell you that she ever listened to any particular music while she was carrying you, put you up to the speakers and let some old Jazz tunes roll or anything?
DjC: Nobody has any musical background in my family, so no.
TMN: And how about when you were a kid, growing up, was there any music in your household? Have you been musically trained in any way, shape or form such as singing lessons or piano lessons?
DjC: Yeah I mean there was Spanish music in my household growing up.
TMN: Like a little samba in the kitchen kind of thing?
DjC: No, it was just, I was raised in Guatemala for 8 years, until I was 7 or 8…(laughs) I was raised in Guatemala until I was 8 (laughs). And yeah it was pretty chill and we used to listen to whatever, it was never a no music kind of thing just whatever was playing ya know?
TMN: Of course and I know there are stories about you going for long car rides with your mom where you would play mixed cd’s to pass the time along. Who were some of your favorite artists to have on those cd’s?
DjC: Eminem, 50 Cent, Mase, Ja Rule, Nelly, Chingy…Murphy Lee, D12.
TMN: Wow, you are bringing back some memories here from high school, Ja Rule needs to make a comeback right?
DjC: (Laughs)
DjC: It was cool, you know when you are a kid and you get something cool and then you forget about it?
TMN: Yes.
DjC: That is exactly how is was. I got Fruity Loops and then didn’t touch it for a year. Then I moved to the country side of Maryland and had nothing to do but play football and I didn’t have many friends so I started becoming a computer nerd and making beats with some of my friends.
TMN: Alright, I like that. Now fast forward, you started making independent mixtapes and finding a presence online and then, you were signed to Indie Pop, then life got really grand didn’t it? Tell us what it was like when you heard artists like Tiesto playing your cuts of songs?
DjC: Surreal. It was awesome. It is hard for me to say it is life changing and amazing because it is more than that you know? It is just unreal.
TMN: Totally. And you released your debut “Bang” not too long ago now, what was it like for you getting to release your own works and has it done everything you hoped it would?
DjC: It was awesome to release something that I creatively wanted to do and it was an awesome record and Fools Gold did really good with it.
TMN: Of course we know you always have something up your sleeve, such as do you know how psyched I am for your “Michael Jordan” release in a few days? Hello, I’m from Chicago, Jordan was my hero, you wouldn’t happen to own any good Bulls gear would you?
DjC: (Points down to his pants which are Air Jordan pants).
TMN: Yes! Sorry, totally got off topic. Besides releasing that, what can we look for on the horizon from you?
DjC: Some more big music, going to start my label soon.
TMN: Starting a label soon, congratulations, do you have a name yet.
DjC: (Laughs) Yeah, I will release it soon, it is kind of obvious but I will release it soon.
TMN: Also, this is your first time at Red Rocks correct? Just to warn you, this will be your favorite outdoor venue ever now, I mean ever ever. But besides here, where has been some of your favorite places to play?
DjC: It is really hard to compete with my already favorite venue right now.
TMN: Oh yeah and what venue is that?
DjC: It is called the, I think, Green Theater in Kiev Ukraine it is like a WWII bunker, amphitheater in the middle of the forest. It is like a bunker in the middle of a Russian Siberian Forest. It is really awesome.
TMN: Sounds awesome.
DjC: Super scary though too because it is small and kind of creepy.
TMN: (Laughs) Well creepy isn’t always a bad thing.
DjC: It is about thirty minutes outside of Chernobyl you know, where they had all those radiation things where everyone is weird looking?
TMN: (Laughs) Well I mean it still sounds like a crazy place to play.
DjC: Yeah I know!
TMN: We should change this, what would be the first thing someone might write about you?
DjC: Something random like…about me liking Chipotle or something like that.
TMN: Carnage: the flesh of slain animals or men…I meannnnn, your music leaves me feeling a bit better than that I must say. Ever thought of some killer costume or effects to show this manly name?
DjC: No, I’m working on my live show which will be a bigger production. You ever been on a Universal Studio ride, the scary ones?
TMN: Of course, that will be awesome.
DjC: That’s kind of what I am going for.
TMN: Tell us one thing we wouldn’t know about growing up in Maryland.
DjC: There is still racism in Maryland and a lot of people don’t know that, there are a lot of weird places in Maryland like Camp David.
DjC: I will never release that information.
TMN: What? How are people supposed to go in and order that burrito, don’t you want people to go in and say, “I want the Carnage burrito?”
DjC: I know, I wish! I am trying to work on that actually.
TMN: (Laughs) Well perfect when that comes out I will go to Chipotle and dissect it and see what it on it.
DjC: (Laughs) Sounds like a plan.
TMN: I’m going to throw some rapid fire questions your way now, don’t think too much ok?
TMN: Snapbacks or tattoos…
DjC: Snapbacks
TMN: If I was a vegetable, I would be…
DjC: Broccoli
TMN: Do you know what I think you would be?
DjC: What?
TMN: A turnip, because you turn up ☺
DjC: (Laughs) Oh my God (Laughs again) Yes. That is so funny.
TMN: Daytime or Nighttime…
DjC: Nighttime
TMN: If I could be a chick for a day, I would be…
DjC: Me or you?
TMN: (Laughs) Well I mean I am a chick now and one day I hope to be another…
DjC: (Laughs) …Sandra Bullock
TMN: Because? (Laughs)
DjC: First person who came to my mind.
TMN: Music crush, male or female, there is no judgment in this room.
DjC: I don’t know, I was totally tweeting this girl…she’s European and she sings on dance records. Emma Shepherd, she’s hot.
TMN: Favorite meal on the road…
DjC: We don’t really have meals, whatever goes.
DjC: Forest Whitaker
TMN: And finally Carnage, the question we ask, if your music were an animal, what animal would it be and why?
DjC: An Okapi, it is a zebra horse mixed thing and it is just cool. I did an art project and I wrote about that.
TMN: Carnage, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today and have so much fun rocking the crowd tonight, hope you don’t cause any rocks to fall ☺
DjC: Thank you, also.
