Gothic Theatre
DMX
“What a never ending journey it is!”
Declares David (DJ DMX) about his career. DMX first felt the sting of the DJ bug back in 1984, in part thanks to Dad, who was in Radio Broadcasting. But the REAL “DJ Bite” was to come later in 1984 while witnessing the FRESHFEST tour in late 1984 courtesy of some guy named Jam Master Jay from some group named Run D.M.C!!!! “All respects due”, DMX says, “If it wasn’t for him, or Jazzy Jay, or DJ Red Alert…I wouldn’t be here today!”
DJ DMX has had many, many influences along the way, too numerous to name, but here are some quick snapshots of the finer points:
1985
KBWH in Omaha plays DMX’s mixtape on air for the first time during their mastermix show!!
1986
He wins the KDKO “Street Mastermix Contest” in October 1986 out of 50 entrants throughout Denver.
1987
Gigolo Tony…Dynamix II…The Miami Bass Sound is hitting hard with DJ DMX now.
While on vacation to New York City, I decide to stop into this club everybody is talking about called “HEARTTHROB” and “STUDIO 54”. That moment changed my DJ’ing life forever as I witnessed DJ Little Louie Vega control thousands of people with every single needle drop!! Seeing him at work, “Masters at Work” has personal meaning to him!! The Freestyle sound favored by LLV takes a DEEP root in DJ DMX, copies of the Cover Girls, Nocera, Nancy Martinez, and Trinere become permanent additions to the DJ Flight case!!
1988
“It takes two to make a thing go riiiiiiiiiight!”
’nuff said.
1989
“Fight the Power!”
Blows up the boomboxes nationwide, and I receive a box of tapes from my good friend in London…Hmmmm…Martha Washington’s vocals scream out to me on “Ride on Time” and Black Box tells me to “Strike it Up”… while cruising around the “Inner City-Good Life” receiving a “French Kiss” from Little Louis!!
1990
Looking back, this year was the GOLDEN AGE for Party Hip-Hop!! BBD, GUY and Teddy Riley, Kid n’ Play, Digital Underground, SNAP!, En Vogue, Def Jef, Young MC, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Tribe Called Quest, the list goes on and on! This year became a BLUR because DJ DMX was playing EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME!! “VERTIGO” IN L.A. WAS NON-STOP 24 HOUR PARTYZONE!!
1991
Noise from the other side of the pond says, “HARDCORE, YOU KNOW THE SCORE!!!” DJ DMX won’t REALLY know the score for 2 more years, too bad, since the Rodney King Incident makes people really need to relax MORE! Club LA in Denver is my home during this time, also seen at Aqua Lounge, later changing names to Fishdance.
1992
“JUMP UP, JUMP UP TO GET DOWN!”
DMX see his first glimpse of DMC Champion Rob Swift in action, and is forever changed on the possibilities of the turntable as an instrument!! Beastie Boys tell me to “Pass the Mic”, which I did (scored numerous rhymes as an MC, won a recording contract with Metroplex Records in Atlanta this year) for R.I.P 48 and Funkin’ Woody, 2 bands that eerily preceded the Limp Bizkit/KORN sound to come 5 years later!! I hold residencies in Colorado Springs at Ventures, while holding residencies at Club Ego.
1993
David leaves the USA for England, where he discovers this cool sound called “Jungle”. Little does he realize the full effect it would have on his DJ’ing later. When he gets back to the States, DMX takes a residency at “The Jukebox”, and propels it to Colorado Springs’ biggest Urban Night amongst FIERCE intercity competition!
1994
DMX waxes nostalgic from his visit to the UK, where he states-“they know the meaning of House Music”, which in turn makes him want to recreate that feeling. So along with best DJ friend John Stettler, they throw the highly successful party “Merry X-mass” turning residency club “The Underground” into a legendary success!! This becomes DMX’s first of many “promoter/DJ” events with partner John Stettler.
1995
June 2, 1995, our intrepid DJ DMX survives a near fatal car crash returning from a Club Savoy gig in Colorado Springs …for every Yin, there is a Yang… David becomes the resident at one of Denver’s longest running and most successful Urban weeklies: “FOXES-The Nightclub” Live Simulcast Friday Nights on KS-104, then Saturday’s where they declared “Often Imitated, Never Duplicated- DJ DMX!!”
1996
Everything but the Girl comes out with “Missing” and DMX starts feeling the pull toward Dance Music, once again! So as he starts trimming down the Hip-Hop for more Dance floor oriented gems like La Bouche, Ace of Base, Lina Santiago, Planet Soul, Fun Factory, and Capella, FOXES gets a dancefloor makeover, unbeknownst to the regulars while continuing to pack in the crowds!!
1997
A realization hits DMX, as he feels “absolutely NO JOY” when he’s out spinning Hip- Hop for the masses in the clubs, and decides that going “Deeper Underground” is where his heart is really at. In an almost perfectly timed tribute to say “goodbye” to the OLD and “hello” to the UNDERGROUND, DMX is selected to compete in the 1997 USA Nightclub and Bar DJ Spinoff in Las Vegas. He finishes a well-deserved 4th place and is introduced to a hero of his, 1st Place winner DJ AL3 from Phoenix, AZ.
1998
Another pivotal moment in DMX’s career, he decides he has grown weary of the Club Circuit and focuses all his efforts on gigging in the One-Offs and “Rave” Scene. Once again he is selected to compete in the 1998 USA Nightclub and Bar DJ Spinoff in Las Vegas due to last years strong showing and ONCE AGAIN places a respectable 4th place out of 10 tough competitors!! Based on that, he is also asked by KS-107.5 to open the 1998 Summer Jam at Fiddlers Green Ampetheater for LL Cool J and Montell Jordan!!!
1999
DMX continues to play out around the country at various one-offs and events, spreading that Bangin’ Hard House sound wherever he goes, converting Hard House fans everywhere with his trademark explosive sets. He is asked by VESTAX to judge the 1999 Vestax USA DJ Spinoff, for both the Colorado and Western USA Qualifying Rounds, sending thru eventual National Finalist DJ Dragon from San Diego through to the USA Championship. Knowing a good thing when they have one, KS-107.5 asks DJ DMX to open for Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, and Naughty By Nature for the Summer Jam 1999, where he has a blast moving 15,000 fans to the sounds of DJ DMX!!!
2000
Never ceasing in his tireless quest to clue people in to the sounds of the “infamous” 303 Collective, DJ DMX works double time in pushing his brand of “Futurestep” Drum and Bass, while continuing to preach the Hard House Gospel to the masses!! Continuing on the tradition this year, He is asked AGAIN to judge the 2000 VESTAX DJ Spinoff Competition, this time sending Brandon Fuentes through to the FINALS, who proceeds to validify DMX’s choice as “Top Dog” barely missing 1st place in the USA Regionals!! Continuing on his Drum and Bass warpath, he opens up for the DIESELBOY at “PRESSURE”, continuing to turn heads with his “Wildchild” influenced sets he is becoming known for. The Denver Post then runs an article on the “Movers and Shakers” that have had influence on the Denver scene, which includes our very own DMX!!
2001
More exciting things are on tap for DJ DMX this year. Opening up for Dom and Roland and Usual Suspects at Denver’s Nationally Renowned weekly “PRESSURE” at the Snake Pit, showing his rising stock in Denver Drum and Bass Scene. Newest member MC Trinity comes aboard to give DMX a double-pronged weapon in his assault on Denver Drum and Bass, while strengthening the 303 Collective position as Top Dogs in the Hard House arena with DJ’s Rabbi-E and B-One!!!! This year also sees the release of his latest CD:“My House is Harder 2”, his hardest, most bangin’ NRG release to date!! Danny the Wildchild is seen giving DMX “The Nod” during his turntablistic deconstruction of DJ Hype’s “Reach Out” in St. Louis!! Capping off the year, Colorado Electronic Music Association (CEMA) nominates DMX in 5 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES FOR BEST House, Breakbeat, Jungle, Hip-Hop, and LOCAL DJ !!! How’s that for VERSATILITY??
2002
Shows no signs of slowing down on ANY of the many DMX Battle lines!! As a resident at Denver’s Hottest Afterhours spot “ENIGMA” with crewmember Rabbi-E, they reinforce the drawing power of the 303 Collective locally, bringing the Hard House and Breaks madness to Denver’s party people weekly!! On the Drum and Bass front, slots for Marcus Intallex at “PRESSURE”, and nods for slots with Disco D, USA DMC Champ Klever, and WORLD DMC Champ CRAZE come one after another, pointing the way for Denver’s Most Versatile DJ DMX.
2003
This year’s update is the shortest based on the fact that change was in the air from Jan 1, 2003…ENIGMA wins award voted “Best Rave Club” this year…D.R.E.A.M was launched in LODO with a South Beach Flair as Residents Kevin Seitz and DMX give the Denver Party People more than they can handle with Bangin’ Breaks and Chuggy House all in one upscale environment!! I take the honorable distinction of being inducted into HOTHOUSE PRODUCTIONS this year with Veteran Pimp KEVIN SEITZ. Midyear finds me needing change with EVERYTHING in my life, so after consultation with Phoenix, AZ super pimp JOHN STETTLER, I decide that relocation to the VALLEY OF THE SUN will be the best thing for me, based on the future plans put into play for 303 STUDIOS and a fully OPERATIONAL 20,000 WATTS of CLEAN SOUND available to run any shows in the Rocky Mountain/Desert Southwest region!! Upon arriving in Phoenix, I proceed to release 7 CD’s by years end covering my versatility in Breakbeats, House, NRG, Hip-Hop, UK Garage/2-Step, and Drum and Bass. There is no more VERSATILE than yours truly, a thank you! A smoking set @ Frequency (Sky Lounge) with MC Dino shows that 303 style Drum and Bass has found fans and a permanent home in Arizona, and collaborative efforts in the studio with MC Dino will yield some very promising material in the coming year!! A common thread and love of the BROKEN BEATS find DJ DMX partnered up with Arizona Breaks Queen “DIOSA” to bring you the “D&D” Tag Team making a sonic BOOM in the desert! Also in 2003 DIOSA and DMX bring a Breaks/Jungle/2-Step MONTHLY in Flagstaff called “NORTHERN LIGHTS” that is giving AZ a 303 Collective flavored GRITTY alternative to the current club-fare being offered this year!!! Rounding out the year is “HOLIDAZED” the current CD from DMX/Kevin Seitz laying the 303 Style Breakbeat Soundscape that is on tap for 2004 Release on 303 STUDIOS same-named label!!! EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER IN 2004 and LOVE IS IN THE AIR!!!
