“Being trendy isn’t an issue… we start the trends!”
Never has a truer word been said… starting trends is what Diplo and his Mad Decent crew do best!
This Saturday at the RocTrax night in Womb see’s the return of Diplo; DJ, producer, label owner and all round hero. He’s the cherry on top of one of the best line-ups we’ve seen in Tokyo town for a longggggggg time…think DEXPISTOLS, M.S.K, Gaines, Kango, Galbitch and many more! For details see here.
Diplo took some time out of his packed schedule ahead of his trip to Japan to talk music, fashion and all things important! Check it out!
1- Hi Diplo, how’s it going? Are you looking forward to your trip to Japan? Other than the RocTrax events in Tokyo and Osaka, what else do you have planned?
I was just in Tokyo with Steve Aoki in September and as well in July! This time I want to buy a suit at this one nice shop, and that’s about it.
2- So you’re gonna be playing with our favorite crew in Tokyo! What do you think about the music scene coming out of Japan at the moment?
Before this year, I hadn’t been in Tokyo in a long, long time! I always thought it was because my music was a bit too eclectic…it still is, but I think that we got a good thing goin here in the USA, and kids take notice. I’ve been into Japanese acts for long time. From Jazz to Melt Banana, or the Boredoms to new DJs, and especially Japanese dancehall. I think kids really like some of the Major Lazer stuff I produced so it’s cool. They really have a bigger idea with dancehall than you get in the USA.
3- The week after you’re here in Japan, we’ve got Busy P coming through! It’s a shame you two weren’t playing together! Which DJ’s do you most enjoy spinning alongside?
I like Mad Decent crew… Rusko/Switch/Paul Devro… but Busy P and Mehdi are really fun. It’s always about some random after party where you really have fun with people. I was on tour with Justice, and me and Xavier had a few late night parties and always ended up playing Motown and Doo Wop or Rap. But some kids just make me go ‘w.t.f?’, and it’s the local guys… all us big DJs play it too safe! We wanna have the biggest night and keep getting booked…but when you got the balls to play all new music is when I really remember why I started this in the first place!
4- Last time we seen you here was at Fujirock last summer with Major Lazer. Did you enjoy the festival?
Yes! But it rained! It was only our second show and our MC couldn’t get a visa! But it was good! My solo set later in the tent was excellent… with Buraka Som Sistema! Heavy!
5- Your label, Mad Decent, has been going strong for almost 4 years now. Can you tell us what Mad Decent is all about?
Break new shit! We just wanna put things out there we believe in… being trendy isn’t an issue! We start the trends! At least I hope people go back and see what we were doing and then realize it’s caught on later! We represent a new generation… past hip hop, electro, rock, whatever… our artists are mad! Blaqstarr, Maluca, Rusko, Popo, Major Lazer… it’s like a comic book league or something.
6- Since starting Mad Decent in 2006…you seem to have been working non-stop! What do you do to relax?
Girls! There’s actually one in Japan that is nice! That, and shopping for suits… maybe surfing too, and buying bootleg DVDs! But there’s no better feelin than finishing a track though.
7- Last year saw the release of your documentary, Favela on Blast. Did you spend much time in Rio during the making? How was it? What got you so interested in Baile Funk?
I was interested because back then… no one was documenting this thing, and it was CRAZY!!!! Totally mad… so I stepped in and tried to put people on it… plus the music there is raw, not like in a romantic way, but in a ‘no clothes on with a machine gun and 2 story sound system wired to the light pole’ kinda raw!
8- You’re down with a lot of artists and producers from a whole range of genres. What shaped your musical tastes?
I just love music man, I never knew there was different genres til I got older. I thought music was music.
9- We always ask our interviewees to recommend an up-and-coming musical talent. Who’s your recommendation?
Rusko, Sleigh bells, Schlachthofbronx, Micachu & the Shapes, Douster, the PoPo, Das Racist, Ximena Sariñana (I produced a few tracks… she’s amazing!), Ink and Needle, Rolo Tomassi and Nicki Minaj.
Let’s talk 2010…
1- What track did you see in the New Year with?
I watched the Yeah Yeah Yeahs play Maps on the beach on Tasmania Island behind a thunderstorm.
2- What are you going to be wearing?
Japan is the place for men… Comme des Garcons, Ksubi! Tom Ford sunglasses I found on an airplane, Alexander Wang, Es shoes (Mad Decent line), Mishka, Jeremy Scott, lots of vintage shit. I tailor it… I’m smart this year! Watch out!
3- What will you be listening to?
The bands I talked about above. Plus lots of Lee Scratch Perry produced Bob Marley, its sick stuff. Primitive blues music and Rwandan stuff I found, Chinese immigrant workers tracks I got from a guy in Berlin. And this new genre in Mexico called Emo/Tribal Bachata.
4- Where do you want to visit?
AFRICA, Antarctica!
5- What will you be working on?
Man, too much stuff I did this year… Mad Decent is number one… then MIA, Snoop Dogg, Rolo Tomassi, Ximena Suriñana, Far East Movement, the POPO, No Doubt, Maluca, MAJAH LAZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And finally, what do you never leave your house without?
My head.
Thanks a lot Diplo, we’re looking forward to seeing you in Tokyo this weekend!
For details of the RocTrax x Diplo night, see here. Saturday January 23rd, 11pm, Womb in Shibuya. ¥4000.
Keep an eye out for our review and photos night… coming soon!
Follow Diplo on his Myspace and Twitter. For all things MAD DECENT, check their blog here.
