DJ Rhettmatic: The Truth About Hip-Hop vs. Rap Culture | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

0:00
This guy Reh Maddx, man, I tell you,
0:02
salute to him, citizens. Rhett Maddic,
0:05
original member of the Beat Junkies.
0:08
Shout out to DJ Curse, the entire Beat
0:11
Junkie roster from day one. JRock, I see
0:14
you. That was my original name before I
0:16
became Sway. I would I did it first,
0:18
JRock, but you you you claimed it. Um,
0:21
but all the all the amazing talented
0:24
creators uh that are members of the beat
0:26
junkies. Um, and and this fearless
0:29
leader right here who's just been a
0:31
staple in the hip-hop scene globally.
0:33
Um, he's inspired many DJs across the
0:36
world. I noticed I've seen him across
0:39
the world. We've been watching each
0:41
other careers. You know,
0:43
I mean I I want to say the fearless
0:44
leader really that's JRock. That's you
0:46
know the JRock
0:48
JR OC. Everybody's like, you know, cuz
0:51
it's funny because, you know, there's
0:52
JRock the rapper and people like, "Yo, I
0:54
love you. How to rap?" I said, "No, no,
0:55
I'm the DJ." And stuff like that. But
0:57
Jay is the one that started the uh the
0:59
crew. So,
1:00
so was JRock.
1:01
JRock was the one that started.
1:03
Okay. Yeah. Okay. Oh, by the way, I got
1:05
to say happy birthday to JRock. It's
1:07
happy birthday. Happy birthday to
1:08
Scorpio.
1:09
I mean, Scorpio in the building.
1:11
Yeah. Of course. Uh, happy birthday to
1:13
Fire Munch. It's his birthday.
1:15
Happy birthday,
1:16
Tracy. We in good company. That's why I
1:18
played this song earlier. The song that
1:20
everybody's that was Pharaoh Munch from
1:22
Organized Confuser, the hypnotical
1:25
gases, guys.
1:26
Just to let y'all know.
1:28
I also got to say happy birthday to
1:30
Bishop Lamont.
1:30
Bishop Lamont, too. Wow. My gosh.
1:33
And of course, the late great MF Doom.
1:35
MF Doom, man. Come on. MF Doom.
1:38
Yeah.
1:38
All of the All the thinkers, man. Hey,
1:40
man. I I'm just curious, bro. Out of all
1:43
of these, you know, I I have a few
1:45
highlights that um that stand out in in
1:47
my journey, what are some that stand out
1:49
in yours?
1:51
I don't know. That's It's like,
1:53
you know, what they saying like for you
1:54
know, like who's your what's your
1:56
favorite record? It's like
1:57
I don't know. It's like who's your
1:58
favorite kid?
1:59
Yeah.
2:00
Yeah. I don't know. There's I I like
2:02
you, Sway. It's like I'm I'm really
2:05
lucky to be here. It's just it's an
2:06
experience. If you told 16-year-old
2:09
Rhett like, "You're doing this," I'd be
2:10
like, "You're crazy, right?"
2:12
You know? So, I mean, just to meet, you
2:14
know, it's to be here like meet my
2:16
heroes or, you know, people I listen to
2:18
and stuff like that and then actually
2:19
become respected from that like
2:22
that's like that's like for in the
2:24
culture of hip-hop, you know, just to
2:25
get props from your heroes or your peers
2:27
is the is the ultimate. No, no money in
2:30
the world can pay for that. So,
2:32
I don't know, man. I just I guess um
2:36
I can't I really can't say
2:37
that's fair. That's fair. The whole
2:38
journey.
2:39
Yeah,
2:39
the whole journey has been your favorite
2:41
part of the journey.
2:42
And that mentality of the respect you
2:45
get from your peers, you know, um is
2:48
more important than anything. No, no
2:50
trophy, no money matters.
2:52
But money matters to the rap game.
2:55
Yes.
2:56
Predominant. I mean like it's just it's
2:59
money talk is predominantly what people
3:02
talk about most the money
3:04
right
3:05
um how does that how does that make you
3:08
feel you know coming coming into the
3:11
game the way you have do you do you feel
3:13
like that kind of conversation is a
3:15
detriment or
3:17
it's a different generation I guess cuz
3:19
we're the generation we came up
3:21
you know it was all about respect you
3:23
don't bite you know you know don't copy
3:25
anyone's style I I mean a lot a lot like
3:28
you know how you saying playing Caris
3:30
one and freestyle fellowship like if you
3:32
got props already that's that's a
3:34
million dollars right there you know we
3:36
didn't we didn't come into this just to
3:38
be rich we did this because we love it
3:40
you know and then just luckily we're
3:41
doing as a career I mean you you said
3:43
yourself it's rap it's it's the it's the
3:46
music industry so it's all about money
3:48
but if you're talking about the culture
3:50
it's just just living it yeah
3:52
you know what I'm that's why I'm not a
3:54
rapper but what did caris once Man,
3:56
hip-hop is you do. Love is rap is what
3:59
you
4:00
Oh, hip-hop is what you do. Hip-hop is
4:03
what you live.
4:04
Rap is what I do.
4:05
Rap is what I do.
4:05
Hip-hop is what I live. Yeah.
4:07
Yeah.
4:07
Damn, that was horrible.
4:08
I know. But that's why that's why I'm
4:11
not a rapper.
4:12
I know what you're saying.
4:13
Okay. Yeah.
4:14
But you know, so I mean
4:17
I mean the fact that we we're very lucky
4:19
that we get to do what we love to do as
4:20
a career. But you know like
4:22
I think for me my humble opinion is just
4:25
having longevity. Yeah.
4:26
You know and just able you know if you
4:28
can pay your bills that's that's icing
4:30
on the cake too in itself you know but
4:33
um yeah people have to understand
4:35
there's hip-hop and there's rap there's
4:38
the culture and then there's the music
4:40
industry. Mhm.
4:41
So, um,
4:43
it it all depends really. So,
4:46
I like that. I I I say that all the
4:48
time. I'm thinking of different DJs
4:51
right now who I feel like really
4:53
impacted the world from their
4:54
innovation. Two names that come to mind,
4:57
but there's thousands that I can name
4:59
obviously from DJ Revolution to DJ King
5:01
Tech, my crew. Um, Cubert and Jazzy
5:05
Jeff.
5:06
Yes.
5:06
When I say those names, what come to
5:08
mind?
5:08
Okay. Jazzy Jeff. I mean, come on. This
5:11
the guy who introduced the Transformer
5:13
Scratch, right? I mean, that one of the
5:16
DJs, if you're a DJ that was coming up,
5:18
it was like a few DJs that you you like
5:21
you got inspired. I mean, there's Graham
5:23
Mixer DST, right? You heard Rocket, you
5:25
heard, you know, and Jazzy Jeff is one
5:27
of them and stuff. So,
5:29
the fact that he's still doing it to
5:31
this to the day,
5:33
it's, you know, still a high level. I
5:35
mean he, you know, he may not able to do
5:37
all the crazy techniques that's now,
5:40
but he is him. That's what he makes him
5:42
and he's still doing it to the to the
5:44
highest level, right?
5:46
And then, uh, then you brought out
5:48
Cubert,
5:48
coming from the Bay Area and stuff. Um,
5:50
also being that this is the last day of
5:53
Filipino American Heritage Month,
5:55
let's talk about it.
5:57
me me being Filipino and stuff like you
6:00
know so Q and I are the same uh uh same
6:03
age and stuff but you know in the
6:05
Filipino circles you would always hear
6:07
about Q especially that that the fact
6:09
that he uh was the first Filipino
6:12
American to uh uh to win a DMC USA and
6:15
then go to the worlds right because if
6:18
you really think about it uh
6:20
that's by the way for people who don't
6:21
know the DMC
6:22
yes disco music uh disco music club It's
6:26
a a big uh it's a very uh
6:30
it's like well known well-known battle.
6:32
It's like winning a Grammy or something.
6:34
A Grammy or Academy Award for DJing.
6:37
Yes. I mean the fact that the styles he
6:41
brought out and the fact that you know
6:42
cuz
6:43
you know hip-hop was predominantly black
6:46
and Latinos. But if you talk about also
6:48
on the west coast like a lot of people
6:50
don't know that Asians and primarily
6:52
Filipinos and Pacific Islanders have
6:54
been involved in the culture of hip-hop.
6:56
I mean mostly you know whether it be
6:58
DJing
7:00
Bing or graffiti there might that many
7:02
may not be that many MC's at the time
7:04
and stuff. So, uh, to see someone like
7:07
representation,
7:09
uh, to to get respect, especially when
7:12
he go to New York, you know, Heather,
7:15
you being from New York, you know, it's
7:16
like if you go there during that time,
7:17
during the 80s and 90s, it was like the
7:19
Apollo. You they don't like you, they
7:22
boo you ass,
7:23
off the stage into your apartment.
7:25
Yeah. So, so you know for Q to get that
7:28
respect and then especially of course
7:30
you know of course of the invisible
7:31
scratch pickles you know Mixmaster Mike
7:33
winning you know half Filipino half you
7:36
know German and stuff and then you know
7:38
being the beasty the DJ for the Beasty
7:40
Boys being the first um uh maybe the
7:44
first uh West Coast DJ to win the the
7:46
the new music seminar battle for world
7:49
supremacy and then and also again
7:52
Filipino someone that I uh uh that I can
7:56
identify breaking through the barriers
7:58
and getting the respect because it's
7:59
like at the end of the day in terms of
8:01
the culture if you're it's all about
8:03
your skills. If you're dope, you're
8:04
dope. If you're whack, you're whack.
8:06
That's it, you know. So, so yeah, going
8:09
back to Q and Jeff, those are like, you
8:11
know, I think like benchmarkers and
8:13
stuff like that.
8:14
Um, you know, you you're hearing I love
8:16
how you are effectively,
8:19
you know, pointing out the difference
8:20
between the culture. If you're into the
8:22
culture, this is what matters. If you're
8:25
into the industry, this may be what
8:27
matters, you know, and I I try to
8:28
express that to folks. Um, but I I've
8:32
never really have the proper words. The
8:34
Beat Junkies, you you all What was the
8:37
vision when it first, you know, came
8:40
together? And then how did you guys
8:43
adjust to the times to sustain for some?
8:45
How the Beat Junkies were founded in
8:47
what year?
8:48
92. 92 90 20 33 years ago.
8:52
Yep.
8:53
This organization has survived. This
8:55
business has survived, right? This
8:57
legacy is ongoing. How did I mean did at
9:01
what point did y'all go, "Hey man, we
9:02
got to start thinking about this like
9:04
adults."
9:06
You know what I mean?
9:07
Uh, you know, that's a good question cuz
9:10
some of us like Baboo, you know, uh, uh,
9:13
he was also part of Dilated Peoples.
9:15
JRock, you know, was, you know, when at
9:18
the time, you know, you were on the
9:20
beat. JRock was on Power 106, right? But
9:23
he was also part of Stones Throws. He
9:24
was the third member of Jay Lib, which
9:26
is uh Mad Lib and Jay Dilla. So, he was
9:29
DJing. Of course, I was part of the
9:30
visionaries. You had D Styles of
9:32
Shortcut, who are also members of the
9:34
Scratch Pickles.
9:35
So, we were like
9:37
at the time we were just into, you know,
9:38
we were just doing it. Do what we the
9:41
thing to do. But, I guess as times
9:42
changed, you just had to like Yeah. We
9:45
had to learn about the business. We were
9:46
more we were more artists or DJs or just
9:49
producers or whatever. But like when you
9:51
got in the business, it's like, oh, you
9:53
had you had to learn how to like to
9:56
make money from it. And and then you had
9:59
we had to learn the hard way. I mean, we
10:01
really learned had to learn the hard
10:02
way. But in terms also like
10:05
like when you go back to what you say,
10:06
how did the junkies perform? It was
10:08
really again goes back to JRock. Jay is
10:10
the one that wanted his own DJ crew. And
10:13
when the crew started when we were all
10:16
met at different times and stuff that is
10:18
that um
10:20
DJing was kind of considered played out
10:22
by 89 90 that crazy
10:24
right? you know, it was most like the
10:26
the the MC's were bringing out DAT
10:28
players instead of the DJs. And then
10:30
the culture went the DJ culture went
10:33
underground. And then ironically during
10:35
that time, you had three major crews
10:37
that was happening uh that that was
10:40
still DJing because everybody like
10:42
everybody's like, "Oh, you still DJing?"
10:43
You know, you know, but I mean you had
10:45
the X-Men, aka the Executioners in New
10:48
York, you had the Scratch Pickles in in
10:50
the Bay Area, and then you had us in LA
10:52
and
10:53
the Beat Junkies. Yes. So it's like
10:56
it's ironic. It's crazy that that those
10:58
three crews are I guess the golden era
11:01
of turntableism. So like that. So we
11:03
brought kind of like DJing back. But and
11:06
then fast forward being with all the
11:08
changes
11:09
we had to learn how to adapt because you
11:10
know when Sorado first came out you know
11:12
everybody was like ah that's not and
11:14
then
11:15
go back to Jazzy Jeff. Jeff is the one
11:17
that actually introduced us to um to uh
11:21
Srorado.
11:21
Uhhuh. And then
11:22
you got to explain srorado to the lip.
11:24
So srorado is is what they call dvs, a
11:27
digital vinyl system. So everybody that
11:30
uses a laptop basically is is like
11:33
instead of bringing records, you're
11:34
using your laptop, you're using your
11:36
like whether it be iTunes or your or
11:38
MP3s to play it. Then you use you use a
11:41
a digital uh vinyl. I mean, you have a
11:43
vinyl where it picks up the sound. So
11:45
it's still use I'm still using records,
11:46
but it's just us speeds, you know, reads
11:49
a tone where you can play it. I mean, of
11:51
course, you got the CD DJs and the
11:53
controllers, but Sorado is like now that
11:56
for everyone that DJs now, I mean, some,
11:58
of course, the newer version, you know,
11:59
cats would be using USBs, but
12:02
but you instead of bring like three
12:04
crates of records, you have all your
12:05
music on the laptop and stuff and then
12:07
but we still play the the vinyl, the
12:10
digital vinyl, like it was still
12:11
records. It's just that we have, you
12:13
know, technology at our fingertips.
12:15
But Jazzy Jeff was the one that showed
12:16
it to us. If Jazzy Jeff, the guy that
12:18
introduced the trans transformer scratch
12:20
to the world and was getting down busy,
12:23
how you going to say no to Jazzy Jeff?
12:25
Period.
12:26
Right. So that that's just him alone was
12:29
saying like he was able to be him but
12:32
still a able to adapt and move forward
12:36
and that's like that's what we had to
12:39
do.
12:39
Yeah. So and you've done an excellent
12:41
job. If people want to find out more
12:43
about the school, how can they find out?
12:45
Oh yes. So, the the Beat Junkies 2 sound
12:49
is located in the city of Glendale, 5130
12:52
San Fernando Boulevard. Uh, you know, we
12:57
if you asked us 10 years ago that the B
12:58
junkies were going to open a DJ school,
13:00
we would have looked at you crazy,
13:01
right?
13:01
Right. Cuz you know, you you guys know
13:03
came from the from the era where like
13:05
you don't show your secrets, right?
13:07
Right. If you're especially if you're
13:08
battling competing, you only show within
13:10
your crew. But why is it that the why is
13:12
it in the culture of hip-hop or genre of
13:14
uh the music genre, you know, you see
13:17
other genres of music like rock and
13:19
roll, jazz that they they they give it
13:21
up to to their legends, but hip-hop
13:23
there's there's a generation disconnect,
13:25
right? You know, like, oh, you're you're
13:27
young head, you're old head, you know,
13:29
and in many ways, we probably it's our
13:32
fault for not showing or, you know, or
13:35
or sharing the knowledge and stuff. And
13:38
then we didn't want to be known as like
13:41
the old head, you know, the old guys on
13:43
the on the front porch like get off my
13:45
porch and stuff like that. And we want
13:47
we realized that
13:49
in order our culture to survive, you
13:51
have to share the knowledge.
13:52
Right. Sure. We show them our even
13:54
though we show them our our our
13:56
techniques, they still can't do what we
13:58
can do.
13:59
Exactly.
14:00
Right. So,
14:01
yeah. Abs, DJ Repatic, man. I'm taking
14:04
notes, by the way. You're looking at me
14:05
right there on my pad. I'm like taking
14:07
notes over here, brother.
14:08
But yeah, the but yeah, people who want
14:10
to check out uh the the website is uh
14:13
beatjunkiesound.com
14:15
and then of course you can follow also
14:17
we the school has an Instagram
14:18
beatjunkie iios that's on Instagram. So
14:21
yeah, you can see we have uh um many
14:24
students from uh from kids to adults.
14:27
Yeah,
14:28
60% of our our student are women.
14:30
Yep.
14:31
Oh, that's amazing.
14:32
That's amazing. Wow. That's great, man.
14:35
Hey, Redmatic. Um,
14:37
now that I got you here, I might as well
14:39
have you work a little more.
14:40
Oh, yeah.
14:40
All right. You know, being being one of
14:42
world class legendary DJ that you are,
14:45
we got the one and only Gil Gatsby from
14:48
Englewood is about to come up next.
14:51
This man has made the best radio promos
14:54
of this show.
14:56
Um, um, since we started like his his
14:59
consistent, we play his radio promos
15:01
like full-fledged songs. He should be
15:03
releasing them. Um, but he has a
15:05
project, Walking on Water, that's out
15:07
right now. Got some great music. I love
15:09
if when he does, he's going to do his
15:10
thing. He's a true MC. We ain't even got
15:12
a hire.
15:12
Okay. All right. So,
15:13
the land of the
15:15
the land of the hyenas. We got a hyena
15:17
up in here.
15:19
Oh, well,
15:21
is it cool if I can uh plug some events
15:23
that I'm doing?
15:24
Absolutely, please.
15:25
Yeah. So, if you're Los Angeles people,
15:27
you know, you know, Los Angeles, this
15:29
Sunday, um, I'm DJing at at the Benny
15:32
Boy Brewering. Uh, it's free from from,
15:36
uh, 4 to 9. I'm DJing with the Manila
15:38
Sound Crew. Uh, November 6, November
15:42
16th, uh, The Visionaries. We're doing,
15:44
we're celebrating our 30-year
15:45
anniversary with at the Boomtown
15:46
Brewery, and we're doing we're doing a a
15:48
beer with Infamous Beer. Shout outs to
15:50
the big twins of infamous.
15:51
Shout out the twins. Yeah. Okay.
15:53
So that's uh November 16th, Sunday. And
15:56
then November 20, you you talked about
15:57
our brother Rasc.
15:59
Yes.
15:59
So I'm actually going to be uh at Five
16:02
Mics with uh Eric Bobo Cypress Hill. We
16:04
got our own thing called Cypress
16:05
Junkies. We're doing a DJ percussion
16:07
thing. So Okay. Oh, that's going to be
16:09
incredible. Uh well, congratulations,
16:11
bro.
16:11
It's going to be lit.
16:12
That's going to be lit, right? Um Beat
16:15
Junkies, they are in the building. The
16:16
one and only DJ Red Maddic. We coming
16:19
back with Gil Gatsby.

DJ Rhettmatic: The Truth About Hip-Hop vs. Rap Culture | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Sway's Universe

How DMX & Ruff Ryders Changed Hip Hop: The Story of “Stop Drop” | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Redman Reveals Secrets Behind Muddy Waters 2 🔥 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Rolling Loud Vibes: Wayno's Top LA Artists to Watch 🎤 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Ryan Coogler Reveals IMAX First for Black Filmmakers 🎥 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Ice Cube: From NWA Drama to 2 Billion Streams 🏆 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Mr. Choc Reflects on 30 Years of LA Hip-Hop Legacy 🎧 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Fatherhood, Pain & Growth: Don Trip Gets Real 💬 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

DJ Drama On Funk Flex & DJ Khaled Rivalry, Tupac & 'Juice' References and New Music (Full Interview)

Hip-Hop Battles Today: Alchemist's Take on Kendrick vs. Drake Drama! | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Marlon Craft: The Internet Killed the Neighborhood Interview | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Lil Fizz Apologizes to Omarion: The Truth Behind B2K Drama | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Ralph McDaniels Talks The 40th Anniversary of Video Music Box | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Hakim Green’s Freestyle: Channel Live Legacy Revived! | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

DJ Cavem's Secret to Transforming Hip-Hop & Climate Change! | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

RZA on "One Spoon of Chocolate" & Why Filmmaking is the Ultimate Art | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Up next in 10

DJ Rhettmatic: The Truth About Hip-Hop vs. Rap Culture | SWAY’S UNIVERSE

Sway's Universe