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DJ Rhettmatic joins Sway In The Morning for an exclusive interview, sharing the truth about hip-hop vs. rap culture and the evolution of DJing. As a founding member of the iconic Beat Junkies, Rhettmatic reflects on over three decades of shaping the global hip-hop scene, the importance of respect in the culture, and how the group adapted to industry changes. From celebrating Filipino contributions to hip-hop to honoring legends like Jazzy Jeff and Qbert, this conversation dives into the enduring legacy of artistry and innovation. Tune in to hear Rhettmatic’s insights on the divide between hip-hop culture and rap’s focus on industry, and learn how Beat Junkies continue pushing boundaries through their DJ school and mentorship programs. Subscribe for more exclusive interviews from Sway’s Universe!
#beatjunkies #djtechniques #hip-hoplegacy #turntablism #jazzyjeff
#filipinodjs #beatjunkies #djingtechniques #djingskills #djtechniques
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - DJ Babu & Rhettmatic on the Beat Junkies’ Legacy
01:40 - DJ Babu & Rhettmatic’s Favorite Career Moments
04:15 - The Impact of DJ Jazzy Jeff & DJ Qbert
08:25 - Hip-Hop Culture vs. Music Industry Differences
08:35 - Vision Behind the Beat Junkies’ 30-Year Legacy
12:39 - Finding the Beat Junkie DJ School
14:35 - DJ Rhettmatic vs. Gil Gatsby
15:22 - Upcoming Events
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Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
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.
#Recording Industry
#Urban & Hip-Hop