PUBLISHED August 31st, 2014 04:00 pm | UPDATED January 20th, 2016 04:42 am
All of Singapore’s hip hop heads gathered at the Hard Rock Hotel this past Saturday for Summerdaze, a poolside event featuring DJ sets from the likes of Mos Def (who now goes by Yasiin Bey), DJ Neil Armstrong, DJ Shortkut, and local crews Matteblacc and Full Swing Collective. Unfortunately, Mos Def came down with food poisoning and had to skip the event, but the other DJs more than made up for his absence and kept the crowd of several thousand grooving well past midnight. DJ Neil Armstrong and Shortkut were each kind enough to sit down with City Nomads and answer a few questions before their sets:
DJ Shortkut
With a resume that includes some of the illest DJ groups of all time, such as Invisibl Skratch Picklz and the Beat Junkies, Shortkut is known around the world as one of the top turntablists in the game.
How’d you get the name Shortkut?
‘The only thing I’d do at parties was step on a milk crate and scratch. I was short. And I’d cut (scratch).’
Who are some of your biggest influences?
‘There are so many DJs that I look up to and that I’ve played alongside with that have influenced me… Definitely a big one for me is Jazzy Jeff… I feed off his energy, it’s almost like a musical sparring thing…. And of course my crews, Invisibl Skratch Picklz, Beat Junkies… I learn off those guys technically and musically. I could go on and on…’
If you weren’t DJ-ing what would you be doing?
‘I’d probably be a cook… I’m a cook for the family.’
What’s your specialty?
‘I make a mean spaghetti and meat sauce.’
What’s the best thing about being a DJ?
‘The best thing about being a DJ is being able to take people out of their problems for at least a good hour and a half while I play… DJs are the providers of soundtracks to peoples’ lives and that’s a privilege. I’m thankful to be able to travel the world… and make friends along the way.’
What’s the worst thing about being a DJ?
‘I try to never look at the negatives, but the big one for me is being away from the family.’
What places or cities where you’ve played have surprised you?
‘One of my favourite places to play in the world is Moscow. Every time I’m there it’s a great crowd. They’re very receptive, very open. Another city that I went to this year was Tel Aviv. I was only booked for a two hour set and I ended up going for five hours just because the crowd was awesome and I loved it.’
DJ Neil Armstrong
Born and bred in New York City, DJ Neil Armstrong is constantly dropping some of the most highly regarded mix-tapes in the game. He previously worked as Jay Z’s tour DJ for several years and he’s currently a global brand ambassador for Adidas.
How’d you get the name DJ Neil Armstrong?
‘My real name is actually Neil – my parents did name me after Neil Armstrong, the astronaut… someone called me Neil Armstrong and it ended up sticking.’
If you weren’t DJ-ing what would you be doing?
‘Man, that’s a tough one… I had a normal 9-5 job, I used to work for Credit Suisse… I’d have hoped to be doing something cool, a fireman, a skydiver, a freestyle BMX rider… but I’d probably have a 9-5 job and have five kids… something like that.’
Who are some of your biggest influences?
‘Actually one of the guys I’m DJ-ing with today, I would argue he’s probably my biggest influence, DJ Shortkut. He’s pretty much the reason I got into DJ-ing. He would be the guy that you could say influenced me the most overall.’
What’s the best thing about being a DJ?
‘You get to entertain people, you get to make people happy… Buddhism says we’re in pain all the time, that life is pain basically, and we get to make people smile for a little bit, I think that’s kind of a cool thing.’
What’s the worst thing about being a DJ?
‘I’m never home and it makes it hard to maintain relationships and to have friendships… In the last week I’ve been to Taiwan, Manila, here (Singapore) and Japan… waking up every day in a different city, a different town… when you don’t have some constant in your life it can be a jarring thing.’