DJ Ophax, welcome to Incrowd, how have you been lately? What’s good Tiff? first thanks for the opportunity to have an interview with Incrowd, and to answer your question, I have been workin’ hard on my project produced by myself. So I have been making beats everyday these last few days. And I wanna apologize for all the English errors that will be in this interview because it’s not my born language so it’s hard for me sometimes to find the words (laughs).
For starters I have to say that I really respect what you do with your mixtape’s. They are blended well and I can tell that you actually put time and effort into your craft. What DJ’s influenced you when you first started getting into the music business? I really appreciate what you said cause I’m tryin’ to make my best when I mix my shit, and when I read what listeners say about my tapes it shows me work that my hard work paid off. DJ’s that influenced me are DJ Premier, Tony Touch, Evil Dee, Ron G, Mister Cee, and I took after DJ Clue, Kay Slay, Big Mike, Green Lantern, and more for the business influences.
It seems nowadays that DJ’s are really a dime a dozen. What do you try to do differently from other DJ’s that helps you to standout? That’s exactly the type of thought I had these last few weeks because a lot of people asked me “yo Ophax when the next Mixtape is droppin’?” and I answered “when it will comes you will see the difference cause I’m bored to see myself alongside of several self called DJ’s. Internet is a great platform for everyone but some people should learn what is a DJ. Personally I know who is Kool Herc, I know who is Grandmaster Flash, I know who is Grandmaster Mell Mel, and I can name a lot of DJ’s who make our culture!!! Learn how to mix wit’ 2 turntables and a mixer table without Serato, so basically I look at these cats like don’t come at me as if I’m just another internet DJ. I never keep it a secret that all my Mixtapes are made with computer technology for a gain of time, but when I’m mixing during parties I can Mix with 2 turntables, and 70% of these cats that call themselves DJ’s don’t even know how to mix. When I first started I bought 2 Techniks turntables, a Vestax Mixer and I recorded all my first Mixtapes with 12″, no CD’s, and no computers at that period in time, my shit was on C-90 with covers made by myself with artwork done at my day job cause I didn’t have a computer at home (laughs) it was in 1996 if I remember correctly. It’s funny to think of that now cause as I told to PIMP the other day “if tomorrow serato and mp3’s were banned…how well would all of these self called DJ’s do?” The answer…they wouldn’t be able to do anything cause they don’t even know how to work a turntable (laughs). Me personally I don’t have a problem except for importing my 12″ hahahahaha”… so in conclusion to answer your question, the difference is that I’m tryin’ to keep this vinyl mentality as if it’s a computer, I can’t just make a play / pause because that’s boring to me, the only difference is that I can’t scratch on my shit but I leave that to A-Tracks (laughs).
Lil Wayne recently made some comments about Mixtape DJ’s, what are your feelings on his statements? Honestly I was never the type of DJ to play Lil Wayne 5 / 6 times per Mixtape cause on all the tracks he recorded there’s only 2 or 3% that I find decent so when I heard it first I was like “ok dude wanna fuck DJ’s…another publicity stunt before Carter III”. My reaction was different cause dude disrespected us (DJ’s)! I mean how can you say “fuck all Mixtapes DJ’s” or shit like “it’s me who makes the Mixtapes”…damn Wayne, stop smoking and drinking before your interviews cause your brain doesn’t work after that (laughs). If you have problems with a specific DJ go directly to that person to resolve the problem. Don’t come disrespect me and all the real DJ’s who are working hard to release projects and sell them in the streets, who don’t sleep, who are working their tracklist, who don’t suck any artist dicks to make things happen. I saw where someone said “Fuck Lil Wayne” or shit like that, but that’s not the answer. That’s just as bad as being on his level. Today I don’t play Lil Wayne because I prefer to play artists who show me respect than a dude who doesn’t know me, doesn’t know my history, and doesn’t know my culture etc…
I understand that you also produce as well. Which do you like better, beat making or DJ’ing, and why? I like both, I can’t chose one… when I mix it’s more of a pleasure to spread and share music with my listeners, or having them dance during a party, when I make a beat I’m a diggin in the crates type of cat, I’m trying to find the shit I wanna ear, I’m tryin’ to make something different to all the things you listen… the only thing is that I take pleasure to mix or make the beat, if tomorrow I no longer have pleasure from it I will stop.
Can you tell me more about the various movements that you are apart of? I’m apart of 3 movements…Souhilla Army: It’s the squad I founded with my bro DJ Pimp, DJ’s (Focuz, Emilliot, Mannie Smallz, Pimp & Myself), artists (2 french rappers Prince & Wolf G, Young Crakk) and I can’t really name all cause for the moment we’re in a full reconstruction cause some peoples waste our times or aren’t be serious. Team Afficial: Geolani recruited me after several Mixtapes where I pushed him on the tracklistin’ so it was the first squad I joined internationally cause before my Mixtapes was only available here in France or on my city. New Industry: When Laz asked me to join New Industry I think it took me about 1/100000th of a second to decide (laughs) how could I say no to an artist who know so much about this game? I learned a lot wit’ Laz, and everytime I have a discussion with him I learn a lot cause he shows me how is the mentality in NY and what I should change from my French mentality.
What artist are you presently working with? Lastly I worked wit’ PRINCE (Dipset Taliban / Eurostreets / Souhilla Army), K. Sparks, Blockwork, Big Worm, Base Brolic for the productions side, but I have more tracks to come but I don’t give names cause you know…until it’s recorded it’s not done. And for the Mixtapes, lastly I worked wit’ Vic Damone (shout out to DJ On Point), Labba & A.I Productions. I have more projects in work or in my mind but for the moment I’ll keep that secret.
The music industry is changing constantly. A few years ago the mixtape game was doing extremely well. Some would now argue that the mixtape game is no longer the same. What are your feelings on this matter? It’s not the same cause there’s a certain website who thinks they are God and the king of the Mixtapes, and kids are thinking that the truth is on this website. I remember before peoples were asking if the Mixtape will be in the street or shop where it will be available and now you can’t imagine how many messages I receive asking me if it will be on this website. So for kidz you should have internet credibility with this website and for real peoples you should have the street credibility. Now on internet…I’m only dealing with Thatcrack.com, Rapmullet.com or Hiphopdx.com who shows me love and respect my work. For the street it’s different cause I’m here in France, and the Mixtape market is none existent, so I’m trying to change mentalities here as if it’s not a win. For the US streets I know my shit is available as a bootleg but I can’t exactly tell ya where so peoples who see my shit take pics and holla at me like that I can see where I am.
If you had to guess, how many mixtapes would you say you have put out? Wow I don’t really exactly know but last time it was sumthin’ like 100 during the last year but as I told ya before I’ve make Mixtape ssince ‘96 and it’s hard for me to remember all.
Thank you for your time Ophax, any last words? Thanks to you for the interview and for the last words shout out to my bro DJ Pimp, Souhilla Army fam (Prince, Wolfg, Focuz, Emilliot, Young Crakk), New Industry (ST Laz, Opium, Wooden Souljah, Joey Bags, DJ Fade, Rahsun, Val-Don), Team Afficial (Geolani, Montega, Big Skeem, Ransom, Rellic, DJ Nice, Metro Beats, DJ 4sho, Legend), K. Sparks, Big Worm, Blockwork, DJ Gooch & The League, Rapmulet.com, Thatcrack.com, Labba, all peoples who respect me, support me and show me love everyday and on each projects, sorry to all peoples that I forgot to name (laughs) thanks to all the haterz too and I wanna finish by saying R.I.P to Stack Bundles, DJ Wits & Cavlar… Peace
-Interview By Tiff Styles
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