Exclusive Interview with DJ Yoda
Duncan Beiny aka DJ Yoda is no ordinary scratch DJ. His seminal How To Cut & Paste series showcased a tongue-in-cheek mixing style that prompted Q Magazine to declare him “one of the ten DJs to see before you die”, whilst Hip Hop Connection voted him “one of the top three DJs in the world”. From his hip-hop beginnings, DJ Yoda has evolved in the past ten years, using his turntable skills and influences as diverse as funk, b-more, kuduro, reggae, drum ‘n’ bass and even big band swing and country & western, to make unashamed party music. Trail-blazing into the world of the audio-visual he has pioneered a new art form, using cutting edge technology that he has been instrumental in developing, to scratch and mix visuals on top of his DJ sets in clubs.
Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with DJ Yoda, shortly before his performance at Q Bar 6th October.
You won the DMC Scratch DJ category of the Diesel U Music Awards 2001 and you were a nominee for best UK hip-hop DJ at the UK Hip-Hop Awards, yet your performances are not limited to the musical aspect only. You also incorporate video elements into your performances, and by doing so, create an unrivalled audio-visual experience. What can you tell us about your live performance concept?
I think of myself as a hip-hop DJ - in the original sense, in that I play every type of music, but the way that I play it makes it hip-hop. I always used to use audio samples from my favorite movies and TV shows in my DJ mixes, and now the technology exists for me to scratch and mix these videos, so I added that to my show - it just seemed to make sense for me. It's always harder to describe than just to watch - if you see one minute of what I do on YouTube then you'd just go "aaaah"!
Your latest and second artist album “Chop Suey” was released in 2012. What can you tell us about the album and how does it differ from your first album “The Amazing Adventures Of DJ Yoda” which was released in 2006?
The idea of the album was that "chop suey" was a dish that Chinese immigrants in the USA came up with, throwing together the best ingredients they could get their hands on to make something new. That was the way I viewed this album - I gathered what I could and tried to make something fresh! In many ways, the concept was similar to my first album - I made a beat, then thought about which vocalists would work well over that beat - reached out, hooked up and recorded vocals and finished the tracks one by one. So it's an extension of my idea of DJing - there's a bit of everything in there.
How would you describe your own music in just a few words and - out of all tracks and/or mixes you have made - what would you recommend to someone to listen to, that is not yet familiar with your music?
Wow. I guess I would just say that I work with samples and turntables to make old and new things sound fresh! And I would say listen to "Chop Suey"! I think my favorite track on there is "Big Trouble In Little China".
In 2002 you released the first mix of your “How To Cut & Paste” series, which showcases your outstanding mixing style that prompted Q Magazine to declare you as “one of the ten DJs to see before you die”. The sixth mix of the series was released this year. What can you tell us about the series and where can people listen to it?
The "How To Cut & Paste" mixes are just my way of making a mix tape. Rather than just play a whole song, then play a next song - I like to pepper the mix with tiny samples, mixing and scratching and just keep it flavourful and interesting. The latest mix I did was the Asian Edition - all music inspired by Asian samples, and is available on my website.
What are you currently working and focusing on? What is on your agenda for the near future?
I just released "The Asian Edition", now I'm starting on another artist album, in between all the touring. Festival season just ended in Europe, and after this Asia tour next week I am gearing up for a big Australia and New Zealand tour at Christmas.
You have performed all over the world – obviously you travel a lot. What are the things you miss the most when you are on tour?
I love the travel! I love finding new places constantly. And other than family and friends I don't think there's much I ever miss about the UK! Maybe the BBC and Cadburys chocolate.
What was the best and the worst gig you ever played and what was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?
Best - Playing in Africa at Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi
Worst - Plenty of empty clubs in the UK when I first started out
Funniest - I remember arguing with security at Glastonbury Festival in the UK and eventually climbing the fence and breaking into the festival with a big box of records
Are you adventurous if it comes to food? Do you try the local dishes of the countries you travel to? Do you enjoy Thai food?
Absolutely! The food is my favourite reason to travel. I will only be in Bangkok for a day - but I will be trying to find the best pad thai available!
You have performed at Bed Supperclub in 2010 and 2011. Did you keep those performances in good memory? Are you keen to return to Thailand?
Yes - I loved both shows and I'm really excited about coming back, hooking up with friends I met last time and getting to play to a Bangkok audience again!
On 10th October you will return to Bangkok for an exclusive performance at Q Bar. What can Bangkok expect of your performance?
This time I'm going to perform a straight DJ set, rather than my normal AV show, so we're all going to be going on a big musical adventure! I can't wait.