EPISODE 17: A YEAR IN REVIEW (2011)
With 5 days to go until Christmas, I can’t believe how quickly this year has gone by. Regular readers of my blog (thank you by the way) know that this has been a year full of trying times and learning experiences. It has also been a year of tremendous growth and opportunity, which really created a balance between the horrible and great things that have happened to me in 2011. From miscarries, to sick puppies and (alleged) puppy mill breeders, to loss of loved ones, to leaps of faith and to new endeavours , it has been interesting….. to say the least. Alas, one of the things I did learn from 2011 is not to dwell on the past. Life is short. It really is. We need to enjoy every second of it….
With that said, for my December mix I decided to create somewhat of a “year in review” (but not really). Like many DJs my age and from our “era”, I love to tell people about how I “hate new music”. Let’s get this straight… NEW MUSIC IS:
*generic
*lacks substance
*somewhat superficial
*cheesy
*mainstream
*predictable
Okay, okay. It is what it is. But on the real – as DJs, we can’t necessarily “hate” it. After all, we have to play it. Our jobs as entertainers are dependent on us being able to provide what the crowd wants when they want it. Many of us who want to “keep it real” (myself included) end up creating our own parties, our own vibes where we can control what music we play. This is rarely the case in such a competitive nightclub industry as the one in our city. The bars and clubs in Toronto are competing for the masses and new music is generally what the masses demand. If a DJ can’t secure a consistent niche following playing what you want to play, then my humble suggestion is that you get really good at playing the “new new” until said following has been established. Besides, y’all can’t tell me that you don’t feel great when you drop that “…Paris” joint and people go off right? Or when you “…Speak No Americano” and everyone starts to fistpump as you instantly infuse a new energy into your party? Yup. That’s what I thought.
As much as I want to hate on new music, fistpump and this grimey hip-hop that is out today I won’t front… I actually enjoy playing it. Sure, I may not listen to new music on my iPod every day but it really isn’t about me and DJs, unless you’re playing for your own niche crowd it shouldn’t be about you at the clubs either. Actually, in my opinion it should never be about us. It should be about the people and making as many of those who you have the chance to entertain as happy as possible. Once they become YOUR fans, then you can mould them. It’s a small sacrifice for a greater good. That is all.
So here is my 2011 year in review, so to speak. Much like 2009 and 2010, 2011 was dominated by up-tempo beats and slow, bass heavy, dirty rhythms. There wasn’t much in between until Drake’s “The Motto” which is one of my personal favourites for this year. We were also flooded with a slew of music from the usual suspects. This year it felt like every month there was a Rihanna, Drake, Chris Brown or Nicki Minaj release. And then came “Watch the Throne” – an album that I’m still rather undecided on. Nonetheless, Jay and Ye’s collaboration has been killing the clubs in Q4 ’11.
In my 2011 “review” entitled “Shine”, I highlighted a lot of the year’s most requested tracks and added a blend or 2 or 3 or 4 to keep things fresh. After all, I’m not just gonna play the “new new” without giving it a little bit of an old school flavour….
I’d like to wish you all the best this holiday season and in advance – have a happy new year! Thank you for making this blog what it is. Overall it was a great 2011 for djkariz.com. Let’s keep growing together!
Here is the cover art and tracklisting. You may download and enjoy the mix by visiting http://www.gotkarizma.com/mixes-downloads
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