Introducing...Lord Monsta...the DJ for the World famous X-Clan (R.I.P. Professor X & Sugashaft) and the Direct Understudy Of The Grand Verbalizer Brother J.
Monsta is a music fiend, nothing more, nothing less, he often posts about great Hip Hop on his Facebook page, but then there will be a lot of Slayer, Opeth, Parliment, classic Funk, Jazz and soul and much, much more, we often have dope chats about Old School Hip Hop and the state of today's Hip Hop and he is intelligent, well versed and often very funny, I sent him some questions to get the information on his background, what his future plans and some questions that I know he would enjoy answering.
On with the show...
CRDS: What's good Lord Monsta, the first question has to be, how did you get to be the DJ for the great X-Clan?
Lord Monsta:
Peace Brother Jaz!!! It's All Good Loved-One!! It's a way out thing that brought me to the Mighty X-Clan My Brotha!! I've made a name for myself in Hip-Hop locally here in Long Beach. Spinning at Major Hip-Hop gigs and such. A Mutual friend & DJ hero of mine named DJ Oritor had done some work for X-Clan (The Scratching on Return From Mecca), and was (And is) a part of the Resurgence of the Clan.
He knew what a HUUUUUUGE Fan I was Of Brother J (My Favorite MC)!! Well, Brother J performed at a spot down here in Long Beach called "THE BLUE CAFE" Where I finally met him!! We took to each other IMMEDIATELY!! It was AMAZING Man!! I was one of the House DJ's that Night, but What Really Happened was Brother J took me under his wing!! Months passed, then one day I get a Call from Oritor, he said that The God had asked about me and he gave Brother J my Math, 2 days later J calls me & the rest is History!
CRDS: That's really dope Monsta, Brother J knows a good thing when he sees one alright, please break down how you got be a DJ and list the best parts of your history.
Lord Monsta:
My brothers & Brothers In law, as well as cousins were HEAVY Into music!! They the latest of any & everything that was hitting man! As a young'n at the age of 5 years old, I would just sit in their rooms as the music was playing, soaking it all in!!
I was the weird kid that would sit for HOURS UPON END, Watching the record label on the turntable spin round' & round'. That was Heaven for me! When I was 8 years old I knew I wanted to be in Music SOME HOW!! I didn't know how, but I knew SOMEHOW!!
I started DJing when I was 14 (1984), But before then, I started buying records at a young age! The first record I ever bought was a used copy of The Ohio Players "Skin Tight" LP from this place here in Long Beach on the Eastside Called "Jordans Records."
History Follows Man. From that day till now, I've obtained a little over 27,000 albums! The storage spots here are GETTING PAID Off your boy Lol!! From there, about 3 years later (1987), I bought a beat machine & started producing, which is what I really do more than anything!!
CRDS: Please list your 10 most influential albums, the albums that changed your life and you could not live without.
Wow, the 10 I just can't live without, in No particular order would have to be :
1 - RUN DMC - RAISING HELL (1996)
2 - SLAYER - SEASONS IN THE ABYSS (1990)
3 - A TRIBE CALLED QUEST - MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS (1993)
4 - O C - JEWELZ (1997)
5 - OPETH - STILL LIFE
6 - PARADISE LOST - DRACONIAN TIMES
7 - JOHN COLTRANE - A LOVE SUPREME (1965)
8 - AHMAD JAMAL - BUT NOT FOR ME : LIVE AT THE PERSHING
9 - TYPE O NEGATIVE - OCTOBER RUST
10 - X CLAN - TO THE EAST BLACKWARDS (1990)
CRDS: Boy am I glad I asked that question...alright Monsta who are your Top 5 Producers of all time please? (It does not have to be just Hip Hop ones)
Lord Monsta:
Now My Top 5 Producers Is Kinda Tricky..............Maybe :
1 - CED GEE
2 - DIAMOND D
3 - RICK RUBIN
4 - STEVEN WILSON (THE OPETH ALBUMS)
5 - DJ PREMIER
CRDS: Touring around with X-Clan, what cities or countries has been the most rowdiest and appreciative?
Lord Monsta:
You know what, It all comes back to Cali man!! The people here in my home state have ALWAYS Loved & appreciated X-Clan from Day one!! But you know it's NEVER Like it is in the Birthplace of the Vanglorious Way, Brooklyn New York!!
CRDS: What things bother you most about the state of Hip Hop today and what would you do to try and change it?
Lord Monsta:
Well, Hip-Hop is Just Fine, it always has been, it's RAP I have a MAJOR Problem with!! Rap (The Business Music) is really, as my Grandfather would say, "Smelling It's Own Piss Now!!" Rap is taking Liberties, & putting people in the Game that have NO BUSINESS Being in the game!!
When I tell you that this means SOOOOOOOOOOO Much to me I'm serious!! This is NOT a test of POWER!!! This is NOT A GAME like it has been made out to be!! My patience with clowns being Pimped by the Major Pigs (Record Labels), has been far beyond driven to thin, but is at this time, NON-EXISTENT!! My man DJ JS-ONE of the World Famous Rock Steady Crew made a HELL Of a Point when he said that we need to take this back to the art form where it originated..............BECAUSE IT'S OURS!!! From the demolition of the Mainstream Coons, to the Sacred Art of DJing in which we've allowed just ANY OL' DAMN FOOL To come in and be a part of this that people like You & I Jaz take SERIOUSLY!! I think that if we Police OUR Music like we should, it would put an end to Idiots like Souljah Boy & Wocka Flacka, & dispel those who Shit on us like the girl who is Trying to DJ with a Ipad!! They are as sand, and the wind blows!!
CRDS: Thanks a lot Monsta, I really appreciate that...you know I agree with you 100% percent, there has been an avalanche of soul-less trash being made like junk food and I think there is sadly a lot of ignorance...uh Run DMC, Grandmaster, Cold, Kane who?...who?...ok...To The East, Blackwards or Xodus?
Lord Monsta: To The East My Brotha to The East!! What Sucks is that Xodus is equally AMAZING!! But I have to go with the one that started it all!
CRDS: What are your all time favourite years for Hip Hop, if time travel was ever real, which ones you would most like to go back to?
Lord Monsta: It's a Toss Up Between the Beginning, & the Early to Mid-90's!! You see, the Greatest Hip-Hop Group to me EVER Is RUN DMC!! I'd love to relive the golden years man!!
CRDS: I hear that fam...Monsta, when you play out, do you use Serato or are you strictly vinyl on the decks?
Lord Monsta: Lately it's been both! When I get down locally I carry a record Bag. For travel though, slim it down and carry the Serato.
CRDS: It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back or Critical Beatdown?
Lord Monsta: Oooooooooooooooh Daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn!!! Would I Blasphemy If I said "CRITICAL BEATDOWN??" I'm sorry, this is the album that had me worshipping Ced-Gee Man!! I played this record EVERYDAY For 5 years straight, No Lie!!! They both changed the game!! CRDS: Ultramags for me too, that album was a blueprint for do it yourself, authentic and pure underground Hip Hop, both albums are true classics though.
CRDS: What does the future for Lord Monsta, Is there anything that you would like to add?
Lord Monsta: I'd say the future for me hold a forthcoming solo album called "Anticipate Hostility" where I'll feature some of my Heroes on the Mic to trax I've produced. Plus, I'm working on bringing together all the Revolutionary MC's for a Project I call, "The Urban Guerillas!" Other than that, I shall continue in the WAYS OF THE SCALES My brother! I'll continue to spread the message of Love & Justice while learning all I can from The Grand Verbalizer Funkin' Lesson Brother J!! This is Vanglorious Law!!
Peace & Love- - -
and this interview was protected by the Red, The Black and The Green with the key sisssssyyyyy
What better way to follow a dope interview like that with a fat compilation from on of my old tapes from 1990?
enjoy, this one is especially dedicated to you Lord Monsta :)
Digging In The Tapes-1990 Untitled Compilationhttp://www.mediafire.com/?nntc301flt4v3l51-Sid & B-Tonn-Deathwish (Produced by SID)
2-K-Solo-Spellbound (Produced by PMD and Erick Sermon)
3-D-Nice-Crumbs On The Table (Produced by D-Nice)
4-Comptons Most Wanted-The Final Chapter (Produced by DJ Slip and Unknown)
5-Lord Finesse-Funky Technician (Produced by Diamond D)
6-A Tribe Called Quest-Foot Prints (Produced by A Tribe Called Quest)
7-Audio Two-I Get The Papers (Produced by Audio Two)
8-X-Clan-Heed The Word Of The Brother (Produced by X-Clan, Mixed by DJ Mark The 45 King)
9-Above The Law-Anotha Execution (Produced by Dr Dre)
10-King Tee-Ruff Rhyme (Back Again)(Produced by DJ Pooh)
11-CPO ft MC Ren-Ballad Of A Menace (Produced by MC Ren)
12-The Jaz ft Jay-Z-It's That Simple (Produced by Prince Paul)
13-Special Ed-Come On Let's Move It (Produced by Howie Tee)
14-Lakim Shabazz-When You See A Devil Smash Him (Produced by DJ Mark The 45 King)
15-Style-The Assassinator (Produced By The Hollywood Impact)
You have read this article 2010 /
Classic Hip Hop /
Derrick Monsta Neal /
Digging In The Tapes /
Golden Age Hip Hop /
Lord Monsta /
X-Clan
with the title Digging In The Tapes. You can bookmark this page URL http://truehiphopspot.blogspot.com/2010/08/lord-monsta-interviewand-digging-in.html. Thanks!
