Dj Shortfuse, straight outta Vancouver, drops in to speak to AfricasGateway. Also a contender of the Mixtape Showdown. Peep it!

Tell us a bit about yourself, where you from and where you at. 

I’m from Vancouver B.C, Canada. Born and raised and still kickin it here.

How long have you been in the game? 

I’ve been into the hip hop scene since around 1985 and have been doing all the aspects (at some point) since then. I grew up breakin, then rappin, doin a little graph when I had the time. It wasn’t until ’94 that a boy of mine hooked me up with some crappy turntables and a mixer…that was when I knew what I wanted to do.

What would best describe your style? 

I’d best say that I’m like my name Shortfuse, quick and tight. Of course all with a good amount of humor! 

If people had to ask you what makes you different from the hundreds of other deejays what would you say? 

Probably the fact that I enjoy being a little more insane than a lot of deejays on stage, smashing records and doing fucked up shit while I’m playing always gets me going, straight up rocker style! Also with my music, while a lot of deejays enjoy making tracks that sound like skratch self masterbation, I’d rather write a story that peeps can follow and laugh about and enjoy, sometimes heads forget that people are gonna want to listen to their music. 

Is the cassette still in demand or are you moving over to CD now? 

My older mix was on both formats, it’s about 3 years old now and it’s demand is pretty much over but I still get the odd email and whatnot of someone looking for it. All the heads who own it still tell me how much they dig it when they see me at shows. 

Who influenced you? What made you get up one morning and decide I’m gonna get me some decks? 

Mix Master Mike was definitely up there, he’s just crazy. Jam Master Jay (R.I.P) always has been and will be a hero of mine. Grand Mixer DST, definitely one of the all time most influencial.

Who (other than yourself) are the best deejays in your opinion? 

Once again, Mix Master Mike, Q-Bert, The Skratch Perverts (insane!!!), A-Trak, Kid Koala, Swamp….Man I could go on and on, too many people I think are just amazing.

Do you have a funny story you can share with the readers out there? Anything strange happen to you as a deejay? 

Man, every other show there has to be something. One time I was hosting an MC competition and these kats showed up and the guy who put it on wouldn’t let them enter cause it was way too late in the jam. They jumped on the mic anyway and I cut the music and this little dude had a hiss fit so I told him to basically fuck himself and then outta nowhere his boy jumps over the turntable and trys to attack me. I’ve got the one guy held up against the wall with one hand and holding one of the tables wth the other hand while pushing one of my crates back against the wall (it was falling dow) with my leg. It must have looked hillarious cause I was laughin my ass off the whole time cause I couldn’t believe this dude just did it….Nuts! 

What DJ equipment will give you a hard on/nipple stand? 

Always my Vestax gear, love their stuff. 2 1200’s….Always tha shit. Anything new and inventive always gets me going too.

What’s better, the smell of vinyl or the smell of a homemade meal? 

Freshly cracked 12″ every time!

If there was a fire and you only had the chance to save 3 records, what would it be? 

Fuck it, I’d burn with my babies and then be coated in the melted vinyl, kinda like Han Solo in the Empire Strikes Back when he gets frozen at the end!

Where can we get your mixtapes? 

No where right now, but soon on www.djshortfuse.com. It’s almost ready so keep your eyes open.

Thanks for talking to us, any last words or shout outs? 

Thank you guys. Shouts to my peeps in Vancouver (ya’ll know), Bomb Records, HipHopSlam all the Bay Area and mostly my Mom’s and my girl.

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