Aurora Alternative High School, The Phoenix, 2000, Page 35

Description:	Interview with a DJHere at Aurora, we have a very diverse scene. Many of ushave our own talents and skills that enable us to shine. One ofthese students, Giacomo McGuire, possesses the ability toscratch records on turntables. He let me get the scoop on hiphop and his own feelings about the culture. There’s more thanmusic behind these beats; I’m talkin’ ‘bout attitude.CK: Who do you feel, as artists, have become or are influential inHip-Hop?GM: For me, it’s the old school rhythm, and how they were back g73cothen. I am mostly influenced by the old DJ’s like Kool Here, andGrandmaster Flash, but I’m also influenced by some DJ’s thatare out today.CK: Just for the record, what is the difference between Rap andHip-Hop?GM: Rap music is just all about money, and stupid st. It’s a wayfor the artists to make money. Sellin’ records and just talkin’ a lotof bullst. Just doin’ what their record label tells them to.CK: And Hip-Hop is a culture, right?GM: Hip-Hop is a culture but there are the four main branches that makeup Hip-Hop that most people don’t know about. They don’t know about itbecause they’ve been told that Rap is Hip-Hop, and that’s all they know.One of the four main branches is graffiti, which is the art of gettingyour name up everywhere, but with style.CK: Trying to make yourself look good.GM: Trying to be the best. Then there’s DJing which is the art of makingyour own music, but cutting it with other people’s music so that it’s yours.With DJing comes scratchin’. It’s almost like playing guitar or any otherinstrument with all of the notes you can get.CK: But the instrument is turntables, right?GM: Right. And then the third is breakdancing. It’s just a form of dance.Just goin’ around showin’ off your skills like any other art form in Hip-Hop. There’s different styles of breakdancing like popping, locking, floorskills like back spins, and up-rocking, too.By: Clarence KnappInterview with a DJ
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-aurora/id/908
Collection:	Aurora Alternative High School

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