Five-time Stylus DJ Award Winner DJ Wristpect is once again nominated at this year’s Stylus Awards, which will take place at the Danforth Music Hall next Monday night. The Toronto DJ spoke with Urbanology Magazine about the close-knit Canadian DJ community, the importance of the Stylus Awards and the art of DJing.
WHAT DO THE STYLUS AWARDS MEAN TO YOU? [It means] validation of DJ culture in the country and appreciation for the culture on a mass level and I think it’s really dope that it started and is still going on and has grown every year, because we all put a lot of time, effort and blood, sweat and tears into this music thing, so the fact that there is now a forum for that to be recognized, that’s the most important thing; it’s shining a light on DJ culture… It’s a really good way of knowing what this is all about. It’s really great to have everyone to get together. It’s really rare to get that many DJs from across the country together at one place at one time.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE STYLUS MOMENT TO DATE? Apart from winning awards, which is great, I just like getting a chance to just hang out and kick it with all the other DJs from around the country, because when I go to someone else’s city, it’s usually in and out and you don’t really get a chance to hang out and relax and get to catch up with DJs in other cities that are your friends or your peers, so the fact that everyone is at the awards, you can just chill out with people. That’s always good, because apart from forming your relationships, you actually get to hang out as friends, which you don’t really get to do when you’re working.
WHAT DOES BEING A DJ MEAN TO YOU? Being a DJ in this day and age to me means, really being on top of, not only music, but culture and trends. You really have to be versatile as a DJ these days, just because technology has really changed things. It’s tough to be a “one-genre-specific” DJ. Obviously, there are a lot of DJs that focus on one genre and do really well at it, but I think overall, as a music lover and as a DJ, you just have to be really in-tune with what’s going on in different genres. You have to be really adaptable to different crowds and in travelling especially. The biggest records that work in Toronto, or in North America, will get no reaction in a place like Hong Kong or France, so you really have to be able to think on your toes and adapt to situations very quickly… It’s a balancing act. It’s changed a lot from 10 years ago. I think the entire platform has changed. A DJ today has to wear many hats. It’s a very multifaceted role. It’s much more than simply playing music. I don’t think a lot of people realize that… It’s a great opportunity that DJs have today in 2012, because the art form is more popular than ever, with that being said, the playing field is also as crowded as ever, so you really have to be on top of your game.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THIS YEAR’S AWARDS? I keep saying this but really just getting to just hang out and shooting the shit with DJ friends from across the country that I don’t really get to, because when I’m in their town, or they’re in my city, it’s hard to make time to get together. People have been hitting me up from Vancouver and Newfoundland asking, “Hey, are you going to be in town?” It’s great that everyone is coming… The awards are always entertaining, Trixx is a great host.
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