Interviews

Interview with DJ shAde

DJ shAde has been a fixture on the Portland hip hop scene for a long time now. He can be found at the Big Easy every Monday hosting/DJing the open mic alongside Boondocks, as well as at random gigs throughout town and beyond with other DJs and artists. He’s DJed MC battles, layed down cuts in the studio, and competed in many DJ battles. He was nice enough to answer a few questions about DJing, the Maine hip hop/electronic music scene, hip hop in general and whatever else I could throw at him.

WPB: Are you from Maine originally? If not, how/why did you end up here?

shAde: I was born in Waterville, Maine and grew up and attended school in Winslow, Maine

WPB: How long have you been DJing and what got you into this in the first place?

shAde: I’ve been in it for (*cue drumroll) almost 16 years honestly. There’s a few pivotal moments for me: 1.) Hearing GrandMaster DST scratching on Herbie Hancock’s song “Rockit” — That was a completely novel, alien and new sound to my ears and it took me quite a while to put two and two together to figure out the mechanics of what was happening to make that sound … You need to bear in mind that we’re talking 1983/84 so I was a little kid back then (try 8 or 9 years old) trying to digest and comprehend this new sound all while living in Bum-f#ck Maine. That was the hook 2.) Seeing LL Cool J and his dj Cut Creator perform on a televised broadcast of American Bandstand in 1984 3.) seeing the video for RUN-DMC’s collabo with Aerosmith, “Walk This Way” JMJ starts the music off with a “zigga-zigga-zigga-zigga” and then 4.) listening to WMHB 90.5 FM on Friday nights for the Rap of Maine show with “dj Timebomb” aka “dj Hell on Wheels” aka Mike Starr around 1985/86.

WPB: Did you have a mentor or someone who helped get you started down this path?

shAde: Well, my good friend and homeboy, Bob and I were probably in tenth grade and had just just started being able to drive, so we immediately went to the Colby College Community Radio station offices and applied for a show. Needless to say we were both eager to be involved and also to have a new outlet since we were pretty much moderate social outcasts/nerds. We got put on the schedule and had to get FCC licenses and the whole nine. We eventually began to help out more and worked directly under Mike Starr (the influential dj I mentioned earlier). The rest is a long, long story, but you get the idea.

WPB: How did you get your name?

shAde: Burlington, VT, circa 1994. It was my buddy Ellie’s birthday and my friend John Pete and I were up to some “shady” dealings so to speak so we dubbed ourselves “the shades” and at that moment, he took it up a notch and addressed me as “dj shAde.” It stuck.

WPB: When and where did you play your first show?

shAde: publicly? At UMaine during my first attempt at college. It was in the spring of 1994 right around Finals. I hadn’t gotten my moniker yet, so I didn’t really know I was dj shAde at that time.

WPB: How do you feel the Maine hip hop and electronic music scene holds up against other states?

shAde: I think we have signficant challenges being so far away from other relevant scenes, but with the internet and technology, it hasn’t seemed to matter too much. The scene is pretty varied and interesting and I think there’s definitely a unique perspective to being a “Mainah” that can fuel creativity. There’s also countless other influences that can shape one’s art should one feel the need to express themselves that way. I mean, New England has a pretty rich intellectual heritage and has made some significant contributions in the literary and visual arts realms, as well as in traditional (non-electronic) music, so I think there’s definitely room for impressions to be made in the electronic music field. Parts of Anticon is a great example of this point, despite their obvious west coast connections.

WPB: How long have you and Boondocks been hosting the open mic?

shAde: Well, when I came to Portland in 2000, open mic was going on and going strong at the Stone Coast brewery on tuesday nights with Wally, Navilus and Moshe hosting. I kind of bum-rushed those guys to put me on and soon, we were all working together. I’ve been a bit of a hustler all my life, so that was just natural. Around the fall of 2000, Stone Coast was in the midst of closing their restaurant and Boondocks was approached with an opportunity to start up a Monday night open mic at Free Street Taverna. He built that night/venue up and held it down hard for about 4/5 years before they too shut down/gave way to new management. Around the summer of 2006, Boons asked me if I’d like to get in on co-hosting/spinning with him on Mondays at the Big Easy. He also thought we should use two dj rigs with 4 turntables, which has worked out very well. So, I’d say it’s coming up on two years at Big Easy with the both of us collaborating.

WPB: Do you have a favorite beer?

shAde: No favorite brands, but I do like the wheat beer/heffeweizens.

WPB: As host of the open mic, you clearly know your beats. Do you have a favorite beat of all time?

shAde: That’s really, really tough, but almost any beat from DJ Premier.

WPB: Do you have a favorite producer?

shAde: P’P'P’Premier… Premier

WPB: Do you make beats yourself at all?

shAde: I used to, but lacked the drive to stick with it as I really try to focus on the turntables.

WPB: How do you feel about the current state of hip hop?

shAde: It’s mostly trash (to quote Ghostface)

WPB: What is the best show that you’ve ever played?

shAde: GRoup-wise, I’d probably have to say a show I did with Labseven in Portsmouth. We couldn’t use the laptop for beats, but luckily I had some vinyl with me, so we just adapted on the fly and actually ended up rocking a really nice set. Sol-wise, it’s a tie from a special dj performance I did for an event DJ Jon threw at the SPACE gallery and also a turntablist performance I did at Free Street right after winning an Iron Fader battle. I also had an unbelievable time a few years back, playing at KarmaLoop on Newbury Sreet in Boston with Boondocks and Altruistic.

WPB: Do you still buy vinyl, or are you strictly MP3 now?

shAde: I still buy vinyl if I deem it worthy.

WPB: Is Maine really the way life should be?

shAde: Yes and No and that’s as much as I want to get into that discussion.

WPB: The other day I overheard someone saying Wu-Tang Clan was “old school”. I personally disagree with that. In your
opinion, what constitutes old school? Is there a specific year cutoff or is it more of a style/overall feeling thing? Or is it like if you have to ask you’ll never know?

shAde: The latter.

WPB: CD sales are plummeting continuously, how do you feel this will affect independent artists trying to make a name for themselves?

shAde: It will only affect those who cannot adapt and come up with creative ways to distribute their music.

WPB: Any thoughts on the current Presidential election?

shAde: Obama.

WPB: When are we going to see shAdezilla drop some freestyles at the open mic?

shAde: I ask myself the same. Soon come.

WPB: I know you did all the cuts on Labseven’s album “North Winds”. Do you have any collaborations in the works, or any projects you’re working on, or have worked on that you’re excited about?

shAde: Mello the Verbal Wonder’s got some hot, fiery heat due to drop soon!!

WPB: Besides Monday nights at the Big Easy, do you have any shows coming up?

shAde: Man, I try to stay busy, I have some White Heart appearances as well as one at Flask Lounge and hopefully at the Red Door in Portsmouth. I have been contemplating entering the DMC dj battles this summer and hope to play in more major cities before year’s end.

WPB: Thanks for your time, any final thoughts, words of wisdom, or shout outs?

shAde: Shouts out to WPB and you for hooking this interview up! Big shouts out to DJ Jon, LABSE7EN, Boondocks, Graymatter, Rew, GabeFM, Nicotine and Baby Jay. I also want to say peace to M.C. Fresh Bread, Kenmore and any and all local hip hop heads!! I want to say what’s up to The Big Easy, White Heart, Flask and any other establishment who’s given me the privilege to perform. And one huge shout to all my friends and anyone who’s ever come to see me play and enjoyed themselves at the party because that’s (hopefully, you know who you are). P.E.A.C.E. !!!!!

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