IMEC is widely viewed as a counter to China’s intercontinental Belt and Road Initiative
I was properly introduced to hip-hop and house music when I was around eight or nine years old. However, there came a point when being a fan just wasn't enough for me. Right before my 13th birthday, a Malaysian friend of mine randomly bought us tickets for the 1998 DMC DJ World Championships in Paris. I was living there at the time and I was completely blown away with the sound manipulation, the melodies, the aggressive battling and the shade thrown at your opponent. It was the ultimate boxing ring. It was beyond anything I could ever imagine. The defending champ was a 15-year-old Canadian called A-trak. The judges paid attention to creativity and skill set, which is something I believed I would achieve. That was all the motivation I needed to get started. That was when my love story with DJing/turntabling began.
The music scene is great because our history is rich with incredible musicians, artists and instruments. We have a lot of teachers to learn and follow. The music scene here while in nascent stages, is still a growing industry for regional talent. There are a bunch of guys in my field who are excellent (Majeed, Moh Flow, AY, Robin, Danny Neville, Bliss, Prince Q). They're pioneers of a new music movement, which is exactly what we need.
All the same clichéd stories like being screwed over, used and exploited. You expect these things to happen but you never know the who, how and when. You overcome them because you know that's the only option you have because the world is filled with stories of fortitude, determination and overcoming struggle.
It's a little bit of hip-hop mixed in with some house music. It's everything in between. I like groovy, bouncy beats. It's very experimental at times. I like to sample movies a lot too - it's weird but it works!
This will be my first EP, so I'm very excited! All I'm saying is, you're in for a treat. It's a blessing to make it far enough to where you start meeting some of the all-time greats. They're music legends. It's something you hope for because unlike other producers I believe my craft will only get better when you have masters of the art guiding and teaching you.
My words of wisdom are simple- you'll know if this is something that you really want to do. It's a burning desire inside of you. You can't push it aside or ignore it, at least not for long. The best way is to start uploading your music to any or all social media platforms. You have to remember that the most important first step is exposure. You need to let people know you're a musician so they need to hear what you're working on immediately. If you're starting a career in music producing, get another job. It's going to take a while before you're able to live off your work comfortably. The most complimentary job in my opinion would be to DJ. I started the other way round. Also, and most importantly, I have something most people don't have - family support. That helped me to start Angel investing. I'm still not where I want to be yet, but I'm getting there. Artistically we can make music from anywhere (as long as the basic equipment is available). You just have to find time for yourself and if you don't, you should rethink your commitment.
This was my first time DJing professionally again in 2012. It was in UAE no less, so it was a major milestone. The F1 race was in full gear and the sunset backdrop was incredible with a bird's eye view of Yas Island. My friends all came out to support me at the two-hour set which was immersed in deep house music. Just when I thought it couldn't get better, my parents walked in mid-set! Seeing their faces light up when they saw me killing it with all my friends in attendance was one the most nostalgic moments from my early music career. Definitely one of the best moments of my life!
I listen to everyone but recently I've been getting into Latin Trap/Reggeaton. Those guys are so melodic and the beats go hard. I'm a big fan of Latin culture in general so the Spanish-speaking element is exciting to me.
My fantasy collabs would be: Drake, Jamiroquai, Michael Bublé, Pharrell, Bad Bunny.
I'm always optimistic. Access to great music has never been so good. This is why social media is the bedrock of music. Fans and artists NEED to be connected with each other because let's face it, we need them and they need us.
david@khaleejtimes.com
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