In his song "Where It's At" off of 1996's Odelay, Beck gives a nod to hip-hop culture when he croons, "I got two turntables and a microphone." Although most Tufts students are well acquainted with this radio hit, there's a lot more to DJing and hip-hop culture than what's referenced in the song.
According to junior Andres Gama, a DJ, there are four basic elements of hip-hop: DJing, emceeing (rapping), graffiti, and dancing. In the Tufts hip-hop scene, DJing and dancing - including breakdancing - are the most popular.
DJs are often divided into two categories based on the ways they make their music: those who use CDs and those who use records.
"On campus, most people I've seen are party DJs," Gama said. Campus party DJs usually use CDs because they're easier to handle and keep clean at dirty, crowded fraternity and house parties. Junior DJ Henry Kasdon said he usually uses turntables, but once in a while he uses CDs. "With CDs, you have more selection," he said.
Junior Eddie Vazquez and his partner Eddie Lee also prefer CDs. As two of the most recognizable party DJs on campus, they often perform at Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, and Theta Delta Chi (123). "We do pretty much the main frat parties on campus," he said.
Q & R Productions, a DJ company owned by Tufts alumnus Eric Walker, employs Vazquez and Lee. Vazquez said they usually play at on-campus parties because it's easier and more convenient than playing at off-campus bars and clubs, although they have performed at Mulligan's in Ball Square.
Vazquez started DJing in high school and enjoys it because it's an easy way to make money and be social. "You're getting paid to have fun," he said.
Gama explained the culture outside of fraternities and other similar venues. "Hardcore hip-hop [DJs] consider DJing with records only." Senior Philippe Milord, who has been a DJ for seven years, emphasized Gama's point when he said that using CDs takes away from the artistic aspect of DJing, because a DJ's art lies in mixing and manipulating records to create new sounds from old songs.
"Even within DJs that spin records, there are different categories," Milord said. In "turntablism," or scratching, a DJ uses the turntables and the sounds of records as instruments. "Turntablists" use music that has already been produced to create entirely new songs. Another category of DJing is beat juggling.
"[In beat juggling,] you take a beat on a record and you use that record and maybe another and make a whole new beat out of it," Milord said. He added that both turntablists and beat jugglers perform many different tricks with records.
When Milord spins at parties, he usually just uses turntables and a mixer, although for production - creating songs in a studio - he uses other equipment, including a sampler. He said he often uses records he bought at home in New York because records in Boston are expensive.
Milord's tastes in music spans several genres. "When I do parties, I mainly spin hip-hop, R&B, [and] reggae," he said. He added that he also likes to spin jazz and soul records.
In addition to spinning records, Milord also DJs for WMFO. His show, "Self Confessed," which he co-DJs with Seth Litt, airs Tuesday nights from 12 to 2 a.m.
Another of the four elements of hip-hop culture popular on campus is breakdancing. Kasdon is also involved in TURBO, Tufts' breakdancing group. The group's popularity can be partially gauged by its highly subscribed email list - there are about 200 people on it. TURBO practices four days a week and usually 15 to 20 people show up at each meeting.
Tufts seems to be lacking in female DJs and breakdancers. Kasdon said he doesn't know what aspect of DJing turns girls off, but admitted that girls are often more classically trained in dance than guys are. As a result, many girls find it difficult to pick up breakdancing's innovative, non-traditional moves. "We're always trying to encourage more women to join," he said.
Ask any participant in the hip-hop culture and you'll find that yes, indeed there is a scene at Tufts - but it's not thriving. "I wouldn't say it's a real strong hip-hop scene on campus, but it's definitely there," Gama said.
Junior Navin Watumull, a self-proclaimed "hardcore hip-hop fan" echoed Gama's statement when he said that, although he has a couple of friends who are hip-hop fans, most people he knows listen to the radio and are more into mainstream hip-hop and techno.
According to Milord, Litt is planning an on-campus hip-hop showcase on Nov. 2. The show will feature a live performance by a friend of Litt's who goes by the name Universal Solutions. Milord added that he will probably spin and that there will also be an open mic for anyone who wants to rhyme.
