Published: Thursday - September 8, 2005
Words by Jay Casteel
DJ Strong and DJ Warrior (Photo: BallerStatus (file))
The mixtape scene originated in New York, where DJs such as Clue, Kay Slay and Whoo Kid took it to new heights and began breaking new artists in the streets. Even the South have stepped up their game and started their mixtape hustle. But, where is the West Coast when it comes to mixtapes you ask? Well, a crew outta the West called the Cali Untouchable DJs, headed by LA's Mixtape King, DJ Warrior and DJ Strong, have risen above the ashes of the once dominating West Coast hip-hop scene, to spearhead a movement that until now has been overlooked and in silence.
Since forming their alliance years ago, Strong and Warrior have begun to take indie West Coast music beyond the Left Coast and break the invisible boundaries that have held some of the most promising MCs from the area to local recognition. Now, as their names and signature street albums buzz in not just LA but other parts of the country, the Cali Untouchables DJs are becoming the "go to" mixtape creators in Cali if an artist wants to make noise and get recognition outside their neighborhood.
Both Warrior and Strong sat down with BallerStatus.com to discuss how their grind has placed them at a spot where many turntablists work years to be, how they broke the barriers of Pacific time zone and got there mixtapes out to the masses, and what they have cooking for the immediate future.
BallerStatus.com: You guys have been holding down the West Coast via your signature Cali Untouchable DJs mixtapes. Why do you feel the West Coast mixtape scene wasn't recognized before your crew stepped in?
DJ Warrior: The reason why is because we did it the right way. We looked at how everyone else did it before us, but didn't do it the right way. They didn't do it the New York style, and you gotta realize that New York really started the [mixtape scene]. That's who really influenced us. A lot of the old school cats that were doing it [in California] before didn't do it the right way. We just took the game to another level with our own minds and how we wanted to do it. [We did it with] artist exclusives, getting them in the studio, and producer exclusives, you know what I'm saying? We just did it different ways, from street music to the radio stuff; we just kept the tapes original.
One thing we did do was get West Coast music out to other parts of the country. That is hard to do and we broke that barrier. That's good for everybody else that is coming up under us. That's how we did it; we grinded, had a straight mind, and figured out different ways to put the music out to the masses. It's all about the music at the end of the day.
BallerStatus.com: Why are mixtapes important to the hip-hop game and the West Coast especially?
DJ Strong: It's all open ground. There was nothing there -- there was something there, but it was swap meet, it was underground, way underground. As far as street mixtapes and a DJ going out and doing his hustle, instead of a dude not just saying he's a DJ and pressing play, there was only a West Coast Classics Vol. 1 or a Hot Club Hitz. Now with us, we are doing concept mixtapes, where we make a whole mixtape around an artist. For example, we did a whole YA and Kurupt tape called Cali Untouchable Radio. We didn't just get all their old classics and put them together, we got them to go into the studio and basically put together an album. You see the difference? Before, in my opinion, [West Coast mixtapes] were more radio influenced. [Labels] were like, "Let's get these songs out before consumers have them and let's put them out," just to create a buzz.
BallerStatus.com: How much of an impact do you feel the Cali Untouchable DJs have made in bringing back attention to the West Coast?
DJ Warrior: I think we did a whole movement for everybody, and it's positive. Now, everybody is starting to do the same thing we were doing out here for years. We are still doing it and it's a good thing that we are spreading the movement to everybody. We got ourselves noticed all across the country. And we did it without any industry backup. It would be good to have industry backing you up, but we didn't use our industry backups. [DJ Strong and I] did this on our own as businessmen and we understand music. We do what we can to help out as many people as possible, but you can't accommodate everybody, you know?
BallerStatus.com: There are tons of mixtape DJs around the country that get noticed on a national level. Why do you think that no other DJs in Los Angeles have been able to get the same recognition on the mixtape scene as you guys?
DJ Warrior: It's timing. You gotta put in the work, have that vision, have that personality, and you gotta understand music, first and foremost. You have to put effort into your sh--. There isn't anyone who is gonna do it for you.
DJ Strong: There's a difference between what we do. If you research and compare us to any other DJs out there, our stuff is different. It just takes time. It's like a disease. Once it spreads, everyone's got it. One person tells another and the word gets out there. We can tell, we see it. We're in the streets and we notice that our music is getting out there. It's all about a die hard work ethic.
BallerStatus.com: Tell me a little about the DJ crew, how you guys formed and what your movement is about?
DJ Warrior: Basically, our crew consists of DJs in radio, in the streets, in marketing, promotions and everything else in between. We're a movement; we're not just mixtapes. Our marketing/promotions company is HipHopWest.com, which is an online store with all the latest street and underground music. It's a movement between all of us just doing our thing and helping each other advance to that next level.
DJ Strong: There are DJ crews that are like "This is how you do it." It's kind of cookie cutter, but how we differ is we are hustlers that happen to do DJing as an artistry. We combine the two together.
DJ Warrior: That's how it all started, because we love DJing. At the end of the day though, you have to branch out into different directions. But, we always go back to our love for DJing. We gotta be a voice for our coast. We came from the ground up, but still have a long way to go.
BallerStatus.com: Being that you are avid supporters of West Coast music -- you are here, you see what's happening, you hear the music -- what does the West Coast have to do to be back on top again?
DJ Warrior: I think we are on our way back. It's just like building blocks; you just gotta build it back to where it once was. Everyone's gotta grind, gotta hustle, have a good mentality and stop hating on each other. The hating has got to go. Everybody has got to be about there business and stop expecting everyone to do stuff for you when you can do it yourself. Nobody really owes anyone anything. No one can be on top overnight. The people that are on top now are the people that have put in work for years and continued to put in work. That's why they are where they are at today.
The people out here have to come up with something new and do original music. You can't expect to be hot when you are copying everyone else. You gotta do something different from everybody else to get noticed.
BallerStatus.com: You guys have your ears to the street out in Cali. Who are the next stars coming out of the Golden State?
DJ Warrior: I think Bishop Lamont is gonna do it. The cats that are out here grinding every night and are putting out music constantly, that's who is gonna make it. You can make music, but if it ain't our there for people to hear, who will know about you?
I like Bishop Lamont, Glasses Malone, Scipio...from the Bay, I like the Front Line and Balance. I like Mitchy Slick, Strong Arm Steady, Keak Da Sneak, Messy Marv and Guce. I think the Black Wall Street artists are about to come up. Crooked I is about to blow the f--- up. There are just so many of them out here with skills.
DJ Strong: I agree with the same people Warrior mentioned, and there are some people under our wing that I feel have the potential to blow. Tristar and Y.A. are definitely doing their thing. They have a really good sound that's why we did Cali Untouchables Radio Part 5 [with Y.A. and Kurupt].
BallerStatus.com: Where will the Cali Untouchables been in the next couple years?
DJ Warrior: Establishing our radio shows, which is Cali Untouchable Radio. That's my show and Strong is up in there. We're really working on that on Sirius Satellite, Shade 45. Then there is HipHopWest.com, which is our online store. We also have a retail store, which we are building right now. We are also trying to move more corporate and hopefully put out a record -- an (official) compilation and mixtape album.
DJ Strong: I think our crew will definitely expand, but we will keep it along the same guidelines. We're always re-writing things because there are always speed bumps, but me and Warrior will always be here. We've put our lives aside for our careers. We've made our crew what it is today. We haven't done it alone, but it we weren't here, it wouldn't exist.
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