Archive for November 9th, 2007

Okay, remember when I said this Beatport stage is gonna be crazy? Yeah, well, the cops just showed up because we’re a little too loud. Pssshhhht. Is there any other way to be when you have the hottest DJs around? Nope. But we still got the beats flowin’ for ya, baby. The Beatport stage is still goin’ off.

Also? We’ve got some Poppycock in the back room. That’s right, I said Poppycock. It is delicious. Look into it.

Right now we’re gettin’ ready for our final Shocklee panel of the evening, where we asked you, our lovely readers/producers, to bring your beats to have our panels of judges give you feedback. And who does this panel consist of? None other than DJ Rhettmatic and DJ Babu (who spun an awesome set in the Rane room just minutes ago), Aloe Blacc, Medaphoar (MED) and Charles Goodan, that’s who.

Sweeeeet. I’m gonna go check out some stuff now. See ya later.

Lori

Remix is stoked to have JBL speakers in our NARAS Producer’s & Engineer’s Wing, where our illustrious VIPs are enjoying awesome food and drink. The vibe in there is totally chill–a nice place to step away from the hustle and bustle of Remix Hotel. Many thanks to Kyle Keene with the Producer’s & Engineer’s Wing and JBL!

Man, it is crazy-ass hot in the panel room for the Ultimate Engineer’s Session. It is so packed with folks absorbing all the tips and tricks on how to get your mix right in the box. Problems are being solved left and right…it’s pretty freakin’ cool.

But I had to step out and let some more folks take my seat (well, my spot on the floor…it’s sitting-on-the-floor-room-only).

The iStandard Producer Showcase is wrapping up soon, and the crowd is totally into it. I saw many heads bobbing in time with the fat beats being dropped outside on the Beatport stage. And at 6 p.m., the Beatport stage is gonna blow up with a slew of DJs, spinning until 11 p.m. tonight. Look, ya gotta get your buns down here. Why? Well, for one, your buns are pretty sweet. And another thing, you’re missing out if you’re missing this event. We’re easy to find: We’re the ones throwing the most kickass party on Sunset tonight.

See you soon,

Lori

Hey again. So day one of Remix Hotel L.A. was awesome. The panels were superinformative as usual, and it was great hearing from Josh Gabriel of Gabriel & Dresden about how he works with Apple Logic Pro and his transition from Logic 7 to 8. And while DJ Rhettmatic and DJ Trainwreck were ripping it up in the Rane room, Roland was demoing its VS-8800, Hank Shocklee was moderating a mixtape vs. radio DJs panel and DJ Revolution DJ’d a live set using M-Audio Torq, I was doing a little video interview with 9th Wonder, which you’ll be able to watch here at remixmag.com shortly. I was really inspired by his True School association, which he founded after he realized that his group Little Brother’s album, The Minstrel Show didn’t “do what it was supposed to do.” True School (www.trueschoolcorp.com) caters not to the old or new schools of hip-hop, but that middle era from the 1980-95. But while 9th’s music harks back to the boom-bap era, he brings an updated slant to it in his latest album, Dream Merchant Vol. 2, which features a whopping 33 guest vocalists.

After our one-on-one talk, 9th and I met up with Hank Shocklee in the panel room and talked to a crazy-packed crowd about everything from A&R reps–”What are they there for?!” 9th exclaimed–to 9th’s love for Hank’s work with Public Enemy. 9th teaches a “Hip Hop in Context” class at North Carolina Central University, and last week, the topic of discussion was Public Enemy. Also coincidentally, he was wearing a Public Enemy shirt last night. 9th had a chance to ask Hank two burning questions he had about Public Enemy samples (again, wait for the video clips coming in the next few days). And I asked the guys about how they get the best out of vocalists. It was pretty hilarious watching them shake their heads about the trials and tribulations of working with Jean Grae and Murs (9th Wonder) and Flavor Flav (Hank). Hank said, “Flav is like taking the worst of every vocalist and putting it all together in one.” So if you find yourself in shouting matches with vocalists you work with, you’re not alone.

Today, we’ve got a ton going on: DJ Rap in the downstairs Apple room, DJ Babu in the Rane room, a bunch of top engineers (who’ve worked with Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Fleetwood Mac, The Killers and much more) talking about mixing, a beatmaker’s panel, Jay-J in the M-Audio room and so much more. Can you handle it? I think so. Haven’t registered yet? No worries. Just come on down, and we’ll register you right when you walk in.–Kylee

Hey peeps,

So we’ve got 9th Wonder upstairs givin’ his Keynote Q&A with Hank Shocklee and Remix Editor Kylee Swenson. The room is all hot and sweaty with tons of people…we’re talking standing room only. But it’s a good hot and sweaty, kinda like the last time we met at that bar down the street. That was the best time ever. Mmmhmm. Anyway, the point is this: People are stoked. And so am I. And you should be, too. Why aren’t you here? That makes me sad. But it’s okay because we have tomorrow and Saturday together. Sweeeeet.

You know what else was sweet? DJ Revolution’s live Torq set in the M-Audio/Digidesign Room; that was crazy insane awesome. People were packed inside and outside of the room groovin’ on his set. And hey, yours truly was kinda cuttin’ a rug herself, know what I’m sayin’? Wow, I think I just dated myself using that phrase. Pssshhhht. Whatever.

The bottom line? Day 1 here at Remix Hotel was totally brutal. And by brutal I mean totally frigging kickass, in a Metalocalypse sort of way. (Nathan Explosion would be proud.) Tons of people, good vibes, everyone was stoked. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow and Saturday bring. And of course, I can’t wait to see you.

Lori