Just Blaze on Rise of DJs, Ghost Producing, What It Takes to Be a Great DJ and More

While best known as a hip-hop producer, Just Blaze started out as a DJ and currently co-hosts a weekly event at New York's Webster Hall called, "House Party." He's also performed at influential EDM festivals such as Ultra and HARD. DJcityTV recently caught up with the legend to pick his brain about the rise of DJs, the practice of ghost producing, what it takes to be an amazing DJ, and more.
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Edited by | Visual MVMT

[@caliboy1229]

Bro everything this dude is saying is the truth. Whether it's explaining the edm platform or scene. To what it takes to become a good dj. This guy knows his stuff

[@DjCutman]

Great video, loved hearing Just Blaze's story. from the looks of some of these other comments there are a lot of ppl spending more time writing youtube comments then mixing tunes and getting out there! Speaking of which, time for me to practice what I preach.

[@Xaostica]

Word.

[@_blueboy95_]

Just blaze is one of my top 5 withh 9th kanye maybe alchemist and j dilla as for sampling music

[@alfredjones9548]

l agree

[@damonmcmurray8669]

What about Madlib

[@louisosgood3098]

One of the best interviews he did.

[@CJ_Walks]

love the way this guy thinks.

[@msubb5197]

Just Blaaaaaze!

[@bigrippp]

salute to blaze a legend and a true dj I would be honored to work with him one day

[@djcreate95]

Great series guys

[@BrokeandCopa]

9:13 Exactly !!

[@gullytalksUk]

Legend

[@acewizzzz]

Capital P. the song is Breathe by Fabolous

[@scruz4774]

He didnt even find the PSA Sample. One of his assistants brought him the sample and Blaze put the drums on it. I saw it on another video of him talking about it.

[@Submersed24]

The guy at 3:41 on the left is like what tf am I supposed to be doing...

[@dachopup8495]

Wow never knew he sampled rick James on that track 😳🤯

[@RusiesKroket]

Real talk

[@DJ0ScHiMMeL]

man reduce the volume of the music when you do an interview, i have to rewatch this shit like 3 times or so.

[@Nolai]

damn that beat at 5:40 ! Sb knows the track?

[@88Finney]

Real Talk #Facts

[@Lexulight]

Is it just me or is the background music making his voice really difficult to hear?

[@djspair]

Yup!

[@KenIn3D]

Great Interview, Just Blaze Set in Austin on My Channel. #SaluteTheDJ

[@persianchris2451]

It's disturbing how sloppy the audio mix is for this Video; Especially for such an established professional. You have 2 tracks in your mix (Example: 1. JUSTBLAZETALKING and 2. BGMUSIC). All it takes is monitoring the volume level of each track and, for further cleaning, running a spectrum analyzer on each track. You could do a volume cut of -4dB to -6dB on the supporting track (BGMUSIC) and that alone would probably result in a more audible mix. Next time around, you could just hire me to do this for a very budget friendly cost :)

[@princeamu]

oooooooooh my GOD, did you hear what he did with that Rick James sample before he dropped the Jay-z Verse???????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????

[@ReyHugoTelevision614]

He did not produce that Live Ya Life song with TI n Rhianna, though he got credit lol

[@vmanpro2k7]

+reyrza80 he did tho co signed with canie

[@Krajowa82]

what the sample of 5.40 ?

[@jeenatomy1]

i can already tell he plays reggae...lol

[@jonathanvillalobos7994]

Fuck digital djing!!!! play vinyl!!!! vinyl for life!!!!

[@HARDCOREFUCKINREIGNS]

you lost me at wearing beats

[@jackofalltemposdigitalchil7483]

I can agree with some of his points but not all. His "progressive house" story does not add up. When you see Steve Aoki vs some one like Paris Blohm or Steve Angello the styles are completely different their style of "house" is more emotional/ thought provoking/ inspirational and enjoyable rather than "lets rage and get caked in the face". His definition of "good music" would most likely be R&B, Soul, and NYC hip/hop and rap since Just Blaze is NJ/NY born & raised native. He should not dictating what good music is and what people should be listening to. He is far too cocky to be taking about EDM since he's way more of a hip-hop producer. The man has only preformed at ezoo 2013 and at the ultra world wide stage in 2014 just to name a few. Araabmuzik who's a hybrid of both hip-hop and both scenes would be a better interview FYI. What I can agree with is the fact that he is absolutely correct in that you need to be original and stand out amongst the rest. Your track selection is essential and the way you preform behind the decks is highly important can you mix effectively (sometimes well blended tracks with a few transitions thrown is better than FX build ups, vocal chop ups, scratching and live mashups) as well as reading a crowd. Any one can buy beatport, radio or Dance musics top 100's, hit play bounce around and call them selves a DJ and repeat the cycle. Sadly this is allowed to flourish. Few DJs risk playing tracks outside of the current beatport top 100s and make different sets for shows. Also you need to know how to DJ for Christs sake find your ideal set up and learn the ins and outs of your set up and be prepared for anything. Thinking about prerecording your sets good luck going far YOU WILL BE SCOPED OUT. TOO MANY people in this game are in it to pop champagne in white girls faces, become the next all star and be glorified, or make millions of dollars WHICH IS UNETHICAL. We saw this happen in 2014 when top DJs decided to alter their sounds to make them more radio friendly and branch out to mainstream america. I can see where if you do not progress your sound and keep recycling it your going to crash massively. But if you want to alter your sound to make trends you better blow out the rest or you will be labeled a sellout in the blink of an eye. But would you rather make music that's current or make something that you can play now and 30+ years down the line and still kill it. That's my take on this interview.

[@brandonpee2088]

Just Blaze calls it a "Business", when really its a fucking scheme to make money to play shows. That's fucking bullshit that he supports ghost producing, i mean all you have to do is have some genius master producer/engineer make you a fat track and release it on a big label, have other big named DJ's play your tracks on livestreams/shows/etc. all around the world, and boom you've gone viral; causing these clueless promoters and clubs to book you for shows which leaves the real producers, who are out there grinding everyday working their asses off with just that. I was hoping that he doesn't support ghost producing but i guess since i later found out that he has ghost producers, it makes sense hes supporting that bullshit. Like i said, in the near future, myself as a producer will stand up against this fake shit and expose all these fucking fakes. NOW WHO'S WITH ME?!

[@brandonpee2088]

But, Just Blaze is still, one of my favorite producers, and hoping the tracks i like from him are not ghost produced. That's fucked up that he supports it because it is a scheme and it should be illegal.

[@brandonpee2088]

i'm not doing anything... yet my friend muhahahaha lol fake ass niggas!! frontin Henk He-yu

[@brandonpee2088]

you know what i mean, boy. You supporting this nonsense makes you at the bottom of the pit with all these other whack DJs using ghosts. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself Henk He-yu

[@garycummingsjr.6896]

+Brandon Pee he supports it because him and kanye ghost produced before they had their success as superstars. you can't go straight to the top. its like interning for producers. its not a scam its part of the process. everyone has to go through the process, no exceptions.

[@brandonpee2088]

That's bullshit and you have got to be brainwashed to even think that, that's the process of going to the top. Lol people who uses ghost producers go to the top. Kanye does not ghost produce nor did he ever. He's credited in everything he made. You don't understand what ghost producing is until you look at it in the electronic music world. Not the rap and hip hop world. Ghost producing is where one guy makes your track for you and the ghost guys name is no where to be seen but yours. Leaving you with all the credit possible and gaining fans. Get it? Lol Gary Cummings Jr.

[@Grief_Dreams]

Eww

[@jonathanvillalobos7994]

He's talking shit about EDM djs, but then he's spinning cdjs and controllers with a laptop!!! the pot calling the kettle black!!! GTFO here!!! REAL DJs PLAY VINYL!!!!!!