Photo: Pictured left to right is DJ Mamey Disco and interviewee Jesse Perez, a local DJ and producer. Junette Reyes/FIUSM
Diego Saldaña-Rojas/Staff Writer
In the series of sitdowns with local artists, FIU Student Media has had the opportunity to previously sit down and interview artist Smurphio from the local electronic funk band known as Afrobeta as well as local hip-hop artist Flight Williams from the collective rap group known as Outta This World.
This time around, FIUSM got to interview local disc jockey and producer Jesse Perez. WRGP Radiate FM DJs Digz and Mamey Disco had the chance to speak with Perez and this is how the interview went:
DIGZ: I noticed on the album that there are a lot of track names that you really have to be from Miami or Cuban to really understand. Is the whole a representation of your culture?
Jesse Perez
Junette Reyes/FIUSM
PEREZ: When I first set out to do this album I wanted it to be something very Miami because that’s what’s always inspired my music. Everything from back in the day growing up here and just everyday life, from foods to just going around different places. So, I wanted to make sure that it reflected in this album and there’s even skits that I have recorded like at Leon Medical Center; I used to take my grandfather to his doctors appointments so I recorded a track there. I pulled out my phone and started recording conversations. Also, the South Miami metrorail comes out on the album; it’s just things I do everyday. It’s Miami as a whole from beginning to end.
DIGZ: So speaking of Miami, where did you grow up in the city?
PEREZ: I grew up pretty much in Cutler Ridge. I would say that is the main area I’ve lived the longest but I’ve lived in Hialeah and lived in Princeton as well, which is down south near Homestead. So yeah, I’ve lived pretty much throughout all Miami.
DIGZ: When it comes to the album, more so your musical upbringing, what are your main influences?
PEREZ: I’ve listened to everything, everything that really came out of Miami. I was a big DJ Laz fan, 2LiveCrew, Danny D, Poison Clan; everything that was just Miami, that freestyle era to me was just magical. That was the best time for music here, I think. In the album you can hear it, if you are about that music, if you know about that music you can hear the influences on this album.
MAMEY: Tell us about your mother and how she influenced you through what she does musically.
PEREZ: So my mom was a piano teacher as I grew up – a lot of DJs talk about that. “I was classically trained blah blah…” I never really talk about that but I grew up with having a piano at her house and for Christmas we would always get like a nice little keyboard, nothing expensive, not like a really cool synth or anything but we would get keyboards. There was an interest in music and that started for me at a young age. I was always trying to write piano riffs and stuff like that when I was a kid.
Pictured left to right is DJ Mamey Disco and interviewee Jesse Perez.
Junette Reyes/FIUSM
DIGZ: You mentioned earlier you had a piano that you used on one of your tracks, like a Kmart piano?
PEREZ: Yeah, actually it’s track two on the album and actually track five on the album as well. That was a Christmas gift my mom gave me when I was in high school and that was the very first keyboard that I started using to make beats with. I look at it now and it’s really pathetic. It’s like a $100 keyboard, nothing big but to me that meant the world and I still use it to this day. A lot of this doesn’t really revolve around having a lot of money. You can make music off of anything; as long as it makes a sound you can make music off it. I look at this album and a lot of the tracks were made with really cheap keyboards and it came out sounding great.
DIGZ: You’ve been to several countries overseas. What are some of the recent places you’ve been in and toured around?
PEREZ: The very last place I went to overseas was London. I played a really big show over there in London. I primarily play in the U.K. the most, out of anywhere else and most DJs do too because that’s just the mecca of music right now; the UK is on another level. But I’ve been throughout everywhere; I’ve done a few gigs in Berlin, done Switzerland, Spain, Ibiza, Italy and a few shows in Italy, Ukraine, and a lot of other countries.
MAMEY: Do you keep those parties all house or do you maybe give them a little curveball to show them where you’re coming from?
PEREZ: Well, I definitely play my style of music. I wouldn’t say it’s all house; it’s just my style. I call it “bump and grind.” It’s a lot of Miami influence, a lot of Miami bass records. I give them me, I don’t go out there to play like I’m a German techno DJ. I give them exactly what they’re paying for and I think that’s the reason why they book me. They don’t want to hear anything else.
MAMEY: So Jesse, MrNiceGuy Records launched. When did it launch?
PEREZ: In 2010.
MAMEY: Excellent you got some local support and local artists. Any plans for the future?Any surprises?
PEREZ: Our main thing right now as far as MrNiceGuy is concerned is just getting a party going. That’s what I really want to do in Miami. We really don’t play in Miami that much. I think I only play in Miami like four times a year, so I’m just looking into doing my own party, the same way we do the pastelito party. I’m just like alright let’s just do a monthly party and have all our guys play, rather than just sitting around waiting and hoping that one of the clubs calls us and be like “Eh, can you play tonight?” So that’s my main priority right now. Then of course I have the album coming out. We have an EP which has various artists from Miami.
diego.saldana@fiusm.com
About Post Author
