Jetcomx’s newest kid on the block, Marlene Boyette, recently had a chance to sit down and chop it up the Renaissance man himself, Mick Boogie. By deejaying A-list celebrity events across the globe, producing sick mixtapes AND running a successful clothing store, Mick brings new meaning to the term “motivated”. By the time the interview was over, he had me feeling like I may need to step MY game up. Check it…
Hey Mick, thanks for taking the time to do this interview for Jetcomx.com, its much appreciated.
No problem. My pleasure…
Why don’t we start off with you telling us a bit about yourself? Where are you from, when did you first begin deejaying and what / who are some of your biggest influences?
I’m from Youngstown, OH and moved to Cleveland, OH in 1996 for college. I started taking it seriously after college when I didn’t like the job market (laughs). My influences range from Jazzy Jeff and Kid Capri to Stretch Armstrong and Bobitto.
What was the first piece of vinyl that you ever purchased?
Wow… the first one I remember was (appropriately) Tony Basil’s “Hey Mickey” in kindergarten.
[laughs] That’s interesting. What’s the best city, in your opinion, for record digging?
When I used to dig [for records], I didn’t live in NYC…so [digging in] NYC was always amazing. (Mick Boogie recently relocated to Brooklyn, NY from Cleveland, OH)
What is your most prized music related item and why (record, piece of equipment etc.)?
My “He’s The Deejay, I’m The Rapper” [DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Price] cassette. The first hip-hop thing I ever bought. Got it at a Kmart in Naples, Florida in 4th grade…and it changed my life.
I know that you have been doing a lot of gigs across the US and abroad. To date, what / where was the most memorable event that you deejaying and why?
I really enjoyed spinning with [DJ Jazzy] Jeff at Will Smith’s Hancock Movie Premier Party… A-List all the way. A very dope experience … and Will is probably one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
I imagine that would be an amazing experience, both as a DJ and as a fan of Will [Smith] and [DJ Jazzy] Jeff. Do you feel that the evolution of technology is leading to the deterioration of turntablism as an art form / element of hip -hop?
Nah…it’s advancing it. I can be so much more creative now during my sets. I love it.
What is the creative process involved in putting together a project such as you and Terry Urban’s recent Mashup Mix “Viva La Hova”?
Time, effort, creativity and a good musical ear. Finding the right beats, samples, producers, acapellas, and mixing them all in a pot and hoping it comes out good… and it did!
There’s no disputing that. It’s defiantly a solid project. Are you at all surprised by the amount of attention that “Viva La Hova” is receiving?
A little… but we kind of felt it was special when we finished it. When people were coming up to my wife at her job talking about it though… that’s how we knew we made it… [laughs]
Entertainment Weekly recently asked you to create a prospective Obama Inauguration Playlist. I’m sure that the sheer thought of possibly rocking a historic event like this was inspirational enough, but how did you go about the song selection for this project?
I looked up what Obama liked, cross-reference that, with songs that work for multiple audiences, and added some “MB favs” on top of it… and there you go.
In addition to being an in demand DJ with a popular blog, word on the street is that you also co-own a lifestyle boutique by the name of Motivation and have an almost clinical addiction for sneakers.
[laughs] Yes. Check us out at www.mtvtn.com. It’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is doing really, really well. Very excited to be part of it. And yes, I love sneakers!
Can you tell us a bit about how your involvement w/ Motivation came about, as well as what your most rare / exclusive pair of kicks are?
My partner Mike and I have been good friends and business partners for a few years before hand, so with our combined talents, connections and ideas, it was a great logical progression. Sneaker-wise, nothing too rare but I love stuff like my Stussy dunks and my De La Soul’s. I also have these burgundy leather YSL’s that are crazy!
If you weren’t a globe trotting DJ, what do you think your occupation would be?
I have a Masters in Marketing, so I’d probably be sitting at a desk somewhere promoting something, somehow, someway!
What are 5 songs that you could never hear too many times?
Biggie – Hypnotize
Jay-Z – PSA
Bel Biv Devoe – Poison
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under The Bridge
Daft Punk – Around The World
Do you have any projects currently in the works or anything that our readers should be on the look out for?
Some cool mixtapes coming up for Hypebeast and a remix mixtape project for Adele, who is like the Amy Winehouse of Sony.
That’s great. I’m actually a big fan of Adele, so I’ll be looking forward to hearing that project. Thanks (again) for your time, Mick!
You’re welcome.
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