DJ J-Love Interview

You probably already know J-Love from the mixtape game. Dukes has made best-of tapes for any and every respectable rhyme spitta from the '90's. He has some remarkably annoying drops, but is still somewhat respected among his counterparts.
Anyway, this former online mag called Vintage Gear Addicts, caught up with him for an interview a few years back. Real talk, VGA is thorough with theirs. I'm not all that into clothing and the like, but the depth and knowledge that these dudes possess is awe-inspiring.
Anyway, below you can find a few excerpts, and you can read it in it's entirety here.


I know as far as music people wonder about music credential. With an MC it’s easier to get a feel of what they have to say. I’ve always held a personal respect for the DJ; cause anyone who knows hip hop knows that all of this started because of the DJ… When did you start Dj’ing, and who were some of your early influences?

DJ J-LOVE: Probably like 93’ 94, around the same time that everything else was poppin off for me really... I never really looked up to nobody; it was my love for music for the most part… I like certain niggas, but it wasn’t like, “Oh my god I want to be like this nigga or nothing like that... I had respect for niggas like Kid Capri, Grandmaster Flash, Africa Bambata, Love Bug Starsky, you know certain niggas and shit but I never idolized no man, I just gave respect where respect was due…

What were you up to in the 90’s before you started dropping mix tapes? I know that your music background goes way back, so let everyone know how that all came about.

DJ J-LOVE: : I was just wildin’ out man... making money however I can, counterfeit money whatever. Music always been there… I was like seven years old walking around with like 40 cassettes in my pockets n’ shit. That’s crazy cuz’ one time I got frisked; I had the 25 on me and a fuckin’ knife, and I had so many cassettes in my pockets, them niggas didn’t even feelem’ cuz I had hopped the train in the city n shit… those times were crazy but it is what it is.

Everyone knows J-Love for the mix tapes and all the hip hop but what a lot of people don’t know is that you got a crazy lo’ game going on as well. When did you really start getting into rockin’ lo?

DJ J-LOVE: Like late 93’- 94’ I just been kept it rockin’ since back then. I’m not like these new jack little niggas know what I’m saying? All of a sudden niggas is rocking polo n’ shit like cuz’ Kanye West or fucking eBay or whatever the fuck it is… Niggas used to be nervous! They couldn’t even walk the streets with they lo’ like some kids may have had Polo, but they had to keep in their closets cuz they’d get smacked; niggas would like lick they palm and just open hand smack niggas to take niggas shit. But niggas know me man, I got pictures when I was like 80 pounds lighter wearing the same Indian head I got now; niggas know what it is.

Speaking of, J-Love is white. Again, you can read the interview in it's entirety here.