DJ Rasta Root is what they called him. And for 20 years he has been spreading his interpretation of Hip Hop through out the world. Originally from Canada, Roots has traveled from the US to Europe to Japan spinnin’ nothing but the hottest joints, taking elements of turntablism as well as club mixing, to bring what he calls a “styleless style”. For the past 14 years, one of the founding member of Smokin’ Needles Records, DJ Rasta Root has become an integral part of hiphop worldwide. He has spun in Japan, Europe, Phillipines, Canada, US, south America and most of the Caribbean. He brings the party to any club, radio show, or live stage. He brings seamless mixes with a great selection coupled with a sense of the crowd he is playing for.
History
Roots’ toured constantly for three years in Japan. From hole in the walls to the legendary Kings’ & Queens, he ripped it night after night. Bringing his experience to the Japanese and military masses. He opened shows in Japan for the likes of Redman, Nas, Busta Rhymez, and the Wu-tang Clan. Roots’ claims that djing in Japan allowed him to hone his skills in reading the crowd. Having to dj for people who don’t speak English and at the same time cater to the Americans in the crowd, forced Roots to be precise and skilled with his mixes. Along with longtime Brazilian DJ Marc-T, Rasta Root started what we now know as Smokin’ Needles Records. Taking all he learned, Roots decided to move back to the States and plant his “roots” in Atlanta, GA. He quickly made his name through the local club circuit, opening for artists such as KRS-One, Noriega, and Rakim. Roots found a home for himself on 88.5FM WRAS on “The Bomb”, at Georgia State U. Boasting 100,000 watts and having the biggest college signal in the US, this station was exactly what Roots needed. This was his chance for the whole city of Atlanta and the surrounding areas to hear his mixes and blends. It was at 88.5 that Roots met Jay Force.
Impressed with Roots’ skills, Jay Force heavily recruited him to be a DJ on his newly formed show, “Beatz & Lyrics”, on 89.3FM. Together they would rule the airwaves and redefine mix shows nationwide (While racking up many awards). Along with the radio show, a “Beatz & Lyrics” video show paralleled what they did on radio, on TV. They have taken viewers from Japan to the Phillipines. Due to Roots’ visibility in the Atlanta scene, it was only a matter of time before doors would open. That door would be Roots hooking up with Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest. Roots djed on tour for Phife on several tours in ther USA, Canada, & Europe. They started producing beats together for their artist roster. In 2004, Rasta Root took over the management of Phife. Together they appeared on Midway Games’ ‘NBA Ballers’ on a track called NBA Ballout. They did the play off theme for the Dallas Maverick’s on a track called ‘All Out’. Phife has allowed Roots to help his career in sports and music. A Tribe Called Quest appeared at Street Scene in San Diego on August 27th. 2004. This marked the first ATCQ show in over 6 years. Rasta Root went from loyal fan, to friend, to manager. The group later went on to tour with Salem in 2004, and 2k Sports Bounce Tour in 2006.
In October 2004, Roots was selected to attend the Redbull Music Academy in Rome, Italy. This academy, selected 60 of the world’s most promising producers and djs to spend two weeks in Rome with the world’s best sound engineers, producers, djs etc for a music seminar equal to no other in existence. Of the 2000 applicants, Roots was one of the 60 people chosen to attend. He currently does worldwide dj events for Redbull. Every year, he continues to be a guest speaker at the Redbull Music Academy info sessions all across the nation and in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Through his involvement with RBMA, he travels twice a year to Colombia for dj gigs in Bogota and Medellin.
In 2006, Roots set it off at his monthly residency at MJQ with his own night called Face-Off Fridays. This event teams him up with some of Atlanta’s greatest dj to provide unforgettable nights at the ‘Q’. It has been deemed the best monthly in Atlanta for 2007. Already on its fourth year, Face/Off is a hip hop event in the truest sense. Surprise performances by Camp-l0, Rae-Kwon, Jeru, 9th Wonder, Ali Shaheed and notable are not uncommon.
In 2007, Roots teams up with XM Satellite Radio to bring you ‘Classic Example’, a one hour mix show. The show showcases classic music from the golden era of rap. His shows are also podcast on www.classicexample.podomatic.com. In 2009, Sirius and XM merged to form Sirius XM. Roots’ Classic Example was chosen asw one of the 15 remaining shows of the 65 total shows from before. The show boasts a listenership of 3.5 million. Now he stands with the elite of satellite radio destined for bigger and better things in ‘09
In 2008, Roots was named tour manager for soul crooner Dwele.
Check out DJ Rasta Root on Myspace for more info.
