22 February 2012

DJ in FOCUS - MK-1

MK-1 AKA JOHN KHILLA
DJ Name: MK-1

Genre: HIP HOP

Number of years on the Decks: 18


Any Mixtapes: Some mixtapes I had done in the past include: (More available on request)

World Famous Nate Wade & MK-1 present "Lovers Lane" http://www.mixtapefactory.com/Lovers-Lane-Mixtape.html


MK-1 Presents Peace "Love Unity Having Fun" 
www.mediafire.com/?zcsn1ea2dnxbcqa

MK-1 Presents The Lesson Pt.1 

http://www.mediafire.com/?og9uro9u977r7wq
MK-1 Presents Malika 
http://www.mediafire.com/?8kiaa4ff69rvyeh

MK-1 Presents Kwamee Francis Winter Collection CD  

http://www.mediafire.com/?gsq1ogaagqb26ks

MK-1 Presents Midnight Rain 

http://www.mediafire.com/?a07953h2d0ctg5j

MK-1 Presents The Glittering Mile XXX  

http://www.mediafire.com/?ocn5uxk2etb8ax8

MK-1 Presents The Many Facets of Quik (Australian Tour PROMO mix) http://www.mediafire.com/?sq2jjx8u6h7978c

First gig: High School house parties, Castles on Castleragh & B.J’s Bondi Junction

How did you learn the art: I learnt by surrounding myself with people I considered innovative and creative at the time. I also spent a lot of time observing peoples techniques building on elements of their style and fusing with my own to create my own style and technique.

When I was 14, I spent one week with legendary New York DJ STEVE DEE founder of the X-Men and the Inventor of Beat Juggling this ultimately change the course and direction of my musical Journey. WATCH

I believe to learn any art you wish to master you need to know who the Masters are past and present and aspire to build and continue the legacy they have created.

Finally, I learnt by researching my calling as a DJ by reading and understanding the evolution of the DJ from the Days of the Ancient Shaman, their roles and responsibilities to their community and culture all the way up to your present day Disc Jockey.

Do you practice at home: Not anymore, when I first started I would practice for over 12 hours straight day in day out. Now days I do most of my practicing in my head while I’m driving.

Your favourite type of music: Any type of music that provokes or captures a certain type of feeling or Mood. What ever the Genre is, the way I manipulate it is what I call Hip Hop.

Your favourite track of all time: If any DJ can answer this question, I would be concerned.

Your favourite artist of all time: If any DJ can answer this question, I would be concerned.

Favourite gig: Too many to mention


Career Highlight: Most significant career highlight would be when I learnt how to be self sufficient when perusing my own goals and ambitions. Being able to contribute back to the culture of Hip Hop, been asked to head the Sydney Chapter of the Universal Zulu Nation. And to be accepted and acknowledge by many of the pioneers of Hip Hop I spent most of my life aspiring to.

What do you think about the music today compared to when you first started Djing:
Music on a commercial level has gone through a massive re-structure. Primarily due to the loss of revenue created by the birth of MP3 and or other compressed formats of sound. It is not feasible for labels to invest money on artist development and or other elements of music creation.

Instead Music on a commercial level has become a numbers game driven by greed and creation a façades. Often I hear people complaining that music ‘is just not the same anymore’ ‘nothing beats the 90’s sound’ ‘Music is so generic these day’ etc. etc.

Im often saddened by these kind of statements because the reality is this: Music today is just as good as it was during any era of time since music was first recorded the difference is the music we hear today through television, radio and magazines is driven by a heartless agenda.

That is not to say that there aren’t thousands of people around the globe making music that’s innovative and driven by love. The main difference is that these artists still making great music do not have the marketing muscle to go up against the heartless machine known as the music industry today.

The lack of consumer choice in music is also caused by many of todays Deejays around the world who neglect their responsibility to introduce their audience to great music that they themselves should be sourcing and help beak in new artists.

Instead the DJ today is a modern day musical slave to the Music Industry. The greatest Irony I have witnessed in music today is the issue of back in the days Deejays would set out on road trips, cross oceans in the hope of discovering hidden gems or artists that a foreign to their communities. Now with the birth of the internet, deejays and the general public don’t have to move any further than a couple of keystrokes on their computer to access music from every corner of the world. And yet the majority of DJ’s resort to playing music dictated by the charts.

What can the people expect to hear from you set:  People can expect to hear a sound that is not influenced by commercial or political variables in the music industry. I am a free thinker and an innovative DJ, When I play my objective to win my audience’s trust and respect before we enter into a ‘oneness’ and venture into a musical abyss together. I say ‘we’ because my set’s are an interactive experience. The audience is very much a part of the musical soudscape they assist in creating.

Get out of trouble track (Dance floor clearing, you drop it the crowd jumps up):
I don’t have one, my sound is for everyone to enjoy then again not everyone will enjoy my sound. If you don’t like what I do, your probably in the right place but at the wrong time.

What's hot for you right now: I am overwhelmed by the talents of many Sydney and Melbourne based artists right now such as: Lee Monro & Ello C, MirrahAlphamama,
Mike ChampionPrinnie, Lee Sissing, MilanNate Wade, Matuse,
look out for these people.

Radio Show: Tuesday Nights from 10pm-Midnight SOUNDS OF THE ZULU NATION 88.0 BONDI FM or stream online on www.bondifm.com.au

Places the people can catch you: When I know I’ll keep you posted.



MK-1



Sounds of the Zulu Nation





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