First up thank you Ric for agreeing to do this Interview and for your support of the Forty Five Kings and for your killer set during our recent Germany Live Stream.
We are also looking forward to your Guest Set on our Weekly ‘Coffee & Donuts’ Live Stream Show on Saturday 14 November 2020!!!
Now to the questions…
Tell us about yourself and your history as a Dj, Collector, Band Member and Touring Dj.
Hey Rob, first of all thank you for having me for and the upcoming show on Saturday November 14th 2020.
Well I am a DJ, record collector, band member and live touring musician for more than 20 years now.
It all started in the basement of my parents house where I set up my first players in 1999.
I was infected by the HipHop virus and I wanted to act like these cool DJ’s I had seen on TV or in live concerts.
I just loved talking through the records while using word cuts from other records and flip the meaning of them. That was the only thing I’ve always wanted to learn to perfection.
More than 20 years later I can say that I am still infected by the DJ and turntablism artform.
I released 9 albums with my band ‘Smith & Smart‘, a couple of 45 releases with my friend Merse with our project ‘Slick Walk‘, a brand new and my very 1st scratch wax ‘The Kure’ on Woodwurk Records and many more digital releases with international artist worldwide.
What drives you to continue these pursuits and push your Djing Skills forward, especially with 45s?
I think the motivation and inspiration comes from the countless great DJ’s I know and see on many different video platforms.
Also I think it is the love and passion I’ve got for the dj culture and community and the fact that we are now able to share things with each other worldwide and anytime.
I have seen your name everywhere lately with promotions for the new Magma 45 Trolley Bag, on records with Andy Cooper and collaborations with Dj Woody, as well as becoming a member of the rather cool Dusty Donuts crew, scratch videos on portable turntables and on other streams, as well as your dope sets on Mixcloud and 80s Hip Hop sets with Marc Hype.
You’re a busy man, how do you stay on top of it all and how do you feel about this recognition and what it means for you as a Dj with a long history in the game?
For many years I was so underground that nobody knew my name. Social media changed that. I was finally able to reach people who were especially interessted in turntablism and to build up a great audience. It felt really good to finally get respect for doing what I love most.
Why 45s?
I started with 45s this year shortly after we had our first lock down in Berlin.
I’ve seen Marc Hype starting as one of the first DJ’s to come up with weekly live streams with a really high output.
I’ve asked him if there would be a chance to have an appearance in one of his streams, he agreed to it and came up with the idea of making a 80s Rap 45s Thowdown Mix with me.
I told him I didn’t have any 80s Rap 45s, he smiled and said “I’ve got them all, we will use mine“.
Long story short, we met for one session to pick the best records for pt.1 and the following week we went live with it.
It was so much fun to go back to vinyl after a couple of years working with Serato.
I still like to work with Serato for recordings or live band situations but to start collecting these tiny special donuts really makes the difference.
I enjoy to work with breaks on the records and to wait for the perfect moment to make a tasty transition.
I’m a huge fan of ‘Wednesdays On Wax’ and was lucky enough to appear in an episode with Marc Hype awhile back. I’ve also really enjoyed your interviews with so many great djs and collectors for Wednesdays on Wax, tell us about that?
The corona situation changed everything on our planet.
World class DJ’s that were used to traveling the world are sitting at home and wondering what their future will look like.
I think a show like ‘Wednesdays On Wax’ with great guests like Krafty Kuts, Woody, Short Kut, Nick Bike, Smoove and Skratch Bastid can be a silver lining in these crazy times.
It is a platform that connects Djs all over the world. That makes me feel less alone.
We’re now taking the chance to get to know each other much better and to talk about our favourite things like records, trends, culture, backstage stories and may be also about our worries.
I also love your back to back sets with Marc Hype when you guys drop Hip Hop history on 45. Tell us about the concept and what is coming up?
Hahaha, actually the concept is, there is no concept at all. We re just going with the flow in order to keep the audience and ourselves excited.
What does the future hold for you as a Dj particularly with the ‘New Covid 19 Normal’? How has Covid 19 affected what you do?
To be honest I do not know what the future holds for me. Covid broke down the whole event industy here in Germany and everywhere else, too.
There’s nothing you can plan in the long term but I am a very positive and optimistic thinking person and I do believe when a door closes a new one will open.
I think now is really the time to be open to new ideas and new ways to keep our wonderful culture alive.
Looking back over your career what have been some of the highlights for you?
Good question 🙂 Well, there are so many good memories I am sharing with one of my historically oldest friend MaxWell Smart being on tour with him all through Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Poland, Czech and of course Germany over the last 20 years.
Winning the DMC Germany Championships and to be a participant at the DMC World Finals 2017 was indeed a highlight for me.
To perform a concert in front of 40 thousand people at ‘Rock am Ring’ and sharing the stage with German number one hiphop artist ‘Kontra K’ and his incredible band in 2019 plus being part of a sold out arena and stadium tour last winter was very impressive, too.
Also I’d like to extend a huge thank you to DJ Woody and Woodwurk Records, as I can finally announce my first scratch record ‘The Kure’.
Grab your copy here www.woodwurkrecords.com
Would you like to add anything else and also share some links?
I would like to give shout outs to my supporters who kept believing in me and my art…even when i was the under the ground of the underground! ; )
Alexy – you are my greatest loff of all
TeamReloop – Nicki & Nick & Angelo <3
DJ Crypt – you are the illest „ääähh ja, ne, ja genauuu“?! Wir bleiben Kumpels
DJ Stylewarz – #derletzteseinerart much respect for you homie
MaxWell Smart – you gave me the name ‘DJ Robert Smith’ R.I.P. Lovelite Berlin
Cassiopeia, Berlin – Livingroom for grown up kids
Bar, Zimt und Zunder – free drinks that killed me the day after
BoomCityTV – thanks Cap & Alessandra! ‘Inside Turntablists’ forever Series 1 & Episode 1
Marc Hype & the Dusty Donuts family – super proud of my squad, you guys rock!!!
DJ Woody & Woodwurk Records – thanks for your incredible teamwork
Slick Walk – What about that tape ‘Dichotomy’
Everyone I forgot, thanks for your support each and every day. One love.
Thanks Ric for your time!
Dj Mr Lob
The Forty Five Kings
Don’t forget to catch Dj Robert Smith playing as our Special Guest this Saturday 14 November 2020 on our Twitch channel.
Also don’t miss checking out this amazing set Dj Robert Smith did for us during the Germany Live Stream we hosted on 16th August 2020. It includes the now famous mid set ‘Turntable Changeover’ that was like an F1 Pitstop.
