Stean1 Interview /// 2004

So far in this years dmc technics world DJ championships, there are new state champions for Victoria and NSW but with the remainder of the state finals happening over the next two weeks, ozhiphop.com spoke to current Australian solo champion Staen 1 about him defending his title this year and the pressure that is mounting in the leadup to the Aussie finals on August 16th at the Metro in Melbourne.

For those who havent seen you battle, can you explain your style and what you aim to acheive with your battle sets?

YO, im a writer turned DJ /Turntablist from ADL and i dont know how i would describe my style in general, I mean, i listen to alot of old skool hip hop & play old & new shit in a club enviroment . When i Battle my intention is to win, I came through the local scene not by kissing ass but by battling and learning from the dj’s who were winning at the time,looking back i think watching what was going down probably had a role in developing “my style” because i was trying to figure out what i could do to beat them.

Now when i battle its only for the DMC/ITF. I dont enter local battles but i think anyone who is thinking about battling, they should take part in as many battles as possible & get experience .

How has being the australian champion changed your life?

Apart from The 64 on gold d’z sittin in the driveway, the new house in spring feild & The ice jewllerry collection, Its bisness as usual. Nah, I mean ,I have done a few more gigs i obvisously wouldnt have other wise ,BUT the going overseas and taking part in a world final is something i never thought would happen when i started. So having lived out one of my dreams & achieving a major goal i had set for myself has changed the way i look at certain things now.

Have you approached this years comp differently to last year?

Yeah , Last year the title was up for grabs so i thought i had just as much chance as anyone to win. This year being that i am defending a title that is mine going into it i have made my set more relevent to that situation. My goals going into a competition has always been to do better than i did the last time .,It would mean alot more to me this year if i could win again.

Is your battle set for the Australian finals on august 13th at the metro in melbourne finalised yet or are you still working on parts of it?

YES its finished and ready to rock, i just wish the comp was this weekend so i could get it over with!!

You blitzed it at last years Aussie final, what have you got lined up for this years routine?

You i cant let any secrets out of the bag but i will say the set is a little different style than last year, i also have a few little tricks up my sleve.

You get to skip the South australian heats this year, so who do you think will take it out in Adelaide?

There are some dudes in ADL that have been battling as long as me who are stepping up this year, I have no dout the quality of the comp will be as good as ever this year & i wouldnt like to try and pick a winner now,SNAIR, BETS, KANCEL, all of these cats have experience ,skills & and Know how to battle, I think who ever does there shit the cleanest will win.

What was the highlight at the world finals for you?

Stepping on stage at Brixton academy is something i wont forget quikly. Meeting a whole heap off people i know & respect. And i had never been over seas before so the whole experience was a highlight really.

Who did you get to meet?

SHit, ill try, OFF COURSE…. Tony Price,Cutmaster swift,Pogo, Scratch perverts, Kentaro,Quest, Killa kella, Dopey, Enferno,CXL & NZ crew(Wat up!),I Emerge,Biily Bizness, M Rock ,Tigerstyle, Woody, And I cant forget FRESH D (j red Knows wats up) There were tons more but i cant be fucked remembering.

Any of the other competitors impress you?

Hell yeah , I thought the standard or the comp was very good this year, Dudes like QUEST, ENFERNO, J BOUNCE, TURKMAN SOULJAH, they all ripped shit. I Think because turntablism had a golden era from mid 90’s till about 00,01 where completly new techinques & styles were being done, people take that period for granted & because It doesnt happen as much these days they say turntablism & or battling is shit now, but i disagree. I think now its more about how you use those styles And flip it with your own shit.

At the worlds, you broke a needle or two during the soundcheck. How did that affect you?

IT fucked me. I was using one of my last resort spares and some busted one from this irish dude,(Dj TUKI) I knew they were fucked so it played on my mind the whole time i was up there.

I heard J-Red played at the after-party. What was that like?

DOOOPE!,yo He hit me up for some off my records to use that night. it was classic, We walked in ,J stepped to the dude spinnin and told him that he would be spinnin later. From what i saw these brixton dudes were like “what the fuck” and didnt look happy about it, but J got his gangsta on ,stepped up and started tearing shit up .Next time i looked the local dudes were all smlies and gettin down. And the fact he was using half my records proves that dude can rip a party freestyle any where in the world. He left with thier respect.

Did you do much crate digging over in the UK?

Yeah a fair bit. I Just chassed down alot of old classics a used to listen to as a kid. Reocrd shops over there are incedible, J red & myself would spend whole days just diggin & would quite often spend 2,3,4 hours in one spot.

Did you go anywhere else other than London?

Yeah .I stayed in London for 2 weeks with a mate down in brixton, then went to Paris ,Belgium , And Of course , Amsterdam, for a few more weeks for a holiday.i think im still recovering!!

What goes through your head before you step on stage to do battle?

It could be any thing , Lots of weird shit goes through my head so anything & everthing I would say.Im definatly in the zone when i battle.

2004 DMC Technics World DJ Championships dates:

Vic final – Friday 9th July -The Metro, Melbourne

NSW Final – Thursday 15th July – The Gaelic Club

SA Final – Friday 23rd July – Rise

ACT final – Friday 23rd July – FM’s Nightclub

WA final – Friday 23rd July – Heat

QLD final – Thursday 29th July – Family

Australian Finals – Friday 13th August – The Metro, Melbourne