DJs are clearly the geeks of hip-hop culture. Between operating behind electronic instruments and spending endless amounts of time searching for the best tracks in crates, these are guys who, like other geeks, are meant to live in many different forms of obscurity and contemplation. It's a perfect contrast, naturally, to MCs. There's an obvious affinity between the charismtic poet and the syncopated technician.Both DJs and MCs also frequently rename themselves when they become a real musical act. This has also happened throughout history. The first canonical re-naming that I can think of is St. Paul, who was re-named from Saul by God. In turn, his mission was changed from one who persecuted Christians to the most Catholic of Catholics. This phenomenon of re-naming permeates culture, including hip-hop culture. This kind of rebirth leads to the creation of a "character" in music. It isn't the actual person who is saying these things or making these rhymes, it's the character. Does anyone think that Afrika Bambatta is really that crazy? That there truly exists a "Method Man?" Eminem, obviously, has explored this theme to perhaps overkill.
At one time, a DJ would thrive by playing tracks made by influential black artists like James Brown. Using James Brown today would be a throwback, but wouldn't really be considered creative in any way. However, it seems that music on the level of James Brown isn't being made today and so many DJs subsist on the detritus of pop culture, hoping to find a beat that nobody else has ever exploited. Other DJs have exploited the most popular beats they can find, mixing melodies and rhythms that are already widely known. This, to me, is what is most amazing about Greg Gillis. He takes the principles of hip hop culture, the beats, cutting, everything, and applies them to indie rock (aka white kid) culture. A great fusion and also one side of a widely diverging road - that between navel-gazing nostalgia and computer-centric beat-making, aka electro.
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