INTERVIEW: MistaJam
Two time Sony Radio Award winner, BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ and proud daddy MistaJam talks to Dorsa Nam about punching Kanye West in the face, moany DJ's, his love for underground music and his one-year-old daughter on Twitter…
Hi MistaJam, you're a DJ, TV presenter and all around music lover, how did you start out?
Basically, I started out getting involved with a youth club when I was younger and I just took it on from there.
You have the most listened to show on BBC Radio 1Xtra. No pressure at all. How do you do it?
I just play music that I love to be honest. I spend a lot of time going through music and trying to find music that really kind of floats my boat. It's just the kind of stuff that I play and people seem to enjoy it which is really nice. I'm making a living out of something I really enjoy doing.
You always sound and appear so happy and bubbly, is there ANYthing that grinds your gears?
Yup. Loads of things. Absolutely loads of things, but, I don't ever take that to air. I've heard so many different DJ's moan, moan and moan. I'll do my moaning off air, [laughs] I might even do moaning in-between links but I'll never take that to air.
How does it feel winning two Sony Radio Awards, one being Music Broadcaster of the Year and the other Best Specialist Music Programme?
It's really really kind of humbling to know that it's not only just people who listen to the show that are paying attention. You know, to win a Sony award is like the radio's Oscars, they're the BAFTA's or the Brits of radio. It really means a lot being nominated for the first time in two different categories, that being enough, but actually going and winning the two awards is something I'll never get over or get used to. They're really cool awards.
How would you have responded if when you went to accept your award, Kanye jumped on stage and said "I'm sorry Jam... Ima let you finish, but Tim Westwood is the best music broadcaster of all time".
I probably would of knocked him out. He would of got up to "I'm sorry Jam but…" and he'd of felt my right hand around his chin. [Laughs].
You're fast becoming known as the exclusive king, the first person to break a lot of massive records, what happens if you get a exclusive from a massive artist (say... Beyonce) for your daily dose of dubstep show and you don't like it. Would you still play it?
I only ever play music I genuinely like. If Beyonce's says [MistaJam puts on an American accent] "Hey I made this dubstep track" and it was rubbish I'd be like "It's not for me" which is code for 'I really don't like it'.
You choose all the music that you play, a lot of it being underground music, so who is 'Jam Hot' for us to keep an eye on?
There are so many different artists that are really doing really exciting and amazing things and have the opportunity to cross over to a mass market without having to change their sound. I think the next person to really break through into the mainstream is gonna be P Money. I think he's got it, what ever 'it' may be. The way people spoke about Dizzee Rascal in 2001, is the way they're gonna be talking about P Money soon, I think he's going to make that breakthrough without having to change his sound or style, he's going to do it purely with the amount lyrical talent. He's got the opportunity to crossover to the mainstream audience without having to do anything different.
You had a DJ set at the mud fest Glastonbury, how did it go?
Really good, there was a sense of insecurity with the weather, because last year it was really really hot and dry. This year it was warm, wet and muddy, probably the worse conditions you can have. I played uninterrupted for about an hour and a half and then I was playing in-between all of the acts on the East Dance stage. By the end of the day I probably ended up playing for about four hours worth of music, which is really good, I really enjoyed it. I love festivals, I love the fact that there's a revolution going on right now and artists before who would've been condemned to a club in a really rough area, now are being allowed on a one of the biggest stages at one of the biggest festivals. Being able to play that kind of music at Glastonbury is an absolute honour. I'm doing all festivals this year!
Did you watch any sets/performances? Any favourites?
Everyone at the East Dance stage absolutely killed it. Labrinth came out to perform some of his new stuff, which was amazing, Professor Green - active as always, Giggs, Skepta and Wretch 32 too. P Money ended up jumping on my set, which was really nice. Everyone smashed it.
You tweeted about not being let in at Glastonbury when you were due to DJ, what did you do?
Um…sat there and waited for someone to bring me my pass.
No Diva reaction?
Nah. C'mon, Glastonbury, over 60 stages, over 2,000 performers, if said to them 'excuse me I'm MistaJam I'm supposed to performing on this stage' they'd just say 'yeah join the queue'. I'd have to go stand behind Magnetic Man.
Speakerbox is another way you get to showcase live talent from DJ's, producers and artist. But do you prefer being on radio or on a stage?
I think their two very different kind of things. I love being on radio and I love being on stage. I got into this because I enjoy and love music and I love playing music, seeing peoples reactions, which I get through texts and tweets as well as seeing it for myself. But I love both.
Talking about Twitter. You've recently become a first time daddy [congrats]. How do you respond to criticism regarding Lil-Miss-Jam being exposed to twitter at such a young and vulnerable age?
Hey, I can't stop her, if she wants to be on Twitter, she's on twitter. As her biography says 'The views are my own and not those of my Mummy & Daddy'.
If you weren't a DJ, what would you be?
Someone who wanted to be a DJ [laughs].
What advice can you give to up and coming DJs?
I'm doing this thing on my show called '1500 Seconds of Fame', where I'm allowing DJ's to submit their mixes to 1Xtra we'll pick the best and play them out each week. My best advice is to practice, practice, practice and take full advantages of opportunities like that.
Where can we find you/What's next for you?
I'm all over the place, literally all over the place. Best bet is to always check on www.mistajam.com for tour dates, or on Facebook. That will tell you where I will be as well as being on radio Monday - Thursday 7pm - 10pm on Radio 1 and Saturdays 11pm - 1am on 1Xtra.
WORDS: Dorsa Nam