Interview with DJ Rasta Root of Smokin Needles Records: July 2003

DJ Rasta Root is the producer behind Phife's latest single with Hawkeye.

Montana: How did you hook up with Phife?

DJ Rasta Root:  I’ve known Phife since 1998 as a friend.  He needed a road DJ so I ended up Djing for him and we hit it off.  His family’s from Trinidad and so is mine so we just kind of vibed… From there I had a label called Smokin Needles Records.  When I was living in Japan, I brought it back to the states.  He saw the potential and decided he wanted to be a part of it.  We decided that he would be the first artist we put out, the marquee artist.

M:  I read in your bio that you were in Japan for 3 years. How did that come about?

DJRR:  I took Japanese my last year of college.  I always wanted to go there and I found a program called the JET program where they send college grads to Japan to teach… I taught English, but my original intent was to get into Djing, which happened, so it was the perfect opportunity.

M:  I’ve heard horror stories about those internships.  How was it for you?

DJRR:  I happened to be pretty lucky.  Everything was pretty good… They pretty much made sure all your needs were met and that they were there to assist you.

M:  So you are pretty fluent in Japanese then?

DJRR: Yes

M:  Your name, DJ Rasta Root- I was curious about that because it seems you’re mostly into hiphop.

DJRR:  I know the roots of hiphop really started in Jamaica, Kool Herc migrated to the states and pretty much started the hiphop movement.  Also, a lot of the Caribbean islands compete, for who’s the best island or whatever.  So, I felt that that name embodies who I am- as well as even working together with Hawkeye and Phife, getting them together on record that was a big deal for us, you know?  SO, I feel that it doesn’t really matter what island you’re from because people here are going to think you’re from Jamaica anyway…  So, it’s almost like having no colour line, but it’s like with no boundaries to the islands.  So, that’s what we try to bridge with this song.

M: So, are you a Rastafarian?

DJRR:  I don’t think I’m a Rastafarian, but I believe in certain parts of it.  I have my own beliefs, but I think it’s deeper than just the look.

M: So, you’re not a ‘fashion dread’?  We won’t see you eating any sausage and ham and eggs?

DJRR:   No, not since ’92.  I’m not a ‘Fred’, I’m not a fashion dread.

M: A Fred!  I don’t think I’ve heard that before!  When you were in Japan, how did you feel that they embraced the hiphop and dancehall cultures?

DJRR:  I went there in ’94 and I was there for 3 years.  Every year that passed, it seemed that dancehall and reggae got more popular.  In Japan, it’s pretty trendy. You might have someone listening to hiphop for 6 months and they say, ‘you know, I wanna listen to punk now.’ Then their whole fashion changes up and what they listen to.  They’re fickle, but at the same time, those who do embrace hiphop and dancehall really study and know it  and understand it.  All they’re missing is a passport that says they’re from the Caribbean.  But they really really take the time-and of course you have your commercial, ‘sean paul is reggae and that’s where it started’, but you have a lot of people who really do dig for records and know the riddims.  It’s hard to come back from Japan and see people here disrespecting it-thinking it’s all about cars and money, when in japan, it’s like that’s nothing to them.

M:  Yes, people here tend to be blinded by what’s on TV.

DJRR:  It’s just sad when some other culture embraces your culture more than you do.  Sad, but good, because it gives you hope.  Everything they do they study by videos and they just learn EVERYTHING.  Some of the illest DJ’s are in Japan. 

M:  Anything else you want to tell the people?

DJRR:  Watch out for more Smokin Needles Records releases and it’s really just the beginning for us. We’re still going to be doing things w/Phife and Delly Ranks and whoever else is interested.