Hey Homies, we have a couple DJ Clay articles for you in one post! First Toledo City Paper caught up with DJ Clay for an exclusive online interview!  Some things discussed are his new Mixxtape “A World Upside Down”, the impact of dubstep on modern electronic music and Michael Jackson.

In the second article Toledo Free Press discusses his upcoming show at Headliners on June 20. You can check out part of the Toledo City Paper interview below, the link to read the full thing is right below the part of the interview. Below that is the full article from the Toledo Free Press.

Online Exclusive Interview: DJ Clay:

Clay, my man, talk to me about your new album.
A World Upside Down, it’s self explanatory, take it how you want. It could be personally, things might be messed up to you personally right now. Or, to put a big picture spin on it, the world is messed up right now. Things that are going on in the music game are twisted up right now as well—that’s the main meaning for me.

As far as the music, I tried to go way different on this one, even though every album is different, be that a new artist or a new mix, or a remix, something. I’m working with some people that I’ve never worked with before. It’s everything you would want out of a mixtape from DJ Clay on Psychopathic Records.

What guest artist are you really excited about?
Kottonmouth Kings. They are friends of ours, and I’ve never had them on a mixtape before, after six years of doing tapes for the label. They run in our circle; we’ve toured with them a couple times. When I looked at who I hadn’t done a tape with yet, and I had to reach out to them. They were 100% in.

Also, there’s this new chick out, her name is Whitney Peyton. She’s a female rapper and singer—she’s really untapped right now but she’s blowing up. The first time that I heard her was on youtube and it was impressive, so I got ahold of her and she was more than excited to get on the mixtape. I sent her the beat, she freestyled over top and that was it. I was a little sketchy at first because her style is a little bit different from mine, and I had to wonder about the fans. How are Juggalos going to respond to her? Some Juggalos are a bit hardcore, you know, and if they see someone they’ve never heard of and they don’t like it that first time… first impressions are everything. If she didn’t come correct that first time they were going to turn their heads, but she came correct. People have been very responsive about that song.

Full Interview with DJ Clay @ Toledo City Paper

DJ Clay to mix things up at Headliners:

Detroit mixmaster DJ Clay will take over Headliners on June 20.

The disc jockey, whose real name is Michael Velasquez, comes equipped with a new album, “A World Upside Down.”  The album features tracks with acts Tech N9ne, Blaze Ya Dead Homie and Insane Clown Posse.

“It’s constructed so different than any other mixtape I’ve ever done before,” Velasquez said. “[On it,] I’m taking myself out of the element and letting other artists shine.”

Velasquez loved working with the guest artists, especially Tech N9ne, who he has worked with before.

“Every time it seems like we do something together … it’s a hit,” Velasquez said.

Velasquez said being from Detroit has influenced his sound.

“Coming up as a DJ, the freestyle and club scene is huge there,” he said. “The rappers that came out of that city obviously are the ones that I’m blessed enough to be working with now. … They were an influence on me too when I was coming up.”

Velasquez also addressed one of his hometown’s most successful rappers.

“A lot of people say Eminem was an influence, but I actually stumbled across Eminem later in my life, so I can’t really say he was an influence on me but he is influential, definitely,” he said.

The show is part of the Summer Jam 2 tour with Native American rapper Anybody Killa, who appears on the album’s third track “Let Me Be.”

“[It’s] him just going off,” Velasquez said. “Once upon a time, he left [his] record label and the fans hated him for that for some reason. … I always wonder, ‘What about the music?’”

 

Websites:

• Toledo Free Press
• Toledo City Paper