A mainstay on the French Hip Hop scene, DJ Modesty first became enamoured with Hip Hop culture in the early 1990s, growing up on Hip Hop's mid 90s Golden Era. DJing at local functions and parties he was a jack of all trades and enjoyed Hip Hop music in general.
He then made the decision to focus his energy and attention on promoting and helping independent Hip Hop artists. This journey continued in the late 90s/early 2000s as he began what has now become a world renowned radio program, The Real Hip Hop Show.
Building up an international reputation, DJ Modesty is now one of France's most prominent radio and mixtape DJs, his reward is the respect from his peers and shining light on up and coming talent. He recently moved into the next phase of his career with the new mixtape Kings From Queens, where Modesty links with some of the freshest talent from Queens, New York, a well known hotbed for cultivating Hip Hop talent.
Read about the hopes, dreams and achievements of a fascinating Hip Hop DJ and producer, as Planet Urban catches up with DJ Modesty.
To start off, Let everybody out there know who DJ Modesty is and what you do?
I am a French DJ and I work to promote the real Hip Hop. I like to support independents labels and artists through any means that I can, whether that's through mixtapes, live events or my radio program The Real Hip Hop Show.
Tell us about the projects have you been involved with this past year?
I have DJed and mixed for several Hip Hop events and dance competitions including The Juste Debout. I continued to produce and mix the Real Hip Hop Show, taking it to a new level by syndicatng on several international and local radio stations and also through podcasting. One of my biggest achievements would have to be when I dropped my first compilation, Kings From Queens, I also produced remixes and collaborated with many different artists.
It sounds like you achieved a whole lot in this one year. What plans do you have for the new year?
I hope to get the word out more about the Kings From Queens project, I want it to be known by all the real Hip Hop listeners, artists and labels. I also hope to improve my name recognition with this project and through my success I want to help all the independent artists to succeed. I am also looking to collaborate with more artists on mixtapes and albums and I want to continue to make the Real Hip Hop Show one of the best Hip Hop radio shows in the world.
I think that 2007 has been a very productive year for me. I have made progress every year and I really hope to continue honing my skills to push my name to the top of the Hip Hop game in 2008. I hope to be nominated for some Hip Hop awards!
What challenges have you experienced this past year and what will it take to go to the next level?
I have to work hard to improve my name value because it’s a fight every day to keep your spot in the Hip Hop game, you have to prove yourself. I need to continue making more beats so that I can earn the reputation of being one of the best producers. I’ll also need to think about the mistakes I've made so that I don't repeat them again and so that I can improve as a DJ and mixer and evolve in the mixtape game.
What projects do you have coming up?
I will be working heavily on my next project Kings From Queens Vol 2. I will also be working hard on creating some other mixtape projects made up of 100% exclusive material. I will continue to concentrate on the quality of each track and each mix, to make sure that each release under my name is a classic.
You sound like a busy man. What does your role in the industry entail and how much work do you have to put in?
Since I first began the Real Hip Hop Show I have been working non-stop on music. But now it's gotten to a higher level where I have so many contacts with labels and I have too many projects to do, it takes a lot of time and money to do my job. I need to earn money with this work if I want to continue. Time is money and my work requires a lot of time… Lol.
Are there any weaknesses or aspects that you want to improve in and if so, what are they?
My weaknesses are that I’m not exactly the king of scratching and turntablism... I have to practice more on the technique. As I work a lot with improvisation and as I have a lot of imagination, sometimes I get a little bit confused and overwhelmed with all my ideas and projects…it’s difficult for me to do just one thing. I also need to work on my English.
What keeps you motivated and how do you maintain such a hectic schedule?
The music is in my veins, I really need it. To be honest, my favorite period of Hip Hop was the mid 90s Golden Era, but I also have a big passion for the current independent scene, not just in France but around the world. Luckily I have the platform to play the music that I think needs to be heard and help peoples careers, I just need to find a balance between the old and new school music, bridging the gap.
I often work like a freestyle. I just keep the vibe and my original style and I try to be creative… My style is a little bit dark and overall I utilise the musicality of each song to do my mixes. I mix a lot based on the tempo and I do beat juggling to add some flavour. My strength is that I love the music, so it’s not a problem to work hard.
