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is funk a dead genre to dj?

LuminLumin 807 Posts
edited March 2007 in Strut Central
because they sure aint dancin in miami to it...if it doesnt have an 808, people aint feelin itis this true around the country?
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  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    it's always been tough, but crowds are staying the same age. we're getting older.
  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    My old regular Friday night gig, which is attended almost exclusively by 20 somethings, has seen a resurgence of the funk 45 after getting more and more hip hop related over the last 3 years. My buddy thinks that the recent dip in the strength of hip-hop singles has contributed to the rise.
  • LuminLumin 807 Posts
    well i was talkin with this shorty last night that asked me why i played that kind of music. she came through to check out a funk, soul, rare groove night weekly that me and my homies do.
    but she mentioned that folks cant dance to it. mind you, south beach folks are pretty closed minded when it comes to music at the club, and they arent the most cultured musically, but she had me thinkin though. i realize that the crowd age stays the same. thank god we have a bunch of older aged folks that remember the stuff we play. if it wasnt for that, i dont think i would be doin this type of night anymore.
    but damn, i still like playin funk.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    in miami to it...
    if it doesnt have an 808, people aint feelin it


    Dude this has been the case for a LONG time! Miami has to have the worst big city music scene in the US. Folks down here just want to Drink, Party & F%#k.
  • SnagglepusSnagglepus 1,756 Posts
    I find that records with a touch more disco/boogie (Fatback, 100% Pure Poison, etc ... you know, the jams) have more crossover appeal. If you want to play the harder edged, late 60s (or even Daptone) stuff you really have to find your audience. My friend runs a night at a dance studio in Middletown, CT (home of Wesleyan) where he projects classic dance footage on the wall and plays mostly early funk, boogaloo, 60s garage etc. Its taken some time but he's found his niche audience (ain't that hard with all the Wesleyan kids around in a town as boring as Middletown).

    Footage:


    Funk is that staple sound that all modern dance music is built off of. However, it doesn't always "work". You have to know your audience. Certain crowds are ok with hearing music they don't already know. Other crowds aren't ... so you have to pepper your sets with classic JB, Mary Jane Girls, etc. I don't think it's "dead", but you do have to find creative ways to present it.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    If its laced within a set or camoflagued, I still think it can work. Any genre can work if presented correctly.
    But a full hour of St8 FUNK for kids who dont have any references (Hip Hop samples/Older Dj mentors/Funk Parents/etc) is a hard sell. In the mid 90's when I started Funk was fine(almost preferred), but by 2001 kids would ice grill me for playin Mandrill. Classic breakbeats is a nice gateway drug to harder funk, but still as the new 21 yearolds join the mix, the funk is droped from the mix. If U advertise as a st8 funk/soul/whatever night, well that's what's on your menu for the evening, but dont expect to get Becky on Sat to line up for your shit, cause she'd rather bring her Sexyback. Im Old.
  • LuminLumin 807 Posts
    so the consensus so far is that yall still play it but use it somewhat sparingly.

    i feel you duke about the point of reference deal. the shaft in africa theme has been gettin love, and of course, yall know why.
    djing is not new to me, but i guess goin against the grain in the city can get a lil bit frustratin. im sure everyone who djs has been there.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    I guess it depends if your city/town has has successful "funk/soul" night that cats can reference. Like the Soul Kitchen thread, there's a whole genereation of kids who know what its like to st8 up party hard without "Club" music/House/Hip Hop/Trance and all the other "Big Room" genre's. I could never give up on it.
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    My friend runs a night at a dance studio in Middletown, CT (home of Wesleyan) where he projects classic dance footage on the wall and plays mostly early funk, boogaloo, 60s garage etc. Its taken some time but he's found his niche audience

    Niche audience = Goofy white kids.
  • CosmophonicCosmophonic 1,172 Posts

    Niche audience = Goofy white kids.

    That??s me. Dancing the drunken robot to Spanky Wilson re-edits.

    - J

    PS: Not a reference to aforementioned place.
  • Dj_Coma_ToastDj_Coma_Toast 874 Posts
    I think it works just fine IF you can find the right venue for it. Its a niche market but theres alot of niches if you are in a big city.

    (aparently not Miami though. If I was partyin in Miami Id probably want to hear some freestyle shit too)
  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    Midwest.
  • dCastillodCastillo 1,963 Posts
    Midwest.
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts
    Midwest.
  • soulmarcosasoulmarcosa 4,296 Posts
    You just gotta play classic funk to the right crowd. The average top-40-fed 20something weekend clubgoer doesn't really wanna hear it. But find a venue/audience that's a little more mature, less mainstream, and more musically educated, and you're in. Believe it or not, sometimes those people party & dance just as hard as the Beckies.

    Seriously, for every person that asks me "when are you going to play something new?" when I play a funk 45, there's another one that tells me "the stuff you're playing is great man, I'm digging the tunes."

    Sure the latter is usually a white dude in his late 20s/early 30s and the former is usually a girl of any ethnicity who looks barely old enough to drink.

    But sometimes the opposite is the case. It's just up to you whether you want to put a little extra work into finding that audience.
  • TREWTREW 2,037 Posts
    cosine to the midwest spiderhole.. i've got buddies on the upper east coast who are rockin funk45s with a good following. you gotta figure in any city, even miami, there's at least 50-100 people who can get down. find them and it's on.

    oh, and btw, BAN for suggesting that funk is a dead genre. lol
  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    so is keb darge the only worldwide full time funk 45 dj that makes a "real" living at it?
    who else?
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    Midwest.

    Dante, as crowded as your Wednesday night sessions can be, I KNOW you ain't sayin' the Midwest is a bad place to deejay funk...

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    crowds are staying the same age. we're getting older.
  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    Midwest.
    you ain't sayin' the Midwest is a bad place to deejay funk...



    I have to say that THIS is not true in my city. Lots of people freak out to funk here, and it helps when you have the b-boys (and the few b-girls) out that night. Even an old ass brother(and sista!) will freak out to my sets, which of course, is the best compliment yet.
  • p_gunnp_gunn 2,284 Posts
    You just gotta play classic funk to the right crowd. The average top-40-fed 20something weekend clubgoer doesn't really wanna hear it. But find a venue/audience that's a little more mature, less mainstream, and more musically educated, and you're in. Believe it or not, sometimes those people party & dance just as hard as the Beckies.

    Seriously, for every person that asks me "when are you going to play something new?" when I play a funk 45, there's another one that tells me "the stuff you're playing is great man, I'm digging the tunes."

    Sure the latter is usually a white dude in his late 20s/early 30s and the former is usually a girl of any ethnicity who looks barely old enough to drink.

    But sometimes the opposite is the case. It's just up to you whether you want to put a little extra work into finding that audience.

    true

    also, like someone else said, mixing it in is key... like even tho hip hop is not sample based as much anymore, classic samples do indeed work (at least in ny)...

    also, even if you are doing a cornball becky infested gig, warming up with funk is always a good look...
  • DJ_NevilleCDJ_NevilleC 1,922 Posts
    I was at Nitekrawler's funk night last night and it goes over very well here in DC although it is (a) a slightly older crowd and (b) a weeknight.
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts
    Midwest.

    Dante, as crowded as your Wednesday night sessions can be, I KNOW you ain't sayin' the Midwest is a bad place to deejay funk...


    I'm saying that the funk parties in the Midwest will never falter.
    Two nights ago was the proof in the pudding.
    No advertising, no hype, all good.
  • yoigotbeatsyoigotbeats 1,667 Posts
    Lumin - what happens in South Florida does not apply to any other city of it size. Shit's insanely wack there and if you want to rock real shit, move to any of the above cities or do shows in Key West (they'll dance to anything) or Aruba!

    send me a list of ish you have for sale/trade!!!!!
  • gravelheadwrapgravelheadwrap corn 948 Posts
    Midwest.

    Dante, as crowded as your Wednesday night sessions can be, I KNOW you ain't sayin' the Midwest is a bad place to deejay funk...


    I'm saying that the funk parties in the Midwest will never falter.
    Two nights ago was the proof in the pudding.
    No advertising, no hype, all good.[/b]


    its true
    had many good experiences playing around my area
  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    Midwest.

    Dante, as crowded as your Wednesday night sessions can be, I KNOW you ain't sayin' the Midwest is a bad place to deejay funk...


    I'm saying that the funk parties in the Midwest will never falter.

    Yes. Sorry to the rest of the country if that wasn't clear.
  • LuminLumin 807 Posts
    this is true... i think im goin to just start playin commercial rap and start bankin

    and i dont really have much stuff for sale except what i am takin to the wmc record show. you goin?
  • yoigotbeatsyoigotbeats 1,667 Posts
    Dante - what's good in Springfield, IL????
  • DCarfagnaDCarfagna 983 Posts
    what's good in Springfield, IL????

    Rod Blagojevich and maybe that furniture store with the records upstairs.
  • Dj_Coma_ToastDj_Coma_Toast 874 Posts
    anything good in the Midwest tomarrow night? My little brother is flying into Chitown tomarrow for his 21st birthday and Im trying to show the kid a good time...
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