NOTHING BUT LOVE
Interview by Danielle Eliska Lyle
DJ Love, born Frank B. McCright, is a Lawton, Oklahoma native who takes bass lines, beats and breaks to a new dimension. His DJ skills reach back to the original foundation of Hip Hop mixing it with innovative sounds he creates with mixers, faders and vinyl. His sound is unique in taste and style—high and low frequencies served on two wax platters—delicious to the ears and rhythmic for the body.
DJ Love takes a break from the turntables to spin his thoughts on falling in love with music, his connection to it and what makes it live on when the rumor is, “Hip Hop is Dead”.
“I remember being influenced by music at the age of 3. My parents had a room upstairs in our house on Carver Street. The music system was there and I remember these light-boxes that were real popular. They would pulsate to the music. These things are novelties found in stores now, but they were cutting edge then. It was the early 70’s and I remember feeling the rhythms and grooves. Music touched me.
DJ Love was always surrounded by music. His mother comes from a large family. Many of her brothers and sisters were talented singers.
“I started private piano lessons at the age of 7. When I was 9, there was an exhibition at my school. Stringed instruments were introduced to us and I was mesmerized. I ran home that day and told my mother I wanted to learn violin. Music was in my blood. I wanted to learn the drums so I taught myself by playing air drums and eventually, guitar. I ended up a drummer in high school band, which granted me scholarship to the local university.”
DJ Love pulls his inspiration from various artists, but when he thinks of the music that moves him the most, there are three legendary individuals worth mentioning— Quincy Jones, Bomb The Bass and DJ Premier.
“A lot of my favorite music that inspired me at a young age was produced by The Q. From The Brothers Johnson to early Michael Jackson records, Quincy Jones’ arrangements were amazing. I still think that Off The Wall is one of the best-produced albums of all time. Quincy did some amazing things with amazing artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles—just to name a few.”
The producer that influences DJ Love to make underground music was British beat-maker, Tim Simenon, also known as Bomb The Bass. When first introduced to electronic-imported music, Simenon’s work was the most influential in DJ Love’s decision on the kind of music he wanted to create.
In the name if Hip Hop, we cannot fail to honor one of the greatest DJ’s of all time –DJ Premier.
“DJ Premier pretty much influences every beat I make now. Aside from being a Hip-Hop DJ, I am more known internationally for being a break-beat DJ. I write and produce break-beat music for dance clubs, but every beat starts with the mentoring of DJ Premier.”
DJ Love became a fan of the Hip Hop group, Gang Starr in the late 80’s and was captivated by the beats and scratching Premier produced. DJ Love believes Premier’s sound is the epitome of true Hip Hop.
“No matter the style I am writing, Hip Hop or break-beat, I start with the ideas that I respect so much about Premier’s work.”
“Is Hip Hop Dead?” has been the burning question of BET and Hip Hop Summit panel discussions. It is the final question in legendary emcee interviews. Intellectuals attempt to intellectualize the topic. Poets spit its eulogy in coffee shops. Writers attempt to resuscitate its heartbeat with their pad and pen.
It’s been exploited, yet glorified; pimped, yet respected; loved and hated.
DJ Love has a grounded perspective on the life of Hip Hop.
“Hip Hop is not just music— it is four elements. It’s a culture. In on instance, Hip Hop is not dead. It just hasn’t been truly born in some people’s minds. A lot of people say they like Hip Hop, but their interpretation of it is what they hear on the radio and in the most popular clubs.
“If you stop and take a listen, none of the popular groups out right now even mention the word or talk about reppin’ Hip Hop. It’s all about rims and grills and stacks of dough. They talk about cars or find some played out phrase that people have been over-using for years and make a song about it. It’s easy, simple and there is a huge audience for this.
In order for Hip Hop to live people have to step up and give it life. It doesn’t mean hating on commercial music or trying to do away with it. I believe they should co-exist. People should be given a choice.
DJ Love talks about his relationship with Hip Hop and today’s R&B.
“I have never strayed from what I feel is the real thing. I believe Hip Hop is just as good, if not better. What the radio and music industry tries to pass it off as Hip Hop doesn’t get my attention. I still believe in beats, true poetry, DJs, scratching, real vinyl records and soul.
“R&B is all cookie-cutter, dumbed-down, pre-fabricated pabulum. It’s extremely rare that I hear anything that I think is good, let alone amazing. You end up with a slew of same-sounding songs, same style tracks, and just a lot of mass-production. You have the same producers on every track and it gets stale. I’m not sure what started all this. I do remember back in the late 80’s early 90’s when Teddy Riley was the ‘go-to’ guy for hits. He did a lot of great things, but a lot of stuff came out sounding similar so you had little variety. Now, I go out to the clubs and every song is using the same 808 drum machines and synthesizers. Boring.
“Puffy came along and then Timbaland, The Neptunes, Swizz Beats, and more. I think the thing that bothers me most is a lot of new singers music is a rip-off of the 80’s music. People are too scared to come up with something new because everyone seems to have been conditioned to accept what they already know. If people are beat over the head with the same sound 20 times a day on radio airwaves, they can’t help but like it. They’re forced to because there isn’t anything else getting the spotlight.”
DJ Love is a well-rounded individual when it comes to music. He’s talented and eclectic. Groups that he believes stand the test of time in Hip Hop are De La Soul, Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock with C.L. Smooth and The Roots. As a classically trained pianist and violinist, his music spectrum was broadened at a very young age. His top rock bands are Rush, The Police, The Foo Fighters, The Dandy Warhols and The Beatles.
When DJ Love is not flipping records he is designing.
“I’ve been designing professionally since 1994 when I started design for team sports apparel and baseball caps. I’m currently a senior designer for an interactive company where I do multimedia productions and audio engineering for well-known clients. I also love movies. I am working on starting a small independent film company. Another hobby of mine is playing the guitar. When I get home from work, I plug in one of my many guitars and play along to a few songs.”
DJ Love is working on his first album after 20 single releases and remixes. It will be released in London, England on the well-respected label, Air Recordings, run by Ali B.
Other projects include The Nova Lab Project, showcasing talented individuals that represent the four elements of Hip Hop. The launch date will be announced.
DJ Love has words of advice for those who dream of a lifestyle in pursuit of their passion.
“Be you. Don't be someone else. Do what you want and chase your dreams because you love it, not because you want to be known or popular or rich. Sometimes you do have to give a little. It's okay to cater but, not by sacrificing your beliefs. Challenge yourself. Don’t get comfortable if you learn how to do something. Get better. Be better. Not for anyone else but for yourself. I have a saying that goes, ‘I don’t chase dollars. I chase dreams.’ You’ll be surprised how much easier the latter is to catch.”
Check out DJ Love at myspace.com/djlove
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