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Mr. V Interview

DJMag.com caught up with New York hip-hop/house DJ/producer, currently riding high with the success of his recently released album 'Welcome Home' and new single 'The Bump' on Defected.

DJMag.com caught up with New York hip-hop/house DJ/producer, currently riding high with the success of his recently released album 'Welcome Home' and new single 'The Bump' on Defected.

Hip-hop on Defected? It's hard to imagine, but with the release of Mr V's debut album 'Welcome Home' that very thing has happened. "I'm the first artist there to release an album that has a very street/urban party feel to it," he says.

Of course this is underpinned by classic house beats that Mr V credits to his musical upbringing growing up in New York, shown on his latest single 'The Bump', causing major damage on dancefloors.

"I saw the culture of house, the whole scene, the whole social side and I was hooked, man. In the eighties it was a melting pot of music."

"You had the whole new wave style, MTV the whole thing... you mix that with Africa Bambaata, the Sugerhill Gang, freestyle, classic R&B records. It became a huge place of music."

Working with the legendary Louie Vega was also a huge influence on his sound. "It's a beauty working with him. I've learnt a lot from him and I think he learns from me as well. We learn from each other, it's still a great experience."

On album track 'It's Broke' Mr V pays a glowing tribute to our breakbeat scene in London.

"When I first heard it I heard it with Kenny Dope, I was blown away by the whole sound, Bugz, 4Hero. So that's a tribute to the whole broken beat movement. I'm trying to take that sound to a more New York level."

Describing his album Mr V says, "it's relaxed, it's chilled, it's fun, it's the type of CD you can listen to again and again then you can put it away for a while but when you put it back on it definitely brings you back."

And electro? "I'm very open, I respect everyone's craft, I respect what they do. I don't have a tolerance to it, I can't stay in a party and listen to Sven Vath, y'know, I don't mind what they do but it's not my cup of tea."

As for what we can expect from a Mr V set? "Good ass shakin' fun!" Who could ask for more?