Senior Raheem Palmer is Penn's number one DJ to date. DJ "R to da Izza" mixes on his music, Adobe Photoshop and DJ Ben Franklin.
Street: How did you get involved in DJing?
Raheem Palmer: I've always been fascinated by turntables, and I noticed that all of the producers I looked up to started out as DJs. So, one summer I decided to save up for some turntables. Eventually I started doing parties, and then mixtapes which sold out at mom-and-pop stores and on the streets of Philadelphia. They would feature exclusive songs from Philly artists such as Gillie Da Kid, Beanie Sigel and Roscoe P. Coldchain (from Pharrell's Star Trak Ent). My latest mixtape, which is called Streets on Fire, is hosted by Namond (Julito McCullum) from HBO's hit series, The Wire.
Street: What does it take to be a DJ?
RP: It's combination and balance of good music selection, technical skills and a personality. There are some DJs who can pick good songs, but can't blend the music. There are others who are good from a technical standpoint, but do not have the ear to select the music that the crowd would enjoy. The wild card is personality. It's one of those things that can make a good party a classic party.
Street: Any inspirations, musical or otherwise?
RP: DJ Clue has set the modern day blueprint for the way mixtapes are created today. Denzel Washington definitely inspires me to become an actor. Whether he is a villain like in Training Day or playing a revolutionary character in Malcolm X, he always captures your attention.
Street: What kinds of events do you play?
RP: I do parties, concerts, basketball games, BBQs, weddings, bedrooms, kitchens. basically anywhere where there is a check or a significant amount of people.
Street: How else do you express yourself?
RP: I've acted in a few plays in 4A (African American Arts Alliance). I also express myself a lot through Adobe Photoshop making flyers and CD covers. I also make Web sites and MySpace pages.
Street: We hear you're a marketing major. How does this tie into your music?
RP: It definitely ties into my music greatly, as marketing in the entertainment industry is the most important thing. There are so many great acts who aren't successful because they weren't marketed correctly.
Street: Tell us about your name, DJ R to da Izza.
RP: Back in 2001, Jay-Z released a song called "H to the Izzo." So one day in 10th grade I got in an argument with someone in chemistry class about a possible one-on-one game of basketball, and then I just randomly yelled out, "you don't want it with R to Da IZZA". Then everyone started laughing and all of the girls liked it, so it just stuck to the point where most people don't even call me Raheem anymore.
Street: If Benjamin Franklin were a DJ, what would his name be?
RP: It's sad how much I associate Benjamin Franklin with the $100 dollar bill rather than for his great achievements. With that said, he'd have to be DJ One Hundred.
