Matt Kreps(SAS '18)
34th Street Magazine: How did you start djing?
Matt Kreps: Early in high school my brother force–fed me very hard and obscure EDM on a daily basis. After about 6 months of pounding my head against the wall, I embraced it and started to enjoy it. I finally hit the decks with high hopes. Still hoping(follow me on Soundcloud!!!!!).
Street: Go-to song or artist?
MK: “Ignition,” R Kelly. You can feel this one in the loins.
Street: What advice would you give to someone trying to put together some songs for a party?
MK: Play any genre too much or too little and people will come bitching so definitely learn how to politely tell people to shut the fuck up.
Street: Favorite experiencing DJing?
MK: Going back to back to back with my friends Richard and Torin at late nights. One of the more recent ones got out of control. When we finally shut it down, the laptop we used probably had a higher BAC than most of the people there. It’s still sitting in rice.
Street: Describe your dj style in 3 words.
MK: Go one deeper.
Street: Where to find you djing?
The Heavyweight rowing training room, ground floor of Van Pelt, Ramen Bar bathroom, or over the campus emergency loudspeakers (always looking for that aux).
Check out Matt's soundcloud here
Simon Benigeri(SAS '15)
Street: How did you start DJing?
Simon Benigeri: I started DJing second semester freshman year. I bought some cheap plastic decks, started practicing around my room and got really into it. I guess what kept me going was always looking to find new music and starting to hear these new artists and seeing what they had. There’s an endless list of good music out there.
Street: What is your go-to song/artist?
SB: I don’t really have that. The best way to get people dancing is to get them in a groove but there’s no set way to do that. For me it’s more about always layering tracks on top of each other to get a certain energy from the songs.
Street: Genre you refuse to play?
SB: Trap and modern dubstep. I don’t really like it so I don’t see the point in playing it.
Street: Up and coming artists?
SB: Kettenkarussel. I’m not sure if they’re up and coming, because don’t release digitally and only press 350 records. They’re very in-house but their stuff is this incredible dark moody techno that makes people start dancing but also has a very emotional side to it.
Street: What advice would you give to someone putting together music for a party?
SB: Don’t come up with a pre-set list of songs to play. You have to know your music very well, give yourself room to take people someplace else, and have a good ear so you can mix them together at the right moment. Whatever you do should help with the flow of your mix to build a groove or atmosphere.
Street: Favorite/best experience dj?
SB: I have a friend who lives with a couple others on Chancellor and we decided we would start jamming at 4pm. We went through everything: jazz, reggae, and things I wouldn’t be able to play anywhere else. We didn’t really give a fuck and there was a point where for an hour I was playing some really really dark dub-y techno and just layering stuff over each other with two people in the room on the couch bobbing their heads. I ended up playing for 12 hours. We ordered Jimmy John’s though. I did need to eat at some point.
Street: Describe your style in three words.
SB: Futuristic, disorganized, honest.
Street: Where to find you djing?
SB: My living room. But actually, usually Medusa Lounge.
Nazih Bassat(SEAS '18)
Street: How did you start DJing?
Nazih Bassat: I started producing music over the summer and realized that it could be cool to DJ as well.
Street: Go-to song or artist?
NB: Probably David August because his music can fit many different vibes.
Street: What advice would you give to someone trying to put together some songs for a party?
NB: It really depends on the type of party that is going on. Analyze the theme of the party and the type of people coming then try to sit down and come up with a general genre of songs to play.
Street: Favorite experiencing djing
NB: The Castle late night on the Saturday of Homecoming weekend. My adrenaline was pumping and it felt so good to see so many people appreciate the different style I bring to the table.
Street: Describe your djing style in 3 words.
NB: Different vibe works.
Street: Where to find you DJing?
NB: Mostly in the basement of 4k11 Pine when Castle throw late nights.
Nathan Sena(Wharton '16)
Street: How did you start DJing?
Nathan Sena: I bought a DJ controller from Guitar Center and practiced in my garage. My dad is a musician and I would perform for his band during breaks.
Street: Go-to song or artist?
NS: “Who Let the Dogs Out,” by Baha Men.
Street: What advice would you give to someone trying to put together some songs for a party?
NS: Coordinate your music to be most up-tempo at the height of the party. Shuffle rarely works best unless all the songs are of similar energy.
Street: Song or genre you'll never be down to play?
NS: “In the Arms of an Angel,” by Sarah McLachlan.
Street: Favorite experience djing?
NS: I DJed a Navy Seal Party for the first and second anniversary of Osama Bin Laden’s Assassination in San Diego. It was sponsored by Trojan and pretty cool.
Street: Describe your DJ style in 3 words.
NS: Diverse, uptempo, dancy.
Street: Where to find you DJing?
NS: These days, usually Blarney. Also at my new youtube channel, Hushpuppy.
Check out Nathaniel's soundcloud here
Note: these interviews have been condensed and edited.
