With such a massive party ahead of us this weekend at The Date, we have managed to have a little chat with one of our three US guests Rahaan plus dig through some mixes and videos online, all included below for your pleasure. Don’t forget, all the information and tickets are HERE
London House Music – Let’s start at the beginning, a son of Chicago, with your first steps into house music at the Box with Ron Hardy, and Frankie at the Warehouse, which DJs inspired you in your formative years?
Rahaan – I must say Ron Hardy was my favorite, loved Frankie as well. In Chicago you have so many very good DJs so I would say besides Ron & Frankie the whole muzik scene in the 80’s is what inspired me.
Rahaan’s Boiler Room Set
LHM – As a well known digger were you a collector long before you started
playing out?
Rahaan – Yes I bought records because that what you did when you wanted a song, you bought the record or had it on tape.
LHM – Where did you buy and dig for your vinyl starting out and are you still a big vinyl collector?
Rahaan – Yes I’m still always buying and digging for records. I think that will never stop. From local store around my house to Imports & Loop records downtown.
[mixcloud http://www.mixcloud.com/londonhousemusic/rahaan-promo-mix-for-giant/ width=660 height=180 /]
LHM – Were your first gigs in Chicago?
Rahaan – Yes, I can’t remember the name of the venue, but my friends and I did parties there the whole summer. It was so much fun.
LHM – It seemed to take a while for you to be internationally recognized. Was playing outside of Chicago and in other countries in your mind, to be able to play to a wider audience?
Rahaan – I was just a basement DJ playing with my friends. I was not even thinking about travel doing DJ sets in away lands.
Rahaan smashing the dancefloor, not in the normal fashion!
LHM – Tell us about your early productions / edits that got you attention in the UK.
Rahaan – I was doing edits before I was mixing. I think I was doing edits at 14 with a double tape deck and so I really never stopped. Where I got the attention from my edit is when friends would tell me to put your mixes online. I remember telling my friend “What would I do that for?” I was not really online anyway and didn’t understand how important that was.
LHM – How has this progressed through the years to where we are at now with Street Edits, your own label?
Rahaan – I would say it has been one blessing after another. I have met so many great people over the years and learned so much. I love this.
LHM – Do you have a favourite city to play in and is there a prefered booth lr sound set up for you?
Rahaan – I have so many great places in mind so I won’t just name them. I like Bozak’s & DJR400’s and as long as the muzik is clear and you can feel bass. If people are smiling & dancing that will be the best place to play for that night.
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