DJ Drama and the Aphiliates Interview

From Issue #4 of Foundation Magazine

WORDS: Chris Nise

In the world of mixtapes, very few milestones jump out as defining moments. While every true fan has that one tape that cemented their love of the genre - that one tape with that mind blowing freestyle or that rewind-worthy exclusive - overall the milestones of mixtapedom were characteristically under the radar as far as pop culture at large was concerned. In early 2007, however, all that changed in Atlanta, when a cadre of local authorities swarmed into the studio headquarters of mixtape heavyweights DJ Drama and DJ Don Cannon. Armed with a flimsy warrant and a hefty dose of hubris, the police cuffed the founding members of the Aphilliates Crew, and shipped them off for a night’s stay in central booking. What they also accomplished, unknowingly, was the first real landmark milestone in the history of mixtapes – for the first time in hip hop, two DJ’s were sitting behind bars for making mixtapes. The intersection of music, money, and copyright law will forever be designated with a flag in the history books, stating clearly “The Aphilliates were here”. What follows is their story.

Officially founded in 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia, the Aphilliates crew is comprised first and foremost of DJ Drama, DJ Don Cannon and DJ Sense. The trio all hail originally from the northern enclave of Philadelphia, as the group’s name implies. Over the course of a few conversations with Drama and Cannon, I manage to piece together how these three strangers in Philly met in Atlanta and took the first steps towards becoming a dynamic force in the modern hip hop mixtape game.

The most interesting fact about a crew named after the city of Philly is that none of the three founding DJs knew each other while growing up in Philly. I ask Drama, who grew up in West Philly and Germantown when and where his love affair with mixtapes began.

“9th grade,” he replies without hesitating, “my sister took me to Harlem with her. 125th street-”

“Harlem Music Hut?” I ask, remembering my first trips uptown to pick up tapes.

“Nah back then in them days it was just the vendors, and I bought my first mixtape, DJ S&S Old School Part 2. I had just started djing in 9th grade, and that S&S tape, boul, I knew that tape fuckin inside-out,” he states emphatically, “everything he said, every cut he did, everything.”

“This was around the time Armand’s was the shit, back when it was at 11th and Filbert.” Mentioning Armand’s Records sends Drama and I into a whirlwind of classic 90s Philadelphia mixtape nostalgia. I ask him if he remembers the Lay-Up, where I bought some of my first tapes, off South Street. He does, of course, and counters with a story about how he worked at a shop called Inferno, which sold graffiti supplies.

This, in turn, launches into a long conversation about Philly graffiti. We both recall the Roots early sidewalk sessions on South Street. I ask him if he remembers when DJ Active’s needle skipped at the DMC battle when RocRaida won. He counters with a memory of how DJ Ghetto got robbed in the same battle. We discuss the “tiger uppercut” routine that should’ve clinched first place for Ghetto, griping as only true Philadelphians do. It’s clear that DJ Drama was forged in the fires of 90s Philadelphia.

“It was Doo-Wop’s 95 Live tape that changed the game for me. All the freestyles. Before that I was making little tapes, but after 95 Live, I made my first real tape, called Illadelph, I had Black Thought, Malik B, Bahamadia all freestyling on the intro.” He even recalls Philly graffiti writer Emerge designing the tape insert.

DJ Don Cannon describes his childhood in Philly as being more focused on hustling, although as a “respectful rebel” in his own words. He laughs as he recalls that his first tapes he made were as “DJ Phil Donahue”.

He also remembers Armand’s record’s fondly, “My mom used to give me 40 dollars to go to the Reading Terminal to buy vegetables, but I would just steal the vegetables, and use the money to buy records at Armand’s across the street.”
While each DJ had a significant upbringing in the 90s Philly scene, it wasn’t until they all started attending Clark Atlanta University that they finally linked up.

“I met Sense freshman year, we lived in the same dorm.” Drama recalls, “He lived on the third floor, and I lived on the second.”

“Actually my room number was 215.” He adds, laughing. “Don Cannon came down the year after, and knew our reputation a little bit, and us being from Philly probably brought us together.”

They worked parties and tapes for the remainder of the 90s, developing contacts in the college community, as well as the local music industry. All three DJs focused on learning to adjust to the South, in an era when hip hop at large was sleeping on the south still.

“Before I was known in the city, I was known on the campuses. That was my introduction to the industry in Atlanta.” Says Drama.

“We was just steady hustling,” says Cannon, “all the way up through 2000 man.”

In late 2000, Drama and Sense began their flagship series of mixtapes, titled Gangsta Grillz, which have grown to become an industry cornerstone, breaking new artists and reviving existing ones from the dead.

“There’s a radio event in Atlanta called Birthday Bash and me and Sense had the opportunity to sell tapes at the event” recalls Drama, “but we didn’t have any new south tape out at the time. We had had a tape out called How The South Was Won and I didn’t want to do a Part 2, so we kicked around names and came up with Gangsta Grillz. This was in June 2002, we didn’t even put our names on it. ”

“Then I noticed in how important it was to have hosts on the mixtapes up north, and no one in the south was doing that. I was thinking of who I knew, Lil’ Jon being one of them. He agreed to host an early tape, and the famous ‘Gangsta Griz-ills’ drop was born.”

As the success of the Gangsta Grillz tapes mounted, they crew officially formed in 2003 under the name Aphilliates. A few years later, another major connection occurred when Drama connected with Lil’ Wayne and the now legendary Dedication tapes were released. Since that success and many more, the crew has grown to include several other DJs, including DJ Jamad, DJ Ox Banga, and DJ Jaycee. Each DJ brings their own unique talents to the team, and many of them have roles as DJs for artists like T.I., Ludacris, Lil’ Scrappy, and Mase, among many others.

Furthermore, each member is known for their mixtapes, several of the members do production and DJ Jamad hosts a series on Sirius Satellite Radio. DJ Drama is preparing to release his own full length CD in late 2007, to be followed by an album from Aphilliate resident emcee, Willie the Kid. Cannon, for his part, is truly dedicated to promoting Philly artists, and is excited about upcoming projects with Philly legend Freeway, as well as soon-to-be legends like Jakk Frost. Both Drama and Cannon express a mutual excitement about the talent in Philly these days, mentioning other up and coming artists like Ace McCloud and Joey Jihad.

What the crew is most famous for these days, however, has little to do with any of their myriad projects, but rather the raid and arrest of Drama and Cannon in the Aphilliate studios in early 2007.

In late 2006, local police in Atlanta began an investigation of mixtape sales at Southlake Mall in the Atlanta area. After what one can only imagine was an intense investigation (no doubt fueled by copious amounts of police-issue Cinn-a-Bon), Detective James Calloway of the Morrow city Police Department began to focus on the name “Aphilliates” as the source of particularly popular mixtapes. After notifying the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Detective Calloway soon returned to the mixtape kiosk in the mall with RIAA investigators. This crack team of gumshoes was now able to identify the name “DJ DRAMA” as the supposed source of these Aphilliate mixtapes. To complete their flimsy investigation, the detectives purchased some mixtapes from the Aphilliates website.

Using this evidence, the investigators argued that Drama and The Aphilliates were in violation of the state RICO (Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization) Act, as well as another state ordinance prohibiting reproduction of recorded material. These assertions were used to make out warrants for the arrest of both DJ Drama and DJ Don Cannon, as well as the search of their headquarters on Walker Street in Atlanta.

What followed was a drug-style raid of the studios, where guns were drawn and both Drama and Cannon were detained in a manner more suited to violent criminals, not alleged copyright infringers. Despite there being absolutely no mention of drugs or other illicit activity in any of the State’s affidavits, investigators were quoted in local news interviews as stating that they normally “expect” to find drugs or weapons in raids such as these.

There was immediate outrage in the hip hop community about the severity of the arrest itself. Immediate comparisons were made to arrests in other high-profile cases such as the Enron scandal, where similarly nonviolent crimes were alleged and those charged were not treated as drug dealers or arms dealers.
At this time, both DJs have long since been out of jail and have yet to be formally charged or indicted, 6 months after being arrested.

“We have yet to hear anything” Drama says with a mix of relief and nervous anticipation, “but I think there’s hope for a positive resolution for everyone involved.”

What made this arrest so groundbreaking is that the target was not bootleg CDs, which are not sanctioned by record companies, but rather mixtapes, which are not only implicitly sanctioned by record companies, but have become downright essential for the marketing and promotion of hip hop acts.

“50cent killed that shit.” Drama explains to me. “After him, there are no more demo tapes in hip hop anymore. There are no more A&Rs. We are the A&Rs. We are the demos. We are the streets.”

Incredulously, he asks me, “How do you think they sell all these millions of records?! When they came to lock me up, they failed to show the emblems on my plaques with the RIAA thanking me for me for selling however many copies!”

Cannon underscores the same grand hypocrisy of this mess, saying “That’s why labels come to us to promote their artists. They aren’t spending money on billboards and what not, they are coming to us to promote their artists. They come to us.”

Considering the fact that mixtape DJs and record labels have been thriving off this ‘gentleman’s agreement’, I am curious as to whether or not Drama and Cannon feel like sacrificial lambs in a double-cross.

I ask Drama, “Do you feel like you’re taking the fall for everyone?”

After a long pause, Drama replies frankly.

“Look. I got locked up for making mixtapes - which have been a part of hip hop since day one. But it wasn’t something I created, I learned from everyone before me. So in a sense I do feel like the fall guy, but at the same I’m not looking for a handout or for anyone to come save me. I don’t get caught up on whether or not I’m an example. I’m a mixtape DJ and proud to be.”

Both Drama and Cannon share a conviction that they are proud to have stood tall for the sake of hip hop, but also refuse to portray themselves as martyrs in any way. Both DJs relate an exasperated about the paradox of the RIAA attacking people who they have quite literally thanked for lining their pockets. Unfortunately, no one really seems to have any feeling about what the RIAA’s next step is going to be, and the general consensus is that, for now, the mixtape industry is treading lightly and waiting to see what precedent is set by this entire fiasco.

Following the RIAA related arrests, although a firestorm of support manifested for Drama and Cannon, one of the most notable voices absent from the crowd was that of Lil Wayne, whose resurgence is almost unanimously credited to the efforts and success of his Dedication series of DJ Drama mixtapes.

In the wake of the arrests, Lil Wayne was quoted as being almost indifferent to Drama’s plight, even going so far as to imply that DJs in general need to act smarter in regards to producing mixtapes. Understandably, DJ Drama has been asked often about what is being construed by many as ‘beef’ between the two. Drama is quick to dismiss the notion when I ask him about it.

“He said what he said. Everyone knows how important Dedication was to Lil’ Wayne’s career, including Lil’ Wayne. I think really he needs to be asked that question, about what he said.” Drama is methodical in his response.

“I don’t look for nobody to save me, I just do me. We made two classic mixtapes together.”

I ask if it’s personal at all, and he doesn’t hesitate, “its not about personal, its business, I don’t go over Lil’ Wayne’s house for dinner, I don’t get caught up in this industry shit.”

Drama makes it clear again and again that he is not looking for pity throughout any of the fallout of his arrest. He feels blessed to not be in jail, and has been hard at work touring non stop. He is preparing to release his own full length project and shows no sign in slowing whatsoever. Cannon shares his enthusiasm for the future of the Aphilliates, and also eschews any notion that either DJ deserves to be pitied for being made into a scapegoat by the RIAA.
Despite being unphased by the arrests, the one thing the Aphilliates crew all agree on is that the game has definitely changed for good, even if nothing comes of the charges against them.

I ask Drama about the future of mixtapes, “When all the dust settles, in 2010 will we still be able to cop tapes on subway platforms and card tables on the corner?”

“The game has changed all together,” he replies, “in 2010 there might not be no fucking music sold at all in stores! The way technology and the internet and the way record sales are, its no longer just about music, its about content. Artists are getting signed off ringtones; the labels are looking to capitalize off ringtone sales. YouTube and Myspace and Zshare have created whole other avenues, who knows if there will be music sold anywhere in a few years.”

After some more thought, he goes on, “It may take some time to rebuild, it may have to go extremely underground again. But I think there will always be mixtapes and always be mixtape DJs. I’m not the first to do this. Mixtapes are a part of hip hop, we’re the VEINS, man, they can never take that away.”
The enthusiasm and faith of all the Aphilliates is refreshing and comforting. Here are some guys who fell on the sword for all of hip hop, and aren’t the least bit bitter about it. How rare is that in today’s game?

As my conversation with Drama winds down, and we exhaust all the possible 90s Philly hip hop nostalgia, I have to ask him if he is really aware of what this arrest means for his own legacy.

“You know your name is gonna be carved in history right?” I ask, laughing. “You know you can’t remove the name DJ Drama from the story of mixtapes now, right?”
Drama laughs graciously, then pauses and gets serious.

“Man, you saying that is like, how could I come out of this with a negative outlook?! They put me in the history books faster then I was going! At the end of all this I might have to end up thanking them!”

In the end, the future of mixtapes is unclear. How DJs and Record companies will navigate the murky nexus between promotion and copyright law remains to be seen. What the Aphilliates provide, however, is the comforting promise that the essence of mixtapes will never die.

2 Comments to “DJ Drama”

1. "J.D.L." — Thursday June 26, 2008 @ 10:38 am
   

   the mixtape as we know & have seen them today has changed. the mixtape was born in the 80s. you had to be from the location of the DJ that made the mixtape in order to get one - they were free. the hustle made DJs charge $5-10 a tape. as the bigger DJs opened shows & got to know the newer artists, the studio mixtapes became what is known as the mixtapes of today. the mixtape will never die! RIAA just ensured that when they locked up The Aphilliates. the mixtape will do what anybody on a street hustle does when it gets hot - lay low for a min & come stronger when the heat is over.

2. intro fort wayne — Monday August 11, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
   

   intro fort wayne…

   Very interesting post. A little bit confusing, but still ok. do you know what is the first? i`ve the new album at my blog http://sumpit.info...

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