Moodymann

Benji B

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please welcome the legendary Kenny Dixon, Jr. He brought some friends with him, he brought some records. We’re going to do this a little different today. Detroit is in the building.

Moodymann

Thank you, B. Let’s give it up for Benji right here. You know he’s classic. That’s who I follow nowadays. Well, actually I follow these four. [points to the ladies on the couch] You can turn me down just a little bit.

Benji B

I think everyone had a good time last night, man. Thank you very much for putting on the rollerskating jam. Everyone had a good time?

Moodymann

Oh yeah, my man was there all night. What’s happening, big dog? My man is from Africa over here. Stand up, my brother. Let ’em know what’s happening. He came a long way, you understand? That’s a bad motherfucker right there. It was in the spot, too, I like that. What’s happening, Benji?

Benji B

For many of us it was the first time in London — I don’t know about everyone else in the room — was that many people’s first time at a roller disco last night? Put up your hand if it was your first time at a roller disco. Look at that. Look how many of these people didn’t go to a roller disco before.

Moodymann

Well, that’s all right. You’ll need to come to the D. Come to Detroit we got one on every other corner. We get down out there, we do our thing. And Imma let you all know, I might say a few things up here, I curse a lot, if y’all don’t like shit, motherfucker, n**, all that type of shit, it is not a good spot for y’all. My tongue slips and I can’t be up here and be anybody else, but I will promise you this, I will tell the truth. I will be myself, and I am not going to go nowhere and pretend like I am someone else. Just like if I am DJing, I am impromptu, or playing my live music, I am not the hottest motherfucking DJ in the world. I have no problem telling nobody that. I am not going to play the hottest tracks in the world. But what I will do is give you the truth on them turntables. Whenever I’m playing up there at a particular moment, I might be at home in Detroit at my motherfucking Impala playing the same mad shit. So if promoters want to bring me to their spot, I’m there to share my environment. Not to give you a part of your own. Because there is a million people out there that can play music that can really hype your club or their club, but again, I’m the wrong person for that. But what I will do is share my environment and what is going on in Detroit, and that’s what I am charging for. And again, most of the time as anybody in Detroit will tell you, I don’t even charge in Detroit. But that motherfucking flight to come over here is going to be a little change, then the rest of the party is free. But anything else y’all want to ask me, you can ask me anything after the show. I don’t care what it is, whatever, you can ask me anything. That don’t mean I’m going to answer anything, OK? What’s happening, Benji? I just had to get that out there.

Benji B

That’s all good. So tell us about where you are coming from the whole skate thing seeing as we’re on the subject from last night, how long have you been skating for? Why is keeping rollerskating alive so important to you in the clubs or the disco? You have been skating for a long time?

Moodymann

Probably like most people, we all skated when we was young. We all had a pair of skates at one point in time, if we didn’t, we all went to some rink whether it was inline or whatever it was. I skated when I was young, and stopped for a while. Maybe seven or eight years ago I went back to the rink and I was like, “Shit, I used to do this motherfucker here.” I ain’t going to lie, like I ain’t noticed that J Dilla t-shirt my man sitting over there is chilling on, I’m not sure skating enthused me but the women in there was incredible and I was like, “I’ve been hanging at the wrong spot.” So I went up there and got my skates on and I’ve been skating for the past six, seven years, maybe longer than that.

Benji B

And you run a regular skate party in Detroit, right?

Moodymann

Well, we do our skate party every two years, so it is not that regular. We do it every two years, not every year or every month. I’m not one to really throw parties, unless they are in my own house or in my own basement or in my own living room. I really don’t do parties, but we do do it every two years.

Benji B

So for all the music fans, have you got just to kick us off a few classic rollerskating jams, a few classic 12”s, the kind of stuff that you like to play at those parties?

Moodymann

In Detroit we play anything. Anything’s a classic out there. If a woman gets up on those skates and gets rolling, then it’s a classic. Any skater will tell you, rollerskaters will skate to anything. But some are classics, some are the kind of classics you’ll find in any old club, any situation. These cats here tomorrow could make a track and give that motherfucker to me or to DJ in Detroit and at a skating rink they will make that motherfucker classic within three or four weeks. People want to hear that to skate to.

Benji B

So tell me about Detroit, tell me where you’re coming from, you’re originally from Detroit?

Moodymann

I’m originally from LA. My mother and father are from Detroit. My mother left my father for some bullshit I still don’t understand and had me in LA, and then brought me back when I’m three weeks old. So I was originally born in LA, but I have been in Detroit since I was about three weeks old.

Benji B

And as a recording artist we know you best as Moodymann, it says here produced by Moodymann, that’s a lie on that record, but…

Moodymann

What that is is just a bunch of extra stickers. I got a little sister who is nine years old and tapped every one of my records with that goddamn Moodymann sticker. She put that sticker on everything — refrigerators, car doors, laptops. She put that motherfucker on everything. You’ll find the sticker anywhere in my house and her room.

Benji B

So tell us about Moodymann, where did that name come from, did you choose that?

Moodymann

Hell, no. It was originally Moody, which I am slowly bringing back. It’s just a neighborhood situation, everybody had nicknames growing up. Moody was my little hit back in the day, everybody was “Moody, Moody.” And it just stuck. One day I was in a record store and they were like, “Man, you should put Moodymann, or Moody’s Wack or Moody’s this…” and it kind of stuck. But I prefer Moody. People that know me in the D would probably call me Moody.

Benji B

And where did you get that nickname from, why did they call you Moody?

Moodymann

It had nothing to do with that situation, just everyone had a motherfucking nickname. I don’t know, that’s a good question. I don’t remember not having a name, really, it was always just Moody after a certain point in my life, you know? When you’re young you don’t know where that shit comes from half the time.

Benji B

When did you first put records out as Moodymann?

Moodymann

Good question. I think the original first one was about ‘92. I could be wrong. The first one I properly get over here was probably ‘93 or ‘94. I didn’t know shit was being even sold over here but I will have to say about ‘92.

Benji B

And what kind of feedback did you get when you put your first record out?

Moodymann

Terrible, nothing, wack. And I got a lot of feedback on the fucking record because I didn’t know you only had 12 minutes or 15 minutes on one side, n**, my shit was about 30 minutes on one side. You put that motherfucker on it was nothing but feedback. But you learn as you go on. That was a great mistake that I learned. Even motherfuckers that do records didn’t tell me that but you learn from those experiences.

Benji B

And what was the turning point that made you think you actually wanted to do music and release it?

Moodymann

Shit, I’m still turning that point. There was no turning point. You’re in Detroit, there is no one in Detroit that don’t either sell records, buy records, listens to records. There is no one in Detroit that doesn’t work for a car company, live through a car company. There is no one in Detroit that don’t have no church on their corner and a liquor store right next to it. You understand? In Detroit you either been shot, you’re going to shoot somebody, or somebody was shooting at you. You understand? As far as music, that’s just something you grow up with. As a child, you don’t know your environment, you don’t know what’s around you, you don’t know that motherfucker upstairs making all that noise could be the next Bootsy Collins. It’s just everywhere. That’s just the cycle.

Benji B

And when you see it everywhere, how did you make the decision that you wanted to do your own label, your own imprint? Were there other avenues that you could have released your music?

Moodymann

Well, you know. Back in the ‘80s we all did stuff for everybody else. They gon’ fuck you. Let’s be for real, you’ve got to learn how to deal with that.

Benji B

Who did you deal with back in the ‘80s?

Moodymann

I am going to let everybody else figure that out some other time. I am not going to make an issue out of that point, but when you do things for people, it’s a learning process, that is why we are all here now. It’s a learning process. You get to hear other people’s stories. You get to hear other people’s tragic endeavours. You get to hear what other people went through, you also get to hear success stories, and you add them to your situation. How can this benefit me? How can this help my situation out? My endeavour was the same as everybody else, you have to learn by not sitting in a classroom. You have the best classroom in the world, it is the biggest classroom, it’s out here. You have to learn from environmental situations, going through things. I learned from getting fucked all the time by record labels, producing all that shit back then, back in the day. You don’t even get credit for that shit. So you get your hustle along, do your own thing, start your own shit.

Benji B

Are you talking about ghost producing for other people, are you talking about signing your stuff to majors or what?

Moodymann

I don’t fuck with the majors too much like a lot of people. I can’t see myself giving away my babies like that, you know what I’m sayin’? I ain’t gon’ lie, I should have 20 Cadillacs sitting outside for these ladies to be riding in. But at the same time you’ve got to make some kind of impressions, and a good reason why I started my label, because there was no way I could help my environment in my neighbourhood, if I can’t help my motherfucking self. How am I going to get these motherfuckers down the street that ain’t got no money and have to go to a prom and need shoes, how am I going to help them out if I haven’t got nothing to offer? So I had to make an adjustment in my life to make sure I get a little bit of money, I get something going on so I can clean up some of these parks, help out some of these kids and take care of some of these neighbourhoods up in this motherfucker. So that was my decision.

Benji B

So you decided not to release not only your own music but other people’s records as well?

Moodymann

You’ve got to help everybody else out. You got to. It’s hard out there, and you have got a lot of talent out there, and I have to honestly say some of the best musicians on this planet, we probably will never hear. They’re in the basements, they ain’t got no money, they going to have to get jobs elsewhere, and they’re probably some of the baddest motherfuckers in the world. Unfortunately, some of the wackest producers in the world we are going to hear all the time. Because it is all about who you know in most cases. That is the situation.

Benji B

So tell us some of the people you have put on through KDJ music. You have released a few artists through that label.

Moodymann

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m sure we know all of them. There’s Rick [Wade], UrbanTribe, K-Stone, Dogmatic, Promatic. There’s Theo, ThreeChairs. I mean, you’re talking about a list here, baby. I don’t want to forget nobody but that is going to be the case right now.

Benji B

But a lot of the music on your label is predominantly you or produced by you?

Moodymann

Anything goes through my label, I’m going to put my firm hand on. At the end of the day that’s a reflection on Detroit. So yeah, I’m going to slap that motherfucker real good, in some kind of way.

Benji B

And KDJ and Mahogani Music, is that two imprints from the same label?

Moodymann

On KDJ, you are going to find KDJ on there. Mahogani Music is an outreach for other artists and other people that can’t be on KDJ. KDJ is mainly restricted for that motherfucker KDJ. Mahogani Music is something we branch out to. It’s a door for everybody. If these ladies up here give me the OK to release the artist that sent us a CD or something, if I can help ’em and they willing to work with my little small-ass on my level, then I have no problem to help out.

Benji B

And KDJ records is still alive?

Moodymann

As long as I am standing here in front of these people that motherfucker is still kicking ass.

Benji B

So how many years is that?

Moodymann

’92? It could be ’93.

Benji B

So 17 or 18 years. I think that achievement alone deserves a round of applause. [applause]

Moodymann

I didn’t say 17, 16 good years, but thank you, I appreciate it.

Benji B

But seriously, how tough is it now keeping an independent record label alive?

Moodymann

I personally never had a problem with it and I still to this day don’t have a problem with it. You have to understand, I’ve never pressed up a lot of motherfucking records. I’m not into this to press up of mass amounts of records. I’m not into this to be traveling around the motherfucking world. I’m not into this to impress anybody. I’m into this for my own heart and soul. A lot of people, after work, you go home you take a bath. A lot of people you go home, you fuck your wife. A lot of people go home, you cut your grass. I go home and I fuck that motherfucking MPC all fucking night. [applause]

You understand? I release probably 10 percent of the stuff that I actually do. Just because I go home and I turn it on and fuck with it doesn’t mean I’m making a track for the next EP. It’s just something I like to touch and feel, it feels good to me. A lot of people ask if I’m married, how come you got all these women around? These are beautiful women that help me inspire myself. My bitches and my hoes is my MPC’s, my SP1200, my bass, my keyboard. Them are my bitches and them are my hoes. I turn them motherfuckers on at night, I turn them bitches off at night. Them bitches go out there and make my motherfucking money. I send them bitches over there to take care of my business; that’s why I’m here. They my hoes, and that’s how I feel about that situation, you understand? So that is my impressive technology bit on that, you understand baby?

Benji B

Seeing as we’re on the subject of equipment, everyone in this room is a musician or a producer and so on, if you go back to ‘93, ‘94, what kind of equipment were you using to make your first records?

Moodymann

Anything I could borrow, I don’t think I owned nothing. I went in Guitar Center, quietly testing out something, so they thought. I had my cassette and I was in there making a track. I spent about an hour on it and put that motherfucker out about six months later. That’s true. Anywhere I could get acknowledgement from. I mean, I put two tape decks together and made it.

Benji B

So you made a 12" in Guitar Center? Inside the store?

Moodymann

Yeah. It was wack. It was nothing to talk about. I don’t think I pressed more than 20 of them. But I’m going to tell you something. It ain’t what you got. It’s what you do with what you have. It ain’t what you do, it’s how you do it. And that goes with anything. I don’t care if you are out here selling dope, do it well. I don’t care if you are out here selling pussy, fuck it well. It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it. Who gives a fuck what that motherfucker say? [points towards audience] Who gives a fuck what that motherfucker say? [points somewhere else towards the audience] You have to be comfortable with yourself at the end of the night. ‘Cause that motherfucker over there isn’t paying your bills. That motherfucker over there, you don’t know that motherfucker from Adam Scratch. You have to be comfortable in what you do. And whatever you do, do it well. When you leave here, what you do, do it well. It ain’t what you got, it’s what you do with what you have. You could take a tape deck and a motherfucking record and make the baddest track tomorrow. And these motherfuckers sitting up here with million-dollar studios ain’t making shit, and I’m sure you hear it all day on the radio. That’s something for y’all to think about. And just take heed. I’m not saying y’all got to believe everything I do because I make a lot of mistakes. I’ve made a lot of U-turns and I made a lot of wrong way avenues down the wrong streets and I’m blessed to be here, truly blessed. I ain’t going to sit here and show my tattoos because I ain’t got no motherfucking tattoos on my body. Every hole, every bullet, every knife in my body, Detroit city gave me enough motherfucking tattoos on my body. I’ll be damned if I’ll pay for any of that shit. And I ain’t going to take my shirt off and show you all that shit. Again, it ain’t what you do that is how you do it. OK? Come on baby. [sits down and one of the ladies continues braiding his hair]

Benji B

So technology is not important to you in terms of equipment? With the success of your records you haven’t gone and bought the shit that you wanted to have in the first place. How has your set-up changed?

Moodymann

l got the same bullshit. I still got a DAT. I got a reel to reel, but motherfuckers can’t fix it no more. I have got three MPCs. I still fuck with my SP-1200. I got a Rhodes keyboard, but who don’t? But that’s my baby. And you grew up with these things. I ain’t taking these motherfuckers out, that’s the reason why I’m here now. A lot of people like Detroit. Everybody I know wants to move out of Detroit or doesn’t want to be in Detroit. Detroit is a dying city. Well, I’m going to die with that motherfucker. If it wasn’t for Detroit, I wouldn’t be the motherfucker I am today. So I’m not leaving my baby. I’m going to stick with it. If that motherfucker fall down to the ground, well, y’all pray for me because I’ma fall with that motherfucker, you understand?

Benji B

It seems like in Detroit there is a number of names that always pop up on your records and around you like a community of musicians, like Amp Fiddler, Norma Jean Bell, people around you. Tell us about those people and your collaborations.

Moodymann

That is my family. Anything they want to do we just cut it down the middle. If they feel like popping on some shit, we just pop on some shit. Like Amp, he comes over when I’m recording something and starts singing and doing his shit and it just works out that way. Norma Jean Bell, I used to go to her house, she is always cooking some pasta or shit she be making. We just end up in the studio. She’s always got something for me to listen to but I’m the same thing, I always got something for her to listen to. We just work things out that way. There is nothing pre-planned, which is always good. Don’t get me wrong. We do pre-plan a lot of stuff but we just kind of work things out however it comes.

Benji B

And now Amp was quite instrumental in bringing through a lot of people. I know you’re a big supporter of Dilla’s music as well and he was involved in that, right?

Moodymann

Most definitely.

Benji B

In terms of Detroit, if you can put us in the place of your influences. You just explained how passionate you are about your hometown and how it made you. Musically speaking can you name some sort of DJs and producers maybe from when you were coming up that maybe had a massive influence?

Moodymann

Mojo. I will say Mojo. Marvelous Marv. That’s a long list. I used to listen to WJZZ. Our radio stations were quite different from other radio stations. Don’t get me wrong, we had soul stations, that was really on the AM. But radio stations today they either play one genre or... Detroit back then, they will play some B-52’s and come back with Peter Frampton and a hot new George Clinton thing. We didn’t have segregated radio stations. Don’t get me wrong, Detroit is an all-black city, don’t get misled, but that don’t mean we listen to that. Hell, I thought Kraftwerk was four niggas. I ain’t going to lie to you. Until I bought that album. ‘Cause “Trans-Europe Express” used to be a skate jam; now that was classic. That was a classic motherfucking record, and we thought that shit came out of Detroit for the longest. It wasn’t until the Robots album and we looked on there and we was like, “What do these n**s got all this make-up on for?” And we thought that was some clown shit. We was cool with that. Then we saw videos and we were like, “These motherfuckers from Europe?” We had no clue. But we still loved their music. What I am trying to say is before we even knew where they were from, color had nothing to do it, we just loved the music. Then right after that you have Psychedelic Furs. Personally, I am an avid Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin nut cat. I kill for that motherfucking music. Peter Frampton, then you have got your George Clinton, your William DeVaughns, your Marvin Gaye, they’ll play it right after one another. Then late night, that’s when back in the late ‘70s, mid-’80s, late night. That’s where they will play what we would call house, which in Detroit we call progressive music, all that up-tempo shit. He will play a lot of up-tempo stuff and we just adapt it to the clubs. That also includes the industrial music, we used to play a lot of that shit. Front 242, we grew up to all of that shit, which was a blessing to us. That is why a few of us today have got so much knowledge. It is a shame that a lot of people just listen to hip-hop, or will just listen to rock, and that is all they want to listen to. Y’all old enough up here, y’all remember the first time you had sex. You mean to tell me you’re still fucking that same motherfucker? It’s a blessing to have experience. It’s a true blessing. You have got to share all of that. You’ve got to have witness to everything. You don’t know what’s around the corner if you don’t peek around that motherfucker. You have got to hear and listen and keep an open mind about things and that is what our DJs used to give us. Today is a little different. You are going to hear that same motherfucking record, not right now but give it 20 minutes that motherfucker is going to be right back on, brainwash your motherfucking ass. And I ain’t going to lie, a lot of that shit I do like. I like steak and potatoes. I can’t eat that shit all day every fucking day, though. I like a little difference, a little something.

Benji B

It’s really not a coincidence though that so many influential and inspiring producers potentially of your generation and before from Detroit all reference Mojo. Everyone talks about Mojo. That influence obviously had an effect on so many people whose records we all enjoy today, from different genres as well. So can you talk to us about that radio show and what the experience of listening to that show was like?

Moodymann

It was incredible. Imagine at a red light. You’re bumping your shit in your car at a red light, motherfucker next to you bumpin’ the same shit, so now you are getting the stereo effect. Now you’ve got a motherfucker behind you on the same shit, and to the left bumpin’ the same shit. Now he gets on the radio and asks you if you in your car, flick on your lights. And then you realize you’re in a traffic jam and everybody’s flicking on their motherfucking lights and you realize everybody is listening to the same goddamn thing. That is the effect Mojo had. If you’re not in your car you could be at home, when he asks you to flick on them lights, you get on your front porch and you’re flicking on them lights and you look out the window, the whole neighborhood is on fire. He asked you to tie a rope, tie a knot. When you was slipping, keep hanging. That is how he talks to people. And he made you feel like you were in the room with him or either he was in the room with you. It was a true blessing to have a DJ like that. Unfortunately, most people never got to see Mojo. That was one thing he was really adamant about it. You hear him on the radio but you ain’t going to see him nowhere. He ain’t going to pop up at the Hot95 Hot Show and he’s up in there DJing, you ain’t going to know what he looked like. A lot of that has to brush off on us. You wonder why UR are like certain things. You wonder why I am like certain things. A lot of it is to do with that, besides having felonies and all sorts of things, ain’t no telling who is looking for us. But my identity is not important about what I do, what I look like is not important, what motherfucking color I am is not important. So yeah, I do tend to hide myself behind certain situations. But I do that at home. Again, I’m not going to get out here and change my ways because I am out here in front of somebody I don’t know. I’m not going to get out here and lie to nobody. Again, what I will do is give you the truth, and the truth is sitting in this yellow-ass chair. I don’t tell the motherfucker ‘round the corner what I’m doing all the motherfucking time. Why am I going to tell the rest of the world? That has a lot to do with my attitude of growing up in Detroit. You can’t tell everybody everything. They will come and get you, they will take from you, and they might even shoot you. That is the reality. Well, in my environment, in my Detroit. I live in Detroit. I don’t live in Romulus where the plane lands and you think you’re in Detroit. I don’t live in Southfield and you think you’re in Detroit. I don’t live on the outskirts. I think I’ve said this before. I don’t drive through that motherfucker, I drive in it, and that’s where I am. So my identity in what I do is really not very important. My story is the same sad story we’ve heard a million times.

Benji B

But when you’re talking about staying anonymous like Mojo, like UR, did you do that by accident because you didn’t think it was important? Or was it on purpose that you sort of stayed away from people knowing what you look like, and all that performing behind a sheet, all that sort of stuff? Was that on purpose, to keep a bit mysterious?

Moodymann

It wasn’t really on purpose. It was like the first motherfucker to ask me to come to Europe. I think I hung up on him. I thought it was some kind of scam or something. “What you want me to come out there for?” To be honest with you, and please I’m not a racist, but I had no idea so many white folks was listening to my music and I refused. And my grandfather would say the same thing. To be in a bar playing this music and thinking y’all going to start throwing cans or sticks or something at me, because I had no idea what the fuck was going on over here. You have to understand, white folks in Detroit are totally different from around the world. You all grew up around a whole world of people. The respect here is incredible. I’m not saying everybody in Detroit is racist or nothing like that, but the only time I saw white folks, you come to cut my gas off, you come and take my father to jail. It’s always bad news, it was nothing spectacular. So for me, to be behind a sheet or something like you say, which is pretty much done on purpose, because my identity was not important. Not that I wanted to pretend I was a white man or a black man or any other race, I just wanted people to hear my music. Fuck the DJ. The talent is on the turntables and that’s the truth. And them turntables ain’t going to lie if I’m standing behind them.

Benji B

I don’t know about the rest of the world but I can speak for the UK that certainly in the late ‘90s there was almost, you could describe it like a cult- type following of your records. If a new one came into the record shop, people would just buy it without listening to it. Even a one-sided KDJ record. So in a sense, some of that mystery worked because it made people a bit more intrigued. Was that an organic thing that just happened, or did you cultivate it a bit when you could feel that happening?

Moodymann

I didn’t know nothing about that for a while until people start telling me, “Why you hiding? Come on out, do this.” Then I realized, well, this is helping the situation. It is still not going to affect my decision about what this grown man is doing out here. No one’s going to affect my decision. If it worked out for me, that’s great, but I’m still only going to press up 2500 copies. That is why in today’s economic situation where vinyl is out, vinyl is this, I never pressed up ten thousand motherfucking vinyls and I’ve got to bring it down to 25. I’ve always done 25 hundred. There has never been a downfall but there has never been an uplift to me. I am satisfied. You are talking to a man who has never really had a lot of money. With just a little bit I’m fine. And with a little bit I can share that with some people, I can bring people places, I can get shoes for that cat up the street, and I can help people out in my neighbourhood. And that’s something that’s more than a lot of people in my neighbourhood is doing and I’m satisfied with that. If I died tomorrow, I’m OK with that. And I’m still going to do 2500.

Benji B

You have had the pleasure and have been fortunate enough now to travel all when I go to Japan you’ve got a huge following there. What are some of your favorite places musically speaking to have visited? Some of the most rewarding places that you’ve had the pleasure of travelling to?

Moodymann

Man, the east side of Detroit is incredible. I hit it every weekend, you’ve gotta go. Southwest is all cool, we got our Spaniards down there they be teaching me all kind of shit. West side is my roam, that is some bad motherfucker, we got some kings over there. That’s where Juan [Atkins] and all that’s at. Besides that, I would have to say the rest of the world. I love them all. Wherever the ladies at.

Benji B

I think it’s time to listen to a record. Do you want to introduce this one?

Moodymann

I think that is “Black Mahogani.” That record was actually made probably five years before I put that out. The only reason why I put that out is because it started getting bootlegged, so I had to kind of beat the bootleggers, and they didn’t have the whole version, so... I probably would never have put that out long with a whole bunch of other shit I got if the bootleggers hadn’t got to it. But it turned out to be half decent, I think I sold about 2500. I want y’all to give a hand for my security up here. [applause]

(music: Moodymann — “Black Mahogani”)

I got enough Hennessy for everybody, this ain’t the only bottle. And I got some free shit, too, before y’all leave. I brought suitcases full of shit now. Don’t let me leave out of here with all of that shit. [talking about the music] He’s telling me about my own record, about the phone conversation. I’m actually naming streets in my neighborhood.

Benji B

Where has your mic gone? So every time I DJ with you, every time I am in a club with you, you go on and the first thing you do is you get the record and you do that [pulls back record] and you go, “Hear that? That is vinyl.” And then you pick it up, every single time, and say, “I’m playing vinyl.” You are very much about the Vinyl Preservation Society, right?

Moodymann

Damn right. I still got my daddy’s record collection. I like vinyl, I can touch it, I can feel it. Do you know what a 60-year old vinyl smell like? No, you don’t. You got your iPod. You don’t know the history. I have got records that smell like 1967, do you understand? You cannot place that in an iPod. I believe I can speak for most women in here — and I know you know where I’m going with this — when it comes to music most women prefer 12"s. You keep that in mind next time you are with your laptop. [laughter] Or you might have to have some insurance for the laptop because I’m sure at one point that motherfucker will crash. But everybody has to do they own thing. At the end of the day, everybody hasn’t collected like I have, or like Benji has, or like a lot of us in here do. I have neighborhood children, they are not going out getting no goddamn vinyl. They’re making tracks on laptops. You can do a lot of things on computer and they’re making good shit too. I’m not denying it, I’m just stating my point where I come from. And a lot of it has to do, I couldn’t afford laptops. And I still don’t understand that kind of shit. I got a laptop and I don’t know what the fuck to do with the motherfucker. I could turn the bitch on, I could do some shit then I find out there’s a fucking camera on the motherfucker, the first thing I did is shut it back down again. That shit scares me. The reality of it is that we are moving on with technology. I’m the only ignorant around here stuck in 1984. I am going to stay there. I’m not trying to update. My analog, old’ass system downstairs, it has been treating me fine and I know it. Just like the cat up the street that has his laptop doing his music, he knows his Logic, he knows his FL, that’s what he knows, that’s what he gets down on. That’s technology, that’s moving forward. I can’t tell him to come to my analog situation and ask him to do something down there; he’s totally lost. I have a daughter. You know how your kids go to school for show and tell? They go, “My daddy, he does such and such. My mom does such and such.” Well, my daughter gets up in front of the class and says, “Yeah, maybe so. But my daddy got the big CDs [holds up records],” and all the kids is like, “What the fuck is that?” But then all the teachers are like, “Yeah!” But technology moves on. I am not doubting or confining anybody for using today’s technology because I have children in my own neighborhood go to libraries and make beats on laptops and computers. I don’t care how you make the motherfucker, just make the motherfucker. Me personally, my old-ass system, it’s fine. Shit’s still working and they have treated me well, like I told you earlier. Those are my motherfuckers and until they break down and die and I can’t fix them again I am in no hurry to change my situation. I don’t know what my sound sounds like, but whatever it is, it works just enough for me to be satisfied and I am comfortable. Again, I never got into this to be traveling around or be such and such, I do it because it’s comfortable. And it’s comfortable more or less from my heart and soul and it puts me in a position to help my own personal neighborhood out. And I take full advantage of that. Again, I never had a whole lot, but what little that I do have I am blessed and I’m going to keep it that way.

Benji B

So it’s not a principle thing, then? Because sometimes you make it sound like it’s a principle, you’ve got to play on vinyl or you’re not playing?

Moodymann

I’m talking about myself. I’ve got records and I am going to play these motherfuckers, I’m not demanding anybody else do it. It is a shame that you have people with record companies that sell vinyl. I have a record company and I come to your show and play laptops. I don’t sell Apple computers. I sell records. But I am promoting Apple computers. That doesn’t say your record company on it. You want people to buy your records, but you’re promoting laptops. That don’t make sense to me. And I’m not saying you don’t have to, but at least bring one or two when the motherfucker fuck-up on your ass. At least keep the motherfucking party rolling. A record may skip, but that bitch is still popping. A laptop, if that motherfucker shuts down, that bitch gonna shit down. A laptop does not really perform in huge clubs where humidity is high, people are smoking, sweatin’, the club is hot. Sometimes technology is not aware of those conditions. Vinyl’s been used to those conditions since the ‘60s. Think about jazz in the ‘50s, Nina Simone and all that. Them motherfuckers weren’t doing nothing but smoking cigars in them speakeasies. Vinyl stood the test of time. Cassette, eight tracks, CDs. What was that shit, laser discs? Mini discs. I don’t give a fuck what you say. Benji B still brought vinyl in this motherfucker. The test of time. I do have a library, my library is vinyl. I have an extensive library, a lot of that’s is my father’s, mother’s, grandfather’s. I’m not going to sit here and say I bought all of that shit because I would be lying to you, but it’s a blessing when you pull out a big piece of vinyl with my grandmomma’s name on it. I mean, that is priceless to me. Vinyl is something I can see. I can smell. I can touch. I can’t get that from the iPod. There’s nothing wrong with iPods and doing your thing because I have one as well, but mine’s a big ghetto blaster. And I have to honestly say, my iPod is bigger than yours, you understand? But I am a vinyl motherfucker. I sell vinyl. I am slowly getting into the download thing because that’s big right now. You know, iTunes, Beatport. Children are into that, that’s where the technology is coming and I have to get involved. I have to continue on, but I’m always going to support vinyl. Our man needs somebody sitting on his lap, I can see him sleeping over here. I ain’t gonna say nothing about it though, that’s cool, he needs a drink.

Benji B

Since you’re talking about collecting records and genres, jazz, sometimes when people talk about Kenny Dixon Jr. they say it’s Detroit techno or it’s soulful house. I suddenly realized that we’re talking about music assuming that a lot of people are familiar with your music. How would you describe it? How would you describe your music? Do you see yourself as part of a genre or is it beyond that?

Moodymann

It’s difficult. I am known more here around Europe and the world as a DJ or KDJ, whereas in Detroit I am more known as a live musician at times. I’m in Detroit at my grandfather’s club telling them I DJ, “What the fuck? You a piano player, what you doing DJing? They took our jobs years ago.” It’s a different genre. You go to one place I’m in jazz, another place I’m in techno. Perfect example, you come to my house and you look at my vinyl collection, there’s one category. You’d better know the name of the artist because that is the category he is in, alphabetical. And that’s the categories. People ask me, “What kind of music do you like?” Well, I prefer to like pretty good music. There’s good and there’s real good. Just like any artwork, there is some music you want to hang around and some music you don’t want to hang around. There’s music you like to see and like to do your thing with, just like a pretty woman and there’s different types of music. As far as my genre is concerned, I don’t care where you put me at, it don’t make a difference to me.

Benji B

Let’s play another record. We’re talking all the time, we should play some of your music. What do you want to hear?

Moodymann

I don’t wanna hear that shit. Let’s play some Marvin Gaye, get in the mood. I heard that shit a million times.

Benji B

Come on, man. The one I couldn’t find today was the one with all the samples of Marvin at the beginning from the day that he died, “Tribute.” Talk to me about Marvin because that’s a recurring theme in your music.

Moodymann

I don’t wanna talk about Marvin. I tell you what I will say, we could talk about Michael Jackson, n**. It’s historic, it’s unbelievable what they put on this planet and what they slapped us with. We will never understand the magnitude of those artists. I don’t care what color, genre you could be. But that particular day that Marvin died, me and my auntie set up and recorded the whole day on the radio. That’s where a lot of the footage came from. We just recorded. We just recorded the whole day.

Benji B

Shall we play the Gil-Scott Heron one?

Moodymann

“The Bottle”? I got “The Bottle.”

Benji B

No.

Moodymann

I don’t want to play my shit.

Benji B

[to audience] Do we want to hear his shit or not? [audience cheers] That’s part of the deal.

Moodymann

If we play that we got to play Faze-O after it. It’s on you, Benji.

(music: Moodymann – “Amerika” / applause)

Benji B

I was just saying that “Black Mahogani” is kind of confusing. I thought I was playing one version of the tune, it’s almost the same but the vocals come back in on one side and not on the other. But helpfully you have put the same label on both sides, so it’s impossible to know what you are playing.

Moodymann

I had to save money, I can’t be changing a bunch of labels. But actually, there’s as many as four different B-sides. You can get that same 12” — you have no idea — there are four different B-sides. Just like the “Black Mahogani,” there is three different B-sides. But a lot of people will rarely catch that. You’ve got the record and maybe the same person that you know got the same B-side and that’s because he probably bought it from the same store or the same city. [to one of the women he’s with] Yes baby, put that on, get me in my spot. I have so much material, if I was… God bless that it doesn’t happen here, if it does happen, make sure it happens in Detroit. But if I passed away, I have probably got 30 albums sitting up in my catalog if you put about 20 tracks on each one. Let me tell you something, that does not mean they are all good listening. Lord knows I’ve made a lot of wack shit. I ain’t going to lie to you, that is why that shit is up there in that motherfucking library. I don’t want to hear that shit no more, but I may make 20 mixes of one track. Often what I would do is put one or two on this side, one or two on the other side. They would be called the same thing but you’d be amazed how many mixes you may end up finding if you go to each individual A- and B-side depending on what country you actually bought the 12" in. It is rare, but every once in a while someone will call me and say, “Somebody’s bootlegging, there is something going on. I bought the same record for a friend of mine somewhere else and it’s a different track.” Well, that was planned. A lot of it has to do with, I didn’t want to change labels because a n** can’t afford all that. But then they say, well how can you afford different mastering? Well, that’s my secret.

Benji B

What are we playing now?

Moodymann

Faze-O, baby!

Benji B

Why?

Moodymann

It puts me in the mood, baby. It don’t have to be so loud, though. Just in the background.

(music: Faze-O – “Riding High”)

Benji B

So Kenny, tell me about the Kenny Dixon Jr. live experience. When I see you live, it’s not just like a live show. Obviously you’re always surrounded by beautiful ladies. You bring an amazing entourage everywhere you go. I’ve heard some pretty wild stories about some of your shows in Japan, there is definitely some extra elements going on on stage more than just the music. Tell me about what you try to achieve with the Moodymann live experience.

Moodymann

My live shows are notorious in Detroit. I don’t ever really like to go too far beyond Detroit with that. My live show is basically creating my own living space. I bring my home onstage. In my house things go down sometimes, that’s why I bring a sheet. I ain’t going to say what I’m doing behind there half the time, but I promise you it’s the real deal going on. I love my live shows because I feel free. If I’m a DJ I play whatever the fuck I want to play. But my live show is a different element. I probably been doing live since the early ‘80s, but was never really good at it, that’s the truth.

Benji B

Since the early ‘80s?

Moodymann

Yes, as a drummer in my grandfather’s nightclub. It didn’t work out, trust me. It didn’t last long, that’s why they got me the fuck out of there. But my live situation is a comfort zone to me, because again, behind turntables I can sit there and tell the truth. I’m not performing for the audience. It’s basically my bedroom, my living room, re-established on stage. And whatever happens on there, again, more likely it probably went down in my living room at one point in time. Trying to bring Detroit on stage a bit. It’s not always all hype. We do settle down to this groove here, because I don’t drive around listening to techno all fucking day. Don’t think Detroit is like that. I don’t drive around listening to hip-hop all day, don’t think Detroit is like that. We listen to every motherfucking thing, so when I’m on stage I like to present a whole array of things. As far as inspirations, there is nothing like beautiful black women. I don’t give a fuck what nobody say, so I’m going to have them with me. It inspires me and it’s a part of my life, so I got to have them on stage at all times. If I stumble, sometimes I’m onstage and I don’t know what I’m going to say. I just stumble or I could be doing something, the band’s fucked up some shit and I don’t know where I’m at. All I need to do is turn around and look at one of these beautiful black sisters and I’m going to get right back on track, baby. And then I make sure the band get on track and you motherfuckers better be following right now or I’ll get James Brown on your ass, everybody fired. But my live show is just an expression of my situation, I like to keep my live shows in Detroit as more of my own personal thing. I will express it again on a tour eventually, but right now I am comfortable just popping up at a spot and do my little live thing. My live things can be very freaky at times because of the man behind it, and that’s the truth. But I like my shows right now in Detroit because I have a small audience that has followed me and I’m comfortable with that.

Benji B

So, for people that haven’t attended one, do you want to paint the picture? Because you say freaky shit and it’s all a bit mysterious? Your records are “Long Hot Sexy Nights” and there’s “Freaky Motherfucker” and all that stuff. What is going on? What is on the rider?

Moodymann

The rider is always going to be a bed. The rider is always going to be a sheet in front of the bed, because I don’t have the license to legally do what I’m supposed to do the proper way, so you put a sheet up and I can pretend like I’m doing it as far as the crowd is concerned. I’m pretending. That doesn’t mean I’m necessarily pretending. The show is set up kind of bluesy. If you want to speak on us freaky bluesy, I rarely do anything that I have released live. If it’s on vinyl, don’t expect for me to do it on the stage. What I do love to do on stage is unreleased product. More or less vocally stuff. When I say vocal I’m not no great singer. I’m not gonna get up there and get Beyoncé on your motherfucking ass. I’m just talking shit. But it’s the truth. Even though I consider it more of a bluesy thing. I don’t have to know how to sing, I’m just going to tell you about my environment. If you are willing to listen for the situation, it’s going to be a great show. If you think I’m going to be in tune, on time, hitting the notes and all that, it’s gonna be a wack show. You’re gonna hate it. But I’m not up there to give you that. I’m up there, again, to tell the truth. The show can be about 60 minutes long, beautiful sisters involved. I have a three-piece that can extend to a five-piece band. Drum machines do a lot of the show as far as the percussion is concerned. Andres is usually on percussion as well. Melanie’s on keyboards and guitars. I fuck with the keys as well.

Benji B

Andres is DJ Dez, right?

Moodymann

Andres is DJ Dez, that’s Slum Village, Dilla, all that shit. He will be on percussion. Often, Amp [Fiddler] will sit in on things, but Amp is popping around every goddamn where. He’s doing his thing. But as far as the band that’s behind me, it’s a very unknown band as far as what you consider. They don’t travel beyond the east side. But they know the set well and I’m comfortable with that. But I’m not comfortable to take it anywhere else beyond that, that’s just my personal thing. It’s like my personal baby and you have to be selfish, you can’t give everything to everybody all the motherfucking time. I think the world or everybody else is satisfied with the tracks that I am playing or that I’m creating, and that’s what I am offering at the time. As far as my live situation, that’s not for sale right now. That’s for my enjoyment. And I appreciate jumping on stage and doing the fuck I what I want to do and I don’t get paid for it, but it’s a great rehearsal. That’s exactly what it is. And I don’t have to worry about the police busting in the hall and all that shit. I can get freaky and do my shit behind the curtain and get down.

Benji B

Have you got in trouble anywhere around the world?

Moodymann

Of course, don’t be silly.

Benji B

Banned from any countries?

Moodymann

Texas. I can’t go to Texas. I better not show my face in Canada, they gonna take your ass, you know the situation and I think that’s about it. Canada is not happening. I can’t go to Canada. Texas, not even trying to get around there neither. Other than that I can kind of maneuver my spot in places.

Benji B

And you were saying you are not going to get to hear music that you have released when you are doing your live stuff. I have been at your live shows and everyone is going, “Shades of Jae”! “Black Mahogani”!

Moodymann

That’s not going to happen, I may get on the piano and do a little medley or something, but y’all motherfuckers have heard that shit a million times. I’m tired of that shit. More than likely before I release the track, by the time the consumer gets a hold of it I am totally tired of that motherfucker. And that is the truth. Not to say I could never play it again, I may extend it on some shows but don’t expect it.

Benji B

And beyond that you have done a couple of 12”s that are considered so classic and they were in the boxes of so many DJs for so long, that it almost has to be a special occasion to play it now. Do you get tired of getting requests for “Shades of Jae” all the time? Because I’m going to play it.

Moodymann

Never. Never get tired of it. Requesting it? No. Again, you can ask me anything. I don’t have to answer to nothing. Requesting it? No. I don’t get too many requests. A lot of people are kind of aware that if I do bring records to your club, trust me, there’s nothing in my crate that’s on the KDJ label, unless it’s unreleased. I may bring some unreleased stuff and a lot of times I will play stuff that I’m trying out to see where my levels are, see if the bass is too loud. I’m still a fan, I am probably still the world’s biggest fan still. I mean, do you know how much talent there is in this world, to get up there and actually play my own shit? That’s not going to happen. There’s too much talent out here. My man right here [points to someone in the audience], if he gives me a CD of 14 tracks, I would rather play one or two of his tracks than my own shit. More than likely, whoever is here to see me, more than likely, not to say a 100 percent, but they probably heard one of my tracks before his over there. And if I find something that I halfway appreciate, I think it’s up to me to share that. Because if I don’t share it, who will? You heard that shit before. You done probably bought it. It doesn’t need promoting any more. This man, you don’t know what situation he could be in. If it’s a nice track and acceptable in my mind, I’m going to play that motherfucker. It has nothing to do with where he’s from, where he’s at, or he doesn’t have a vinyl, it’s a CD and I will play it. Long before I ever play mine.

Benji B

Well, I have heard this before but there might be some people here that haven’t, so we are going to play it. I had to re-buy this repress because I killed the original. It died. It is one-sided, that is your fault. Alright, we’re going to listen to this and then get into some questions from the room straight after. This one is “Shades of Jae”.

(music: Moodymann — “Shades of Jae” / applause)

I know there’s some questions for you, Kenny. Who has got a question for Kenny Dixon? I know there’s going to be quite a few, don’t be shy. Somebody’s got the mic. Please wait for the mic before you ask a question.

Audience Member

Hello? So first of all, I was just wondering what is it that you’re drinking because I can’t see the label from the side?

Moodymann

This is my other girlfriend. This is Hendog. Hennessy. We roll with this. But don’t get me wrong, I drink Remy Martin VSOP, which is very difficult to get over here. But it is a cognac brand. This is Hennessy, which is a cognac. But this is the most recognized bottle in Detroit, so I roll Hennessy right now.

Audience Member

You were saying that back in the days they were playing a lot of European stuff and music that was not done by black musicians but you didn’t notice any difference. You were just saying that you thought that Kraftwerk were four black dudes. Why is it, do you reckon that it has the same soulfulness, the same blackness?

Moodymann

You’ve got to remember the first thing Kraftwerk said is they were trying to be like James Brown. We didn’t care where it came from, we didn’t really recognize it like that. Our DJs on the radio presented us music. You have to understand, if Mojo was still on the radio or a lot of radio stations were still around, you could go there with a frickin’ cassette, it didn’t have to go through certain avenues. If the DJ liked your track, he’s going to play it because he is trying to impress and bring his crowd. The DJs back then were more concerned about the city. They felt the city and were more a part of that city. The radio stations now are owned by different companies and are not even in your city, not even in your town. They don’t give a fuck what you think about it. This is what they’re playing right now. Our DJs more felt our city and our surroundings and had an honest opinion what they thought we wanted to hear. And it was up to that particular DJ to play whatever. Now, being from an all-black town where white folks were scarce, me being eight, nine years old, I thought everything was black. The only time I saw white folks was on TV or at the door shutting shit off, and that’s the truth. For instance, Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk was huge in Detroit. They weren’t huge in Atlanta, they weren’t huge in other places around America. For some reason Detroit took that group and just expanded it. I don’t how to present that to you. When we found out they were from a different place, it still didn’t make a difference. To be honest with you, it was too late. It was fucking too late. It was going down. Did you enjoy yourself last night? Alright, my n**.

Audience Member

I am Moisés from Mexico, Tijuana. You always talk about your environment really gets into your music and the psychology of the city, the mindset your city and your environment has, do you think it’s really important for musicians to grab that and present it into their music?

Moodymann

I don’t think it’s important. In my situation, I had no choice. I couldn’t get away from it, it was just part of my situation. You have people that have to move to get a certain environment to do what they have to do. I have to honestly say that’s the individual’s decision. Me, I don’t think I really had a choice. I didn’t have a situation where I could move, I didn’t have the money to relocate. I’m still dealing with motherfuckers knocking on my door. I’m still dealing with the tragedy of whatever happened around the corner. So that’s going to be a part of my music and I can’t get away from it. Just like sometimes you hear crowd noise in my music. Sometimes I can be recording and some motherfucker come right through the goddamn door. You’re going to hear all that. Sometimes I take it out, sometimes I don’t. Often, I don’t. I might loop it or do other things, but that is somebody who came here on the phone, ringing, doing something that ain’t right. A lot of that crowd noise is an accident. I just left it in the motherfucker. It’s an individual decision. Personally, my environment is going to always be a piece of my music. It’s a piece of my life. That’s a decision that is not going to be made by me. That’s a decision that’s gonna be firm in my production. That’s not a choice for me, it is going to be there. You got a CD or a shirt or something? Alright.

Audience Member

You mentioned just before that you played drums, in your grandfather’s club?

Moodymann

Oh, man. I was wack, please. They was like, “Motherfucker, you got to get the fuck out outta here.”

Audience Member

Do you come from a very musical family?

Moodymann

My father has a lot to do with my situation of choice in music. He was a musician in Detroit for years. Just like every musician, 95 percent of them are not going to get the credit. When he fell out of music, he totally played for himself at the end of the day. He didn’t want to be involved with a big situation. He even told me, fuck all that. My father is totally a different cat. He thinks I’m over here right now selling out, that’s the truth. Once I left Detroit to even go to Atlanta, he was like, “Fuck these motherfuckers!” That’s his attitude. I can’t go by his world. He grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I can’t live by that rule of his. He thinks that white folks is the devil, that’s the truth. They stole everything from the blues, rock ‘n’ roll. That is his environment. I can’t live like that. Your ancestors probably had slaves but that don’t mean you personally feel the same situation. He’s not going to let that go. Yes, I did come from a musical background. My grandfather does own a jazz club, 55 and up, and he’s checking ID at the door. My father, um, he’s a different cat. A lot of our views are very different. Me and him at the moment are really not getting along right now. But that’s his views, that his world, that is his situation. Yes, I stole all his records. Fuck it. He ain’t playing the motherfuckers nowhere, we get started there. And, yes, I come from a halfway decent background. I’m not saying it was all good. My father wasn’t shit, he wasn’t hot. That shit was wack he was making, so he is in a different situation. You don’t want to hear me on drums, trust me. They just had me up there because they were trying to impress my grandfather but they got me out of there real quick.

Audience Member

Hi, yeah I am from South Africa, my name is Julian. I want to find out, you are very proud of Detroit, I want to know what’s your view on Africa. Do you have a lot of respect for it? Did it influence you?

Moodymann

To be honest with you I’ve never been there. I can only go with what books and things I have read. And of course, don’t be silly, the news, articles. I know we all come from there, but I have to deal with my situation at hand and what’s in front of me. I respect all colors. Pick a color, it don’t make a difference. In my generation and genre I have to deal with them all. I like buying a box of Crayons and I’m going to play with all of them. As far as Africa is concerned, yes, most definitely, I mean that’s the motherland. There is no way I cannot say what I do is not a reflection of Africa, is not a reflection of my roots, and a reflection of my generation before me. But in hand I have to deal with Detroit and what’s in front of my face. When I leave here, unfortunately, I still have to deal with reality. Africa is not reality in my face, you know what I’m saying? It’s these kids in front of my face, it’s these people in front of my face that is reality. Yes, I do support Africa in every way, that is my next home. It is my home, just like yours, baby. You got your CD and everything?

Audience Member

Yeah I got everything, thanks man.

Moodymann

I’m checking. I’m just checking. I got to make sure my people are doing their jobs now, shit. We done? That’s it? I can run?

Audience Member

I’m also from South Africa. You seem like a guy who is very hard to please, so I’d like to know what makes a good record for you?

Moodymann

What makes a good record? Well, I can’t tell you. The best answer to that is I can’t tell you. My ears will tell me all that information. But, unfortunately, my ears don’t do too much talking. They do more listening. Categorize my ears will let me know that answer. A good record to me is always going to be in the form of good music, it does not make a difference. You would be amazed what is in my collection. Pick a country, to pick a color, to pick a date. It’s all there. I don’t put nothing in too many categories, besides alphabetical. I don’t put anything, as far as where it comes from, it doesn’t make a difference. Unfortunately, which I don’t think is the greatest thing, as far as Europe is concerned, I am more classified as a techno or a house situation. But my father and people that really know me would be very surprised at that. But thank you for that, that was pretty good, baby. I still love you.

Moodymann entourage

One last question, Moody. Who is your favorite artist?

Moodymann

That changes daily. Last year around June I have to say Mike [Jackson]. Prince is always in there floating around. Miles [Davis]? Nigga, please. I have to say my father, with all that wack shit. That is a question I can change daily depending on my mood and situation. Right now, I could tell you ten and that same ten will be changed at the end of this week. My moods change quite often as well as far as listening pleasures. I can go home right now and listen to the Doors, everything they recorded, and then tomorrow I’m on T.I., like fuck these n**s. That’s the truth. My situation with that is well-rounded. That is like what kind of women I like, I like black women and then I like black women. And sometimes I can go for colored women. That’s difficult. There is so much involved with that. That’s something that’s going to change daily.

Benji B

It has been a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, Kenny Dixon. I would like to ask everybody to join me in saying thank you Mr. Moodymann, the full crew. Thank you ladies as well. And thank you to the Mahogani massive.