What do you get when you mix the Capital City’s dopest deejays, the Lansing Derby Vixens, 300 hundred people dressed up in their Halloween-freak-nasty-best, the Michigan Princess Boat and yours truly???
Sunday, October 30 8 pm – 2 am** Boat leaves at 12:00 am for a Midnight Cruise (so don’t miss the boat!)
The Michigan Princess
2971 West Main Street Lansing, MI 48915 (Grand River Park)
>>>>>>>>>>IMPORTANT<<<<<<<<<<<
If you use GPS or navigation- the address will take you to the Dispatch (a bar/restaurant). The Michigan Princess is ACROSS THE STREET in GRAND RIVER PARK. Turn into the park and take a left and you will see the boat.
>>>>THIS IS IT!! THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE ON DEVIL’s NIGHT 2011!!<<<<
NewsFlash! Its time to rep the Capital City. Currently 2 different people are entrenched in two very different battles and you, YES YOU, need to vote for both of them right now.
From 5 to 3: BLAT! Pack’s very own JYoung The General is currently one of the best emcees in the entire state of Michigan and is turning heads nationally. He is among one of the last 5 remaining contenders in the HipHopDX.com A3C “Pick 3″ Competition. It is a chance to rock the stage in Atlanta, GA and get the exposure that he deserves. Today is the last day to vote for him so please do it. If you #lovelansing, you gotta support our up and coming artists.
@JYoungS2TS
The Purple Carrot is slipping: Now that you have voted for our artist on the mic, its time to vote for the artists with the knife. (I made that up myself LOL) The Great Food Truck Race is a great chance for #lovelansing’s very own Purple Carrot to get national notoriety but they need your help. When I voted on Friday we were #3, now we are #7! Come On people support our very own lunch truck! Click the links and VOTE!!!
DJ Rock City is going to christen the start to the MSU football season tomorrow at the Red Bull Tailgate Party. Then after the game he will be at Club Rush and I’ll be damned if you shouldn’t be there with him.
10 years ago I was in the airport about to take a crazy drunken trip of a lifetime to Cancun. I was with a group and we were waiting on two more guys before we all headed to the security checkpoint. In walks DJ Rock City with his hair in neat little blonde twists making it easy to pick him out. Instead of just dragging around simple luggage like the rest of us, Rock City was elected to bring along his deejay equipment in a huge coffin on wheels. He and DJ Tee-Cee were planning on going to Cancun and playing in clubs even though they had no prior arrangements to do so. We were about to have serious fun. #Ballers.
The East Lansing graduate that used to bang out the Landshark, Harpers Downtown and Lansings infamous “Station” eventually moved to Chicago he has made a splash bigger than his distinct Mohawk. (NO YOU MAY NOT TOUCH IT). Rated #1 DJ in Chicago by Chicago Scene Magazine in 2010, He has played for cats like Jamie Foxx, Kanye West, and Johnny Depp. He was recently featured in People Magazine with Zack Effron. And the list goes on.
Yet now he comes home to spin. MSU football games have always been a passion for DJ Rock City and this year is no different. Running the Capital City DJ Olympics, I have been blessed to meet many deejays. DJ Rock City mixes songs better than anyone I have ever been around. It will feel like you have been listening to one glorious song as hit after hit keep coming and before you know it you have been dancing for an hour and need to sit the eff down.
I could tell you stories about Cancun for days. About Rock City deejaying in a all foam party that I got to emcee. About the wild night at Coco Bongo. I could tell you about 230 Gunson where we had some of the most epic house parties ever. Hell I could even tell you about our renegade trips around the state where Rock City would haggle his way into playing at a club that had no clue we were coming. But for now all I really need to tell you is that you need to go see him play. Whether its at the Red Bull tailgate party before the game or at Club Rush afterwards, you need to check him out.
My sisters Lia and Antoinette love Alabama. Not the state or the football team, but the “Woman Currently Known As”… In this particular case everyone knows where Amber “Alabama” Cole is from. As one of Lansing’s most notable figures whether it be on the radio or in the land of social media, she has creativity seeping out of her pores and an unrivaled personality. The moment you talk to her you realize that Alabama has something that you don’t find very often. The only word I can use to categorize it is: #SPUNK.
Naturally when you are on 97.5 playing songs for the masses you have to be on top of your game at all times. You have to be funny and chipper and all the stuff that I am not. We talked about all sorts of things in this interview. Everything from tests of willpower, travels to California, and a desire to be the female Ryan Seacrest. She has a message for young girls that want to be radio deejays. She makes my awkward questions seem halfway decent with her insightful answers. This interview gives a glimpse into the things that a radio deejay has to do in short bursts of time as well as comic relief.
I kinda have a crush on her. Dont know what it is exactly. Her quirkiness? The way she looks intently at you like you matter? Or maybe its the fact that she doesn’t hide who she is from anybody. That is all sorts of hot to me, when someone isnt afraid to be happy or playful, admit their faults or even proclaim their dreams.
Alabama has the kind of personality that makes you want to be her friend, apart of her world. She has the passion to make waves and the surfboard to withstand them. Which is precisely why she is destined for greatness. Its also why, one day I will be so geeked that I did this interview, so I can say I knew her back when.
The entire idea of doing a feature on the female deejays in Lansing was inspired by a question that my 6 year old daughter, Aurora, asked me a few months ago. Me and my homey, DJ Duke, were working on the Capital City DJ Olympic Finals at my house when Aurora asked me who the woman in one of my pictures was. I told her that it was DJ Rachael P. Aurora responded by asking, “can girls be deejays?”
I was a bit taken aback and told her that there are a lot of extremely talented female deejays and that if she wanted to be one, she could be a deejay too. She barely thought about it more than a second before she told me that she couldn’t be a deejay because she was going to be a business woman and a fashion model and Governor of Michigan. But that got me thinking about how many other girls are out there that never considered being a deejay because they never see other women doing the profession.
It brought me back to the picture of DJ Rachael P. She has a way of playing at all the unique, creative, SWANKY events in the area with a level of passion that is hard to match. If you get a chance to watch DJ Rachael P at a venue one of the things that is easy to notice is her love for the music that she is playing. She wears it on her sleeve as a badge of honor. She’s played at an airport hangar for Ignite Lansing. She is the resident deejay for the Lansing Derby Vixens, and even played for a 2 hour long yoga workout. I am just so grateful that I know her and could get her to share her insights with you about the challenges and highlights of being a female deejay in the Lansing area.
Why did you become a deejay? “I lived in London England for 6 years and the DJ scene there is much larger, as you can imagine…I mentioned to a couple of my friends that I wanted to learn how to DJ. I had been in London for 4 years at this point and was completely itching for some sort of creative outlet. My friends, decided to register me for an 8 week DJ Workshop as my leaving gift from my first job. Little did they know how completely obsessed I would become.”
Do you feel it’s hard to ‘make it’ in such a male dominated profession? “I was (and always will be) still learning to deejay. I was incredibly lucky to become friends with local musician, producer and deejay, John Beltran who totally took me under his wing. I learned a ton from him and he truly helped me build credibility as a deejay. That was invaluable. I’ve also met a lot of very cool, very supportive deejays along the way, most of them being male. So that aspect of deejaying hasn’t been an issue. I often get comments from customers along the lines of ‘I’ve never seen a female deejay around before. That’s cool!”
What is your favorite “deejay memory”? “There are a few that stick out in my mind as my favorites. One of them was participating in the first Capital City DJ Olympics, where I made it into the top 3, only to be knocked out at the last minute by a wild card. The whole event was amazingly fun and was also where I met many of my deejay friends. My favorite part of that event was the supportive atmosphere between the deejays and the public. It was so exciting and fun and new for Lansing and has definitely helped to raise the awareness of the amazing local deejay scene that Lansing has.”
How could we make it easier for girls to become deejays? “I think anyone who has the passion for music and the patience to learn an instrument such as deejay equipment can become a deejay. It just takes a lot of practice, patience and an ear for music. As for girls becoming deejays, I think it would help if there were more female deejays with residencies at bars. It would help simply by having bars have female deejays play on a regular basis to grow exposure that we are out there! Not many of us yet, but a few… I have mad respect for bars that support female DJ’s on a regular basis and hope to see it more often.”
Next time you get a chance to see DJ Rachael play somewhere make sure you get into the groove. Allow her to set your ambiance and put a smile on your face. She is one of the best in the city and anyone who has met her, would definitely agree. And if no one else will say it, we need more female deejays to be front & center so fathers like me can talk our daughters out of being Governors and into being deejays (okay not really but you get the point).
Sarah B and her NAISWAN (pronounced Nice-One) bandmates are planning on moving to Southern California and pursue greatness in the Los Angeles sunshine. Come celebrate the move and Sarah B’s last night as a resident deejay at Mac’s Bar for NEON Tuesdays:
So I told myself that this wasn’t going to be a story about overcoming odds, chasing your dreams or even how difficult it is for a female deejay to make it in a male dominated profession. I was planning on just telling you that I am losing my new favorite deejay (my apologies fellas, but it is what it is) to the warm weather of California, just as we were becoming pretty good friends. But I can’t take that route, not this time. This time you get the real deal.
photo courtesy of PH Media Productions
When I met Sarah Badiee (Sarah B) it was last October and she was entering into the Capital City DJ Olympics. She was soft spoken but came with high praise from several other deejays. I watched her unique set up and then listened to her rock out. I fell in love with her style. The judges however, were listening to something else completely and Sarah didn’t make the finals. She didn’t fuss about it, she thanked me for the opportunity and we sat and had a drink together. I told her that we were having a benefit for a charity that T.J. Duckett was involved with called “Cuts for Cancer” and that she should come out. She said that was cool, but couldn’t make it because she was entering treatment for her cancer and wouldn’t be up to it.
The more I had a chance to listen to the Mac’s Bar NEON Tuesday resident deejay play, the more I fell in love with her style. Melodic, funky, so on point and sooo smooth… listening to her spin a mix of Marvin Gaye over some slow deep house music is downright orgasmic! It’s no wonder that she has spun at the world famous Coachella two years in a row. So naturally when doing this feature I needed to ask Sarah a few questions, had to get you guy’s a sample to play while you are reading the answers and hope that you end up tracking her career because she is something-kinda-special. The kind of special that makes you say, “Yo did you know that Sarah B is from right here in Lansing?” #Bananas. (Ok maybe that’s what I sound like when I say it, but you get the drift.)
What is your favorite part of being a deejay and why? “When I mix music on stage, my favorite part is mixing the old with the new. Often times you will hear something unique that you cannot hear elsewhere – creating live remixes on the fly. For example, playing a house music beat and mixing a hip hop vocal sample over it, then transitioning into a different beat and throwing an old blues sample over that… followed by a new track that everyone knows, but with a twist of a remix version of the track.”
What is your favorite memory as a deejay? “I feel privileged to say that it’s hard to choose one favorite DJ memory. I have poignant memories from California of an after-hours party with FatLip from the Pharcyde, and playing at Coachella 2010 & 2011 – but my favorite DJ moment occurred in Lansing, MI on July 30, 2010 for the “Loft Party”. I deejayed alongside 4 musician friends who played guitar, bass, saxophone, cello and drums. The morning of the event I received the initial news that I had thyroid cancer. I was actually questioning if I should play the gig or not, I was in complete shock from the news. But I quickly decided that I wanted to play – music above anything else is a healer to me. Speaking for myself, I have never played a more powerful show – and I will never forget the energy of the crowd that night – it was beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. My life had changed forever that morning, and I was gifted with the ability to play for 500+ people that evening, with 4 friends on stage with me. What truly made that night so special, is that those 4 friends and I have created a band from that collaboration – called Naiswan (pronounced Nice-One and you can hear some of their music here). Plus, less than a year later with thyroid surgery and radiation, I am now cancer free!”
What are your goals as a deejay? I am moving back to California at the end of September, and a primary goal is to attain a reputable residency somewhere in the Los Angeles area. I enjoy playing consistently rather than having individual, random gigs. Ultimately, it will be a dream come true to travel the world as a producer/artist/DJ just like ‘ze Tiesto’! I mean, who wouldn’t want to do that?!
Here’s to you Sarah B, as you and your band partake on a new mission that is leading you to the sunny skies of southern California. Its inspiring when you know that someone with true talent is following their dreams. Yes, I want everyone to know that you are my favorite deejay. So pleases don’t forget your “#lovelansing” crew when you are playing in sold out stadiums but more importantly, “May the wind always be at your back, and the sun upon your face and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars. #Cheers mate!
Guest blogger Trinidad Lopez takes us back to a prehistoric land long ago, before Ipods and MP3′s… the 1990′s.
Let’s hop the train back to another time. You walk into a store that has aisles and endless rows of music. Music that you can touch, see, feel. Posters of recording artists, movie stars, and pop culture cover the walls. First you check the display that greets you with the Top 20, as you slowly stroll towards your genre of choice. Scanning the alphabetized selections, several titles catch your eye.
Then you pick up the one disc that brought you here in the first place. And you’re in luck my friend, because there was a slim chance of finding it at all. You couldn’t stand in line with the die-hard fans the night before, waiting until the doors opened at midnight and the mad rush to grab a hot new release.
You check the cover, and wonder what the pages look like inside the booklet. Are the song lyrics printed so you know all the words before your best friend? Will you get some new “candid snapshots” of your favorite artist? Is there a sneak preview to other artists on the label? You might even be searching to see if the cover is explicitly warning your parents about the contents inside of this package. After inspecting the list of songs, you have to wonder if you’ll luck out and discover a hidden track. That sealed it. You MUST buy this CD.
As you take the cash out of your pocket and hand it over at the register, all you can think of is ripping off the cellophane. And you do just that as you walk to your car. After peeling back the security sealing that is somehow an afterthought every single time, you pop the disc into the player. Before you shift into drive you sample each song, making your decision based on the first few notes.
And then it happens. A sly smile of satisfaction creeps across your face as your hear that hidden track after a long, hopeful pause. And it’s the sweet feeling of finding, touching, holding, and seeing your music that could never, ever be achieved by a simple download.
So I really wasn’t into going to Common Ground this year. Not really feeling the line-up, was put on hold for my media request for interviews (not exactly Big Shot Bob yet, ya dig) and honestly Common Ground is for the youngsters and the old people. So I wasn’t really planning on going. Then I won a pair of 7 day passes from “Just B Yoga” where I practice yoga (when I can). So I look at the line up and figure I’ll go see Trey Songz and of course LL Cool J on Saturday (if I make it back from the Tigers game in time).
Here’s the thing. I don’t really know this young cat Trey Songz, I figure he’s a radio manufactured star and he’ll be forgotten about in a year and I’ll be pissed that I went to see him rather than going to the Loft to see the Pretty Things Peepshow where they have midgets dancing on glass and other bizarre stuff like that. I’m kind of a snob when it comes to live shows, either you are engaging and you are a true performer or you are a Barbie/Ken doll trying to do your best not to continue making an ass out of yourself. Wasn’t expecting much from the guy that brought us “Bottoms Up”
But I’ll be damned if Trey Songz wasn’t the real frakkin’ (shot out to my BSG fans out there) deal. He had a ton more songs that I knew and liked but had no idea that he sang. He voice was crystal clear and he knew how to command it. He wasn’t singing over a CD rather he was singing with a live band that was rocking the house.
He knew how to perform. His mannerisms were well thought out and purposeful. His facial gestures were perfect for getting the thousands of women to melt into him. He reminded me of a young Genuine. his songs were sexy. “Neighbors Know My Name” is definitely something that every guy needs to have on his special “mix” to play when the time comes #yafeelme. When the band was into the music, he let them play and I got the distinct impression that he ENJOYED being on stage.
So I retract everything I said at the top of the post. I was really, really impressed with Trey Songz. Not going to go out and buy a T shirt or nothing crazy like that, but he was definitely worth winning a yoga giveaway. I had a great time although I wish I could have seen the midgets dancing on glass and a sword swallowing blockhead man. And people say there’s nothing to do in Lansing. SMH
Description: Live music, Latin deejays, salsa dance lessons
Come join us for a fun weekday night of salsa and more! 21 and up. Doors open at 7pm. $2 drink specials all night! Free dance lesson by Danielle of Estilo Latino Dance
Description: Live music, Latin deejays, salsa dance lessons
Come join us for a fun weekday night of salsa and more! 21 and up. Doors open at 7pm. $2 drink specials all night! Free dance lesson by Danielle of Estilo Latino Dance
Description: Live music, Latin deejays, salsa dance lessons
Come join us for a fun weekday night of salsa and more! 21 and up. Doors open at 7pm. $2 drink specials all night! Free dance lesson by Danielle of Estilo Latino Dance
Description: Live music, Latin deejays, salsa dance lessons
Come join us for a fun weekday night of salsa and more! 21 and up. Doors open at 7pm. $2 drink specials all night! Free dance lesson by Danielle of Estilo Latino Dance
Description: Live music, Latin deejays, salsa dance lessons
Come join us for a fun weekday night of salsa and more! 21 and up. Doors open at 7pm. $2 drink specials all night! Free dance lesson by Danielle of Estilo Latino Dance
8 pm – 2 am
** Boat leaves at 12:00 am for a Midnight Cruise (so don’t miss the boat!)
The Michigan Princess
2971 West Main Street Lansing, MI 48915 (Grand River Park)
From 5 to 3: BLAT! Pack’s very own JYoung The General is currently one of the best emcees in the entire state of Michigan and is turning heads nationally. He is among one of the last 5 remaining contenders in the 
