DJ Ronin Cont...
record I am starting on my DJ J-Ronin album and Ras Kass F.I.L.A. project and Big Lou- Pray For Me. i'm working on several tours for the near future as well. Before any of that drops i am finishing up my next mixtape All Elements Freestyle Files vol.2 "Everybody Who's Anybody" All original freestyles from over 40 Mc's done just for that mixtape mostly on classic beats. Dropping real soon, so stay in tune with me and ill keep y'all updated.
Royalty Magazine: Tell us more about J-Ronin. How did you get started as a mixtape DJ? Take us back to the moment when you fell in love with hiphop...what was that feeling like and how did it happen? What pushed you to take that next step with music and make it career?
DJ J-Ronin: I was born and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn with Hip-Hop and Reggae everywhere. I was going to lil park jams before i can even remember with my baby sitter! Truthfully i couldn't tell you when i fell in love with Hip-Hop. I always loved music growing up and i played guitar, clarinet even a recorder when i was 6. Music has always been a big part of my life. Now i love all types of Hip-Hop but in particular i always was into that hardcore street but lyrical ish that dropped jewels. I was rocking the occasional party as a kid but i wasn't going too hard with the DJing and it got to a point when all the mixtapes in the street were not representing the kind of Hip-Hop i liked. I made a decision then and there that i would champion the Hip-hop i knew and loved and grew up on . From there i went to a ton of shows and networked as well as built with all the MCs i already knew from around the way. I got more and more into the mixtapes as well as recording in studios, hosting mixtapes and then management with Sav Killz. From there i dropped out of school and made that decision that this was going to be my life. Repping that real Hip-Hop and getting involved in all sides of the business.
Royalty Magazine: Tell us about your movement "All Elements". How did it get started and who & what does "All Elements" consist of? What is your overall mission? How does your movement make a difference in the community?
DJ J-Ronin: All Elements aka The Elemental Cartel is a movement i started which developed in the early 2000's. A lot of the original members fell off the face of the earth or got locked up but i carried that flag and kept it going. Sav Killz linked with me in 2004 thru 9th Prince from Killarmy (RZA's brother) and we became the dynamic duo! From there several DJs, producers and MCs become part of the crew including Illa Ghee, DJ Snips, DJ Toshi, Beat Butcha, Louie Gonz formerly known as Spit Supreme, Iron Braydz, Telisa D and more. We have members and chapters throughout the US and UK. All Elements is an organization that promotes dope Hip-Hop with a message. Sure it might be street or hard but we all still drop jewels. We have all done a lot of charity work for various causes from fighting Cancer, raising money for Hurricane Katrina victims, Haiti etc. Myself and Sav have both spoken to High School Classes and even took on interns from the classes who we helped get jobs. Beyond that we also mentor youth. Shout out to Frank Knight who's coming up! DJ Snips also was teaching music production out in London giving back in his own way. In the future when the label really takes off i would like to build a Hip-Hop Community center in Brooklyn with studios, video production and classes on the music business. Maybe even have tutoring for regular schooling if any of our members are qualified. Giving back to the community has always been a priority to me. Embracing young people who love Real Hip-Hop is very important. A lot of people in the game have a very elitist attitude which turns people off from being an active member in the Rap World.
Royalty Magazine: You are well known for being a mixtape DJ, but you are also an A&R manager, executive producer, promoter, radio host as well as a manager for other artists. From the perspective of a DJ, promoter or even management, what makes an artist hot? What makes their grind successful and/or what makes it fail?
DJ J-Ronin: Well hot can be whoever is popping in the game right now. Hype or throwing around money doesn't mean dope to me though! To me a hot artist is someone who has the skills. Flow, presence, lyricism. The stage show is very important as well. Artists need to have a personality people can relate to. Work ethic, that grind the hustle or Grustle is a must! Artists need to stay on their pen game and have them bars as well as showmanship. After that they need to be out there at events networking. Its like running for office. It's a campaign. You have to shake the hands and kiss the babies. Some artists let their ego get carried away with them and act funny style quick! A little blog love doesn't mean you made it guys! Slow down now! Don't change your number when you get