Interview with DJ MT of the Minority Militia, Project Affiliated, and Owner of Farmhand Music

Here is the interview with DJ MT. As the title says, he is associated with many different groups, Project Affiliated and Minority Militia among them, but also Farmhand Music (as he is the owner) and Low Town Records. The following questions were made and later answered during the month of May, 2001:

Boomin' Words From Portsmouth: 1. Where are you from?
DJ MT: TRACY, CALIFORNIA

BWFP: 2. How old are you?
DJ MT: 29 YEARS.

BWFP: 3. Are you married?
DJ MT: YEAH. TWO KIDS.

BWFP: 4. How and when did you get into rapping?
DJ MT: THE SAME REASON MOST OTHER RAPPERS AT THAT TIME (early eight's) GOT INTO IT. THEY HEARD THAT SONG, THE SAME ONE THAT I HEARD WHILE I WAS LIVING IN TURLOCK CA. IN LATE 1980. A FRIEND CAME TO MY HOUSE AND SAID HIS UNCLE HAD JUST BOUGHT A 12" RECORD THAT WAS SO REAL I HAD TO CHECK IT OUT. IT WAS RAPPERS DELIGHT. FROM THAT DAY ON "IT" WAS ON .
___1986 IS WHEN I WOULD START TO BATTLE DJ'N, MC'N, BEATBOX'N. LOOKING TO GET ON THE MIC. I HOOKED UP WIT FRESH BEAT PRODUCTIONS OUTTA THE MO(modesto ca.). WHERE I WAS FEATURED AS A DJ AT THE SHOW'S WE WOULD TROUGH. WE'D RENT THE HALL, HIRE SECURITY, AND PROVIDED A CROWED WITH 4600 WHAT'S OF THUMP. RAPPER'S, BREAK DANCER'S, AND DJ BATTLES.

BWFP: 5. Who were your influences?
DJ MT: GRANDMASTER FLASH WAS THE FIRST DJ I HAD SEEN. SO I BOUGHT EVERY ALBUM OF THE FURIOUS FIVE. THE SUGAR HILL COMPILATION RECORD SETS, KURTIS BLOW, COLD CRUSH BROTHERS, LATER DANGEROUS DAME OUTTA THA TOWN(oakland ca.), 40 AND FAMILY, CUBE, BASICALLY ALL THE WEST COAST GANGSTA SHIT.
___I WAS LIKE 13 AT A "GROWN UP" HOUSE PARTY AND THEY WAS WATCHING WILD STYLE. I AIN'T NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE, BLACK'S AND LATINO'S PASSIN'' MIC'S. LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS HARD FOR A LATINO TO GET PASSED THA MIC IN THE WEST THAT'S WHY I WAS A DJ, THAT WAY, AT THE LEAST I WOULD BE ABLE TO RAP THROUGH THE SOUND CHECK.

BWFP: 6. Your first solo cd, "Brown, Sick, and Wicked" was released a while ago. When exactly was it released and what label was it released on?
DJ MT: IT WAS RELEASED IN MARCH 1997. I GOT MY FIRST COPY THE DAY BEFORE MY COUSINS FUNERAL (REST IN PEACE PELON). IT WAS RELEASED THROUGH THE EXPLICIT AND DARKROOM LABEL'S.

BWFP: 7. Were there any recording before "Brown, Sick and Wicked"?
DJ MT: EASE BACK WAS TO BE MY FIRST SOLO ALBUM, THAT I WAS GOING TO RELEASE INDEPENDENTLY, BUT QUICKLY RAN OUT OF CASH.
___MY HOMIE SIR DYNO KNEW THAT I HAD SOME SONGS DONE AND CALLED WITH INTEREST IN MAKING THIS A DARKROOM PROJECT. WE ADDED TRACK'S ONE THRU SEVEN TO THE CD. IT BECAME BROWN SICK AND WICKED.

BWFP: 8. On "Brown Sick and Wicked" you have a diss song entitled "Natural Hoez", what exactly was this beef about and did they ever retaliate with a song?
DJ MT: WE WERE DOING A SHOW IN TURLOCK,CA AT STANISLAUS STATE COLLEGE. AFTER THE SHOW NATURAL HIGH'S DJ MAGIC INVITED THE DARKROOM KLAN TO HIS PAD 4 A BBQ. ACE DOG WAS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP BUT JUMPED SHIP TO RISE WITH US. SO AS THE STORY GOES WHEN ALL THE DRF LEFT, ACE DOG WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO STAYED AND....GOT JUMPED. SO IN TRUE RAP FORM WE MADE A SONG. MY ALBUM WAS THE NEXT PROJECT COMING OUT SO WE PUT IT UP ON IT. NO RETALIATION AS FAR AS I KNOW. DON'T REALY GIVE A FUCK BOUT ANY OF THE PEOPLE ENVOLVED NOW DAYS.

BWFP: 9. What do you like better: rapping or producing?
DJ MT: IT'S LIKE HANDLIN' TWO BITCHES: YOU LIKE BOTH, BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE ONE, AND WHEN YOU GET TIRED OF ONE YOU SWITCH TO THE OTHER.

BWFP: 10. When did you hook up with the Low Down/Darkroom crews?
DJ MT: TO THE BEST OF MY MEMORY (what's left of it). DYNO HAD ASKED ME TO BACK HIM UP ON HIS "BROWN PERSUASION" CASSETTE RELEASE.. BUT IT WAS'NT TILL 94 WHEN WE FIRST STARTED USING THE DARKROOM STUDIO. AT THAT TIME DYNO WAS STILL INTO BROWN PRIDE TYPE SHIT AND ENCOURAGED US NOT TO CURSE..... FUCK IT! NOT LONG AFTER THAT I WAS AT DYNO'S HOUSE WHEN WE WAS RAIDED BY THE LYRICAL SWAT (lowdown). THIS TACTICAL FORCE CAME UP IN THE STUDIO AND LIKE EXPERT MARKSMEN KNOCKED OUT A COUPLE OF SONGS QUICK LIKE. SO WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY CAME AROUND TO WORK WITH'EM (lowdown) I WOULD JUMP AT IT. THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY.

BWFP: 11. How come you were never featured in any of the Darkroom movies?
DJ MT: I AIN'T NO ACTOR THAT AIN'T ME. PLUS, I DON'T TAKE TO CRITICISM THAT WELL. THEY NEED TO WRITE IN M.T. AS A CHARACTER, PEOPLE SAY I LOOK JUST LIKE THAT VATO.

BWFP: 12. Do you still work with Darkroom?
DJ MT: NOPE.

BWFP: 13. Could you elaborate as to why you don't work with Darkroom anymore?
DJ MT: LONG STORY, BUT BASICALLY THIS IS IT....
___DYNO LIKES TO RECORD A WHOLE PROJECT IN A WEEKEND. HE CALLED ME UP ON A THURSDAY AND ASK ME IF I WOULD LIKE TO HOP ON A SONG FOR CROOKED'S SOLO I SAID "HELL YEA", THEN HE'D TELL ME MY VERSE WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE TOMMORROW, SO I PASSED, SHIT I'M 280 POUNDS I AIN'T JUMPING FOR NO MAN. THIS WAS THE SAME FOR DUKE AND OSO'S SOLO PROJECTS. I DON'T WORK LIKE THAT. THE FINAL STRAW WAS THE VIDEO COMP. THAT'S GOT ME ON THE FRONT, BUT I AIN'T FEATURED ON. SAME ROUTINE, RAN INTO HIM ON A WEDNESDAY IN TOWN HE ASKED ME TO MAKE A SONG, HE'D RECORD ME ON FRIDAY, AND ON SATURDAY WE'D SHOOT THA VIDEO. I TOLD HIM TO GET ME A BEAT THAT NIGHT AND I'D DO IT. I DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM TILL FRIDAY. HE LEFT A MESSAGE, BECAUSE I WASN'T PICKING UP. I FIGURE AT THAT POINT THAT IF HE NEEDS TO TALK TO ME, HE COULD COME TO MY FRONT DOOR. THAT NEVER HAPPENED, AND AINT TALKED TO HIM SINCE. THAT WAS AUG. 2000.
___NOW THINK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT PEOPLE. I HAVE'NT BEEN ON A DARKROOM RELEASE SINCE THEY LEFT DOGDAY INCLUDING ALG'S SOLO. MAINLY BECAUSE DUKE AND DYNO WAS MAD BECAUSE I USED THE DARKROOM NAME ON THE 1 BULLET 4 U PROJECT AND ADS. DUKE BASICALY TOLD ME THAT I WAS STILL IN THA GROUP, I JUST COULDN'T TELL ANYBODY(OR USE THA NAME). WHICH TO ME SAY'S "YOU OUT, WE JUST AIN'T GOT THA BALLS TO TELL YOU".
___THESE FOOLS WOULD NEVER SAY IT. THEY HAD ME ON THEIR WEB PAGE LIKE AN "ACTIVE" MEMBER. THAT'S WHY I LEFT MY INTERVIEW ON THE DARKROOM PAGE EMPTY, OUT OF PROTEST. SO ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO I SENT DYNO A E-MAIL OF SOME UP COMMIN' PROJECTS, AND A LITTLE MESSAGE. A FEW DAYS LATER HE TOOK ME OFF THE WEB PAGE, FINALLY! MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER THEY LEFT DOGDAY, AND UNOFFICIALLY GAVE ME THA BOOT. IN ALL I MADE $50 WITH DARKROOM, DON'T GET ME WRONG, IT CAME IN HANDY THAT DAY. ALL I CAN SAY IS "I AINT MAD ATCHA". I THANK DARKROOM 4 LEAVING, NOW US OTHER VATO'S CAN MAKE THAT CASH!, AND STILL MAKE THAT MUSIK!

BWFP: 14. Are you part of the group Project Affiliated? If so, can you tell us a little something about them?
DJ MT: PROUDLY I CAN SAY YES TO THAT QUESTION. THESE VATOS HAVE BEEN HERE JUST AS LONG AS MOST OF US IN THE LATIN RAP GAME. THEY FLEXED THEIR GUNS AND THEIR FORTY'S ON "POPS FADED" THEIR SONG MADE THE CUT FOR "FROM THE BARRIO WITH LOVE" ALONG WITH ANOTHER TRACK. THAT ALONE SHOULD STAND AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THESE SOLDIERS ARE MADE OF. YOU CAN SEE MYSELF AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE P.A. CREW AT, WWW.PROJECTAFFILIATED.COM

BWFP: 15. Of all the projects you have been associated with, which one is your favorite?
DJ MT: THAT'S EASY. THA MILITIA'S 2,1,WYNO'S,NEVER'S, AND THA UPCOMING 2 SIK RELEASE.

BWFP: 16. Who would you most want to work with again?
DJ MT: THAT SUBJECT IS OPEN TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, AS LONG AS U TRUE TO WHAT YOU DO.

BWFP: 17. Are you signed to Dogday Records, or was that just a one time deal?
DJ MT: IT'S ALL ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS. I JUST SIGNED WITH DOGDAY TO RELEASE MY BREAKBEAT ALBUMS WITCH WILL BE RELEASED IN 3 VOLUMES. ALSO I'M CURRENTLY WORKIN ON "APOCALYPSE BROWN 2" THE FOLLOW UP TO WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY SECOND SOLO ALBUM THAT WILL BE RELEASED BY DOGDAY/FARMHAND.

BWFP: 18. Do you own Farmhand Music?
DJ MT: ME AND MY BROTHER EARL JENKINS OWN FARMHAND MUSIC. THAT'S HIS ARM ON THE LOGO.

BWFP: 19. Who else is signed to Farmhand Music?
DJ MT: FARMHAND MUSIC DOES NOT SIGN ARTISTS.
___WE WORK ON CONSIGNMENT, IF WE SELL YOUR SHIT YOU GET PAID. I AIN'T GOING TO LIE TO Y'ALL.
___THIS BUSINESS IS FUCKED UP. IF YOU STARTING OUT YOU MUST PUT IN WORK(4 free)YOUR VERSE OR BEAT EQUALS YOUR NAME ON A CD, POSTER, AND MAGAZINE AD.
___PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT TO MUCH. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T SIGN ARTISTS.

BWFP: 20. What do you do when you are outside the studio?
DJ MT: WORK, IM A DELIVERY DRIVER IN SAN FRANCISCO. I GOTTA BBQ ON THE WEEKENDS. TEACH'N MY KIDS HOW TO REALLY BE BAD, AND NOT GET CAUGHT.

BWFP: 21. Explain what you mean when you say "brown pride days".
DJ MT: BROWN PRIDER'S HAVE THE THOUGHT THAT "WE SHOULD ALL JUST GET ALONG". WHILE, OTHERS CHOOSE A SIDE(COLOR) AND GET TO "BANGIN'".

BWFP: 22. What have been the most recent cds you have listened to?
DJ MT: OUTKAST? LUDACRIS? I DUNO, I'M LISTENING TO SHIT ALL THE TIME, AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S STICKING' OUT FAR AS MAIN STREAM. UNDERGROUNDIBHEARINEVERYTHANG.

BWFP: 23. Do you have another solo project in the works?
DJ MT: FOR SURE. IT'S CALLED "THE MEXICAN TERRORIST". IT'S ALL BOUT MURDER, DRUGS, AND MONEY. THAT'S WHAT ALL MY SHITS ABOUT.

BWFP: 24. Are there any projects you will be featured on in the near future?
DJ MT: "GHETTO 2 THA BARRIO 4", THE DOWN TIME MOVIE SOUNDTRACK'S GOT A NEW TRACK FROM THE APOCALYPSE BROWN 2 CD, AND THE PROJECT AFFILIATED DEBUT CD "2 SIK" TO BE RELEASED JULY 2, 2001. ALSO BE ON THA LOOKOUT FOR THAT 40 OUNCES AND A BLUNT FROM 2 SIK MUZIK.

BWFP: 25. Do you have any plans for a tour any time soon?
DJ MT: WE GOING ON TOUR STARTING ON APRIL 20th, 2002 WITH OUR PROJECT AFFILIATED CREW. WE'LL BE OPENING FOR THAT LOWDOWN CREW. BE ON THE LOOK OUT. (4-20-02)

BWFP: 26. Do you have anything to say in closing to your fans?
DJ MT: REPRESENTIN' TO THA FULLEST! THANX 4 THA SUPPORT.

Thank you very much to DJ MT for agreeing to an interview here on Boomin' Words From Portsmouth.

Now go check out the Low Town Records Reviews, soon to feature a review of DJ MT's cds, right here on Boomin'.

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