A new website for DJs, mixcrate.com, created in part by 8asians alumnus Genghis Mendoza, has a story about how the DJ scene in San Francisco Bay Area became large and influential. Turntablism is now practiced worldwide, and many legendary DJs like Qbert and Babu are Filipino-Americans from the Bay Area. CSU Long Beach Sociology professor Oliver Wang did his Ph.D dissertation at UC Berkeley on this subject. “Spinning Identities: A Social History of Filipino American DJs in the Bay Area” chronicles the history of the mobile DJ scene. He has created the web site http://legionsofboom.com/ for sharing this work.
The Bay Area DJ scene definitely has had influence, even in my family. My nephew Ryan Buendia, who is currently a music producer for the Black Eyed Peas, started out as a turntablist and is part of the Fingerbangerz crew . This DJ crew has produced a lot of music for the dance crew Jabbawockeez.
As I mentioned, mixcrate.com is a site where DJs can share and promote their mixes. Created by Bay Area DJs (Genghis is also a DJ), it too is part of the ongoing heritage that Wang describes.
What next?
Other posts you may be interested in:
- Asian American Grammy Nominees: Apl.de.Ap and DJ Replay
- An Asian-American in the Music Business: Interview with Ryan Buendia (Part 2)
- An Asian-American in the Music Business: Interview with Ryan Buendia (Part 1)
- Lapu Lapu, San Francisco and a Small Filipino History Lesson
- 3rd International Secret Agents Concert Showcases Asian American Talent
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Genghis Mendoza
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