http://www.MySpace.com/djwikked
Order Mayhem Morearty's Out Here

Sasoa, Dominican Republic - DJ Wikked, the DJ behind Mayhem Morearty's OUT HERE street album release, has taken some time off from his busy schedule to do an interview with HipHopCanada.com -- It's the Mayhem Morearty Takeover update! It's been a while since Wikked was on HHC and a lot of serious movements have been made since we last featured him. Wikked is now a member of the NY based Czar DJs and has built a strong reputation around Toronto for being one of the cities most talented and consistent individuals behind the wheels of steel. With a strong support system behind him, Wikked will continue to garner international recognition and with this will come more exposure for the different Canadian artists he supports. Here is the transcript:

HHC: What's going on Wikked... Coming live from the Dominican Republic, still doing it big for Scarborough and Toronto -- let our viewers know what you're up to out there.
I'm here on vacation but I'm still OUT HERE working. I'm DJing in a city called Sasoa just 30 minutes away from the resort. After all that Caribana mess I needed a vacation and D.R. is like my second home... I come down here a lot.

HHC: The last time you were featured on HHC was August of 2004 [click here to read] and this time around we're featuring you as part of the Mayhem Morearty Takeover Special. How did you first link with Mayhem and his crew?
Before we linked, me and Mayhem were trying to holler at each other for a minute, I can't remember whether it was through the streets or mutual friends that got us connected, but when we linked up, I got him on this track I put together called 100 Strong Arm Niggas.

HHC: Let's talk about Mayhem's new project OUT HERE where you held down the roll of mixing. What was your frame of mind in approaching the job?
I knew when my dog Soze approached me about their whole movement... I knew that their CD had to be different than any other CD I had done because it was a street album with all original tracks and not just a mixtape. I had to treat it like an album release but with certain elements of a mixtape, you dig?

HHC: For sure... so what is your favorite track on OUT HERE and why?
"Late Nite Creep"; that track stuck in my CD player for a minute you feel me... Mayhem goes hard on that track and the beat is crack.

HHC: Will you be holding down Mayhem at his shows?
I'm down for whatever work Hustlemann has for me. That's family right there.

HHC: What are your views on Canada's support for it's own artists? Has the overall Canadian interest for its own hip-hop gotten bigger in your opinion?
I think people in Toronto are more aware of new cats coming out of the streets of Toronto but due to the violence in our city I feel street artists struggle to promote their music because the key players that hold the keys to our industry, don't want to have anything to do with real street artists. This is why I relate to a lot of them because I'm like the only DJ in my city that promotes street music on a bigger scale.

HHC: What's the biggest thing that changed for you looking back to when you first got involved?
There are 2 big things that changed for me in the game... First, being managed by Ivan Evidante from Universal Music and getting signed to Czar Squad DJs, which is based out of New York.

HHC: You've been hitting up the Mixshow DJ Power Summit for consecutive years -- what does that conference offer you and how can our next generation of DJs get involved?
The Mixshow Power Summit is for all the top DJs in the nation and only a few come from outside of the US. It is strictly invite only so its very hard for DJs to get in, especially if your from Canada... but my manager Ivan, who introduced me to MPS, takes care of all of that.

HHC: Tell us more about the Czar DJs. How did that situation first come about and what's it all about?
Check MySpace.com/djwikked for more general info on Czar Squad DJs. Early this year, a mutual friend of mine and Ivan's named Corwin had introduced me to Victor Herrera who is my US manager. He works for Jimmy Henchmen, Czar Entertainment. The rest is history…

HHC: Has your position with Czar given you any opportunity to promote Canadian hip-hop into new circles and DJs?
Unlike other US DJ coalitions, there is only 20 DJs in Czar Squad... we don't just pick any DJ... also because it is based in the States, the majority of the DJs are American which is good. Now I'm sending them real Toronto rap and I also get to clear up a few things on whatever they heard about my city.

HHC: Have you worked with Jimmy Henchmen direct?
I haven't worked with Jimmy direct but I'm on weekly conference calls with him and my US manager Victor Herrera.

HHC: What other artists are you working with?
Right now my priority is clearing things back home. I'm only working with artists from within my camp because I feel my city has been misrepresented to the world and I hear it first hand... I want to personally change things because if i don't do it, no one will. I live this shit so I feel for all the street artists from the streets of Toronto. So when you see Hustlemann, The Corporation and Scartown, you'll see that it's our turn now. Everyone else had there shot and blew it. We're going to set shit straight for our city, you feel me?

HHC: What's popping with DJ Wikked beats?
Right now I'm DJing all over the place so my beat production is on pause till things cool out. You'll be hearing some shit in 2007.

HHC: What's the best experience you've had doing shows, on the road etc?
I've got way too many... You have to ask me that again when this year is done. I can't think of one from the top of my head... blame that on the Dominican blunts.

HHC: Plug your sites and projects...
Just log onto MySpace.com/djwikked... I'm using that as my website until my official site launches in November '06.

HHC: Any last thoughts? Shout outs?
Shout out to everyone supporting my movement... Hustlemann, The Corporation, Scartown, Czar Squad DJs, Ivan Evidante, the whole Toronto from block to block... I got you my niggas! I'm here now… them niggas is old news!

Editor's note: Check out more DJ Wikked through the following websites via MySpace.com/djwikked

Also, CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of Mayhem Morearty's new release OUT HERE.