Trendsetters & Tastemakers: Vol 1

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Trendsetters & Tastemakers: Vol 1

It’s no secret that Dj’s have been setting the bar for what’s cool, hip, and in style for years now. Maybe that’s why it’s ‘cool’ to be a Dj, and every high school is full of them. Especially in the US, what was considered weird Euro Trash 6 years ago is now the freshest look to hit the streets. It’s become so over-saturated that we don’t know who is who behind our local decks. Sure once you go on a world tour you’ve made it, but what about the rest of us?

The industry has expanded way beyond the booth and we are here to recognize those who don’t spin on the regular, but still manage to make a name for themselves in the scene. This will be a series dedicated to those who keep it fresh in all aspects of music. Periodically we will do a bit of background on an individual who is sparking their world, gaining fans, and doing something different with finesse and flaire. These fresh freaks aren’t necessarily in the limelight, but they are keeping it real and making this wild world of electronic music what it is today. Look out for trendsetters and tastemakers on the rise – it may be the first time you’ve heard of them but it definitely won’t be the last.

First we go to the Big Apple, NYC, home of the even bigger Brooklyn bass. We introduce you to Mystero, the hype man for the exploding Moombahton producers Sazon Booya. Usually when you hink of a hype man, a dreadlock ridden rasta with a fast paced D&B voice screaming ‘CHEA’ comes to mind. Mystero is NOT that at all. In his own words “Mystereo is Moombahton personified, brought to life at the epic hands of Mr. Vega and SAV (aka Sazon Booya.)” A twist on the classic comic Spiderman villian mixed with the wrestling maniac Rey Mysterio, this masked raver monster can often be found starting dancefloor riots across the US. We caught up with him at a couple of events over the past 6 months and still know nothing about his origins. He’s been spotted on tour with none other than the OSWLA elite but pledges allegiance to the Moombah duo.

Mystero’s wild dance moves and crowd involvement physically get people off their feet. We are not quite sure if he’s is just a super fan or a supernatural creature bred for bass. Either way he is out there making it happen in a way we don’t often see. Keep in mind he may or may not be human, and he seems to suck his lifeblood elixir from bottles and shot glasses. Next time you see him, grab some drinks and rage with Mystereo and Sazon Booya, its always a wild time.

 

Next we’ll head south to the capitol of the US, Washington D.C., coincidentally also the Capitol of Moombahton. But this trendsetter is unrelated to the masked Mystereo. Reed Rothchild is a local Dj, Promoter, and Professional Hater (only serving up the haterade when necessary of course), and is known for throwing events such as moomBACON massive and publishing the always entertaining HeadofRothchild.com. At first read it seems like the site is just designed to point out the imperfections in the scene until you realize EVERYTHING IS TRUE.

Using a team of hand-picked undercover operatives, Reed seeks to unearth the dirty facts about everyone who should not be allowed to Dj. We know you may support the every-annoying PLUR lifestyle but this site is straight up hilarity. To keep it real the HOR team mixes in a bunch of quality underground releases. Their music tastes are in tune with the locality, featuring big booty trap, Baltimore Bass, and the local Moomabah flavor. When asked about the current buzz on big booties in the nation’s capitol, he gave us his most honest opinion:

Booty has been a very hot topic being an election year so my opinion is the more train wreck of a big booty, the better. Although this year the natural “BIG BOOTY” I feel has been over shadowed with twerking. The game has changed now where a girl with less of an ass can hold her own if she can twerk it right.

With a self-proclaimed writing style as ‘Polka-Drumstep-bahton’ his Tucker Max tone makes a knee-slapping read every post. Follow Reed to keep tabs on the latest in the world of EDM Douches.

 

Now we’ll have to get our jet set on, because this next guy can most often be found in the sky riding air waves. As part of the hardest working team in electronic music, The Roadhog serves as tour manager for the one and only Skrillex. Known for his backstage antics, he has to be the glorious epitome of work hard-play hard. We don’t hear much about late nights and trailer debauchery of the Dj aristocracy, but we do know that Hog once narrowly escaped a police citation at Miami Liv nightclub for public nudity below the waist…and you can’t bet it wasn’t his big toe that was popping out to say hello.

Known for the lifestyle of blurry nights and early flights, the Hog rarely misses a connection with 300 shows a year. This guy is a beast, so if you see him in the terminal with Sonny in one arm and Ellie in the other, get out of the way. Next time Skrillex is in town, make sure to spray the Hog man with beer, because chances are he’s thirsty and in need of a shower.

The next stylin’ chick you probably already know, and if not you SHOULD. Yo-Landi Vi$$er of the South African rap-rave crew Die Antwoord, has a style all her own. Her white blonde mullet, flawless complexion and hard mug gives her a demonic allure, and combined with her high-pitched, it all comes together in the sexiest way possible. The group have exploded in the past few years giving Yo-Landi a chance to show the world her outlandish wardrobe and ‘next-level beats.

Before Kreayshawn and the Millionaires Yo-Landi was keeping it real with ZeF Side, the track the seemingly launched them into star status. From shanty towns to main stage, this girl has undeniable swagger that falls somewhere between a trailer and Armani. Peep this freakishly fascinating video for “Fok Julle Naaiers” from Die Antwoord if you haven’t already, and see what we mean by scary-sexy-cool.

Kudos to this stellar crowd of wild trendsetter-tastemakers for keeping our scene ever fresh and ensuring that the party lives on without a single dull moment. Whether they are from the smallest town in the middle of Siberia, or in the epicenter of Times Square, our goal for this series is to highlight the charaters that add a special edge to dance music, all without ever touching a turntable (well maybe not never). Keep your peepers peeled for these trailblazers at a party near you, and stay tuned for more hypers, hipsters, and high flyers in the next installment of Trendsetters & Tastemakers.

 

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