Talking with

Chicken George

On December 17, 2001,

A Conversation with Chicken George

How long have you been playing the turntables?

"I've been deejaying for 9 1/2 years. professionally for about 7 years!!"

Did you start with hip hop?

"I started playing hip-hop. it's my first love. i still play hip-hop but i've incorporated other styes of music in my sets."

How has your style changed?

"I wouldn't say that my style has changes i feel as though it has elevate. i've been introduces to so many genres of music through my deejaying endeavors. i was introduced to acid jazz and house music years ago. it ultimately changed the way i view music."

What is your style?

"my style is "versatile" only because i don't get caught up in only playing one genre of music. basically, i playanything that moves my soul. i ALWAYS put heavy emphasis on the music. it should and will ALWAYS come first. i play what i feel therefore, in an attempt to grasp and ultimately captivate the listeners' ears. i like to think that i am creating and experience when i play. music to me is an vehicle which borrows from each other. thus you can have two totally different genres of music that can be though of as musically identical. in other words, groups like digable planets and tribe called quest borrowed jazz samples and then transformed the into something innovative. at that time, you see people going back and listening to the original tracks they sampled from. this is what spawned a rebirth in exploring jazz musicbut for much younger listeners."

What are the musical styles that have influenced you?

"Caribbean,reggae and soca music is what i grew up on because my parent are from Trinidad. i also listened to soul, classic rock, eighties music, early electronica, jazz etc. i was and am still really intoeverything!!!"

What musicians have influenced you?

"John coltrane, miles davis, bob marley, de la soul, stevie wonder and the list goes one and on!!!!"

How did you hook up with the soular grooves collective?

"i knew dj sun and dj theory before i was involved with the radio show. i met dj theory in college (university of houston - downtown). we were both into hip-hop. he told me about this radio show that he was starting with dj sun. i knew sun from when he used to throw the "acid jazz" parties around town. i would go and check him out beacuse he didn't play the same stuff as most of the dj's that i heard out. i listened to the show and was hooked!!!! dj theory invited me as guest to spin on the show and the rest is history. immediately we al clicked!!! maybe because out of no where in the middle of my set i played "baby be mine" by michael jackson. it was crazy but it fit what dj sun and theory were trying to do... play music with jazz, soul and groove influence!! if that ain't soul i don't know what is?!?!?!??"

Where did you get the name chicken george?

"That's a funny story... the name comes from a character on "Roots" by Alex Haley. he was a slave. growing up as a kid i can always remember us having chicken in the yard. i'm from boston, mass. thus, i used to get teased my the local kids. nonetheless, the name stuck with me."

What does it mean?

"To me it means that i asm a "slave to my trade" in that i love what i do and i really work hard at it."

What is the future of turntablism?

What is the future of hip hop?

"Basically i feel that it going to go back to the way that it was when groups like tribe called quest, de la soul, kmd, third bass,
public enemy brand nubian ect. emerged on the scence. they came to you straight with no frills attached. raw!!!! people are gettin fed up with the commercial nonsense that has poisoned the hip-hop culture. just look at mos def and tailb kweli, black eyed peas and dead prez. as i always say "commercial deteriorates the quality of music". people are "waking up" and realizing that the crap that is dominating the airwaves is exactly that...... "crap." "

What is houston doing right now?

"there are and have been people that continue to keep the spirit of hip-hop alive in houston. people like. Cee-plus and Mathmatech Dj's, Sincere, Cipher and Baby Cee to name an EXTREMELY SMALL few. these are the people that i listened to when i was coming up!!!"

How is this different from other hip hop arenas like New York or Los Angeles?

"Houston is an "overlooked" market compared to the other cities. so wedon't stick out in the greand scheme of things...BUT....don't sleep on Houston though. hip-hop is alive and well here. man, just look at what THE K-OTIX have done. they can compete with and of the major group and still shine!!!!!"

What are 10 records that everyone should own?

"this is a hard question so i'll just apply it me!!!!
1) tribe called quest "peoples instinctive travels and the paths of rhythm"
2) miles davis "kind of blue"
3) john coltrane "blue trane"
4) sade "love deluxe"
5) everything but the girl "walking wounded"
6) blackstar (mos def and talib Kweli)
7) LTJ BUKEM "journey inwards"
8) brand new heavies 'heavy rhyme experience"
9) phracyde "bizarre ride..."
10) diamond d "stunts, blunt and hip-hop"

"These are the records that have utlimately affected my life at onetime or another!!!!
It's kinda like when i listen to these i can remember EXACTLY what i was doing a that time.
Where were you when you first hearddela soul "THREE FEET HIGHandRISING"???

Hope this helps man.

Peace"