Native Threads Artist Profile: DJ ABEL
D.J. Abel grew up on the Dine Reservation in the small town of Ft. Defiance Arizona. Coming from a musical family, Abel followed his love for music at an early age, beginning piano lessons at the age of 8, and taking up guitar at age 12. He quickly learned to read and write music and began writing and composing original songs by the time he started high school. Always a rocker, it wasn’t until Abel went to college that he discovered the hip hop culture. He expressed himself through break-dancing and graffiti tagging, before finally ending up on the turntables. “I moved to Phoenix to pay my dues and earn some on-the-job credentials in a ‘real’ hip hop scene,” Abel recalls.
Battling to the Top
Constant battling and competition among other Arizona DJ’s, as well as putting his own signature mix CD’s in circulation, quickly earned Abel a reputation as a highly skilled battle and mix DJ. Abel’s battle techniques would take him across the country to various competitions, eventually capturing the title of Arizona’s top battle DJ. Along the way, he emerged victorious in some epic battles, including the Arizona Guitar Center Spin Off, the Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution Battle, Oklahoma’s Culture Shock and the first annual Power 92 (Phoenix’s Primary hip hop radio station) DJ battle. Winning the Power 92 battle landed Abel a slot opening for Xzibit, Dogg Pound, Ja-rule, and Jay-z. The show was later credited with attracting the world’s biggest crowd for a single DJ Battle.
Taking it to the Airwaves
With major concerts and battles under his belt, Abel landed a job mixing for Power 92’s “Friday Night Flavaz” show. Mixing underground hip hop, the radio exposed DJ Abel to an even wider audience, as well as recognition as coveted radio mixing DJ. With the credential Abel needed he and his friend DJ Element (who he had met in a DJ battle) formed a new business venture, Versatile DJ’s. Recruiting the best DJ’s in Arizona, Versatile DJ’s are among the most respected DJ crews in the world.
Going Global
Abel has been on tour doing shows from Los Angeles, to New York City and has also performed internationally, in Germany, Canada, and Switzerland. He has held numerous house gigs in clubs throughout the Southwest. Not one to get stuck in the same groove, Abel applied his talents and skills to a wide variety of music. He has recently been working with musicians from different genres, including hardcore heavy metal, R&B, hip hop, and reggae.
In 2003 Abel’s contributions to Red Earth’s “Zia Soul” (Reggae band from NM) album helped the band earn a Nammy award in the best world category. His vast knowledge of music and mixing skill has secured gigs ranging from Rock and Roll festivals to the most hardcore of hip hop shows, a rare feat for a turn-tablist. As a result, he has garnered the respect of musicians, producers and fans in both the hip hop and rock communities. Abel has numerous mix cd’s available.
Native Exposure on the Web
Aside from his work as a musician, DJ Abel founded and is the current CEO of the online music resource called “Dine Underground.” “The Dine Underground is an online resource that exposes native musicians to the world. It’s basically an alternative site that showcases more modern and urban native music rather then new age, traditional or stereotypical native music” says Abel.
Solo Album Coming Soon
Currently, Abel is back home on the Dine Reservation collaborating with numerous musicians on his debut/solo album due to be released in 2004. He says he will lay down some of his own guitar and piano tracks, in addition to showcasing his skills as a DJ. “I want to produce everything on the Rez to prove that great things can come out of Indian Country. Hopefully, the album will inspire native people and open the minds of people who doubt the talent that lurks in their own backyards.”
Favorite Drink: Pepsi or Iced Tea.
TV show: "Who’s Line is it Anyway?".
Sports: Baseball (favorite team has to be the Chicago Cubs).
Favorite Movie: HUGE STAR WARS fan, ScarFace, and the Godfather
Role Model: Mother and Sister.
Marital Status: Still Single.
Favorite Band: Korn, Guns N Roses, and Outkast.
Favorite music: Always been rock music, hip hop and dance music has always been second.
Favorite Gig: Would have to be a two way tie between the Hip Hop Theatre Festival in Manhattan New York, and the NCAI honorary banquet in Albq.
Check DJ ABEL here…
www.myspace.com/djabel
www.21native.com/djabel
www.dineunderground.com
Email DJ Abel: tribalfunk801@hotmail.com
Abel Rocks the Vote: |
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Click here to open the DJ Abel MP3 Player.
Track listing:
1. Squaw Dance Intro- Abel Remix *
2. Give me Tomorow - Tactile the Rhymechild
3. Walk on By - Quese the Imc
4. Hey Ya Hey Ya - Av8 breakbeat
5. All my relations Snip- Drew Lacapa
6. Day to Day - Brodhi
7. Red Delicious- Red Earth
8. Vibe- Shatta I
9. I'm the Lucky One- Tru Rez
10. Basket Dance hip hop rmx - Abel Remix
11. Broken Arrows- Brodhi
12. Hear Now- DJ ABEL *
13. Soveriegnty B side intro- Mark Trahant
14. Take Back- Quese IMC
15. Soveriengty pt.II -mark trahant, George W. Bush
16. I know what you mean- Tactile the Rhymechild
17. Keepin it Alive - Supaman
18. The Arrival - Maniac
19. Sovereignty Pt. II- George W. Bush, Mark Trahant
20. It is what it is - Rass Kass
21. Unique- Anasaz
22. Call me a Savage- Nightshield
23. Make em clap to this Native Remix (Harmony song)- ABEL REMIX *
First ever all Native Hip Hop Mix CD
Visit the SWAG page to purchase this CD.
Hear more DJ Abel music at myspace.com
www.myspace.com/djabel
*Produced by DJ ABEL. All songs incorporate Acoustic Instruments. Hip Hop, Rock, Punk, Rock, Traditional are all represented on this album.
Abenaki, Algonquin, Apache, Arapaho, Atsugewi, Beothuk, Blackfeet, Caddo, Cahuilla, Catawba, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Chickasaw, Chinook, Choctaw, Chumash, Comanche, Creek, Cree, Crow, Flathead, Gabrielino, Hopi, Houma, Hupa, Huron, Inuit, Iowa, Iroquois, Kickapoo, Kiowa, Kumeyaay, Dakota, Lenape, Mahican, Mattole, Menominee, Miami, Micmac, Miwok, Modoc, Mohican, Mohawk, Mohegan, Montagnais, Mojave, Narragansett, Navajo, Nez Perce, Nunavut, Ojibwe, Ohlone, Omaha, Oneida, Osage, Otoe, Ottawa, Pawnee, Penobscot, Peoria, Pequot, Plains Indian, Pomo, Poncas, Potawatomi, Powhatan, Pueblo, Quapaw, Seminole, Seneca, Shawnee, Sioux, Shoshone, Taos, Timbisha Shoshone, Tolowa, Tonkawa, Ute, Wampanoag, Wailaki, Wichita, Wyandotte, Yokut, Yorok, Yuchi, Zuni