Hey, Spinners! For our August Liner Notes member feature, we talked to Sean Burkett, aka, B Sharp. For those who don’t know, B Sharp has been one of the featured DJs at Records & Rarities and we have a feeling you’ll be seeing (and hearing) more of him at both store locations in the future. 😉
Heavy Spinners: Who have been your biggest influences as a DJ (past and present)?
B Sharp: The DJs I have always looked up to are Jazzy Jeff, Skratch Bastid, Boogie Blind, Kid Capri, and Jam Master Jay, but my biggest DJ influence has been my mentor DJ Alizay.
HS: How long have you been spinning records?
B Sharp: This usually surprises people when I tell them, but I have been (seriously) DJing for about 6 years, which is adolescent in comparison to many DJs I have been fortunate enough to spin with. I did spend just over 4 years practicing and studying DJing as a hobby before I seriously pursued it.
HS: What are a couple of your favorite records to spin?
B Sharp: Anything classic hip hop with a “boom bap” feel, such as “Boom” by Royce da 5’9” or “Raise It Up” by Slum Village. I also have a deep love for neo-soul, R&B, and jazz.
HS: Tell us a little bit about Diggin’ Thru the Crates.
B Sharp: DTTC is not just a party but an awesome experience for both myself as a DJ and the patrons. As a patron you are encouraged to bring vinyl that you can give to the DJ to play. Or you can literally dig through the crates that are staged in multiple areas around the venue to find vinyl to bring up to the DJ to play. As a DJ, it challenges you. There are no computers or controllers; it’s DJing at its essence. Additionally, it challenges you because you can’t anticipate what the crowd may hand you to play. You may be playing a DMX track and someone is handing you a Sade album to play next. It’s a vinylhead and music lover’s nirvana!
HS: What’s the raddest record in your vinyl collection?
B Sharp: I don’t have many rare or expensive finds, but I do have some things in my collection that are important to me because of stories or experiences that are attached to them. I have an original pressing of Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key of Life that I found in almost mint condition in a $1 bin! I also have an original pressing of Little Brother’s The Minstrel Show, which is an album that’s a personal favorite of mine and was limited upon release then out of press for many years. It took me almost 4 years to find that one!
** For more on DTTC, check out #digginthruthecrates or follow B Sharp on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/djb_sharp/
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