10 Questions with DJ Ian Head
For the first instalment of our 10 Questions With series, we linked up with DJ Ian Head for a relaxed chat about music, digging, and the journey that’s shaped him as an artist. From early exposure to jazz and classical records in Portland, Oregon, through to formative hip hop moments, beat-making, and deep crate-digging roots, Ian reflects on the sounds, scenes, and records that have stayed with him over the years. We also touch on equipment, collaboration, AI in music, and a few essential listening recommendations along the way.
For anyone who might not know you yet, who is DJ Ian Head, and where did your journey begin?
My name is DJ Ian Head. I grew up listening to my mother play classical piano and Scott Joplin in Portland, Oregon. As far as hip hop, I remember watching the public television show, 3, 2, 1, contact, and there was also a magazine for 3, 2, 1 contact. And in that magazine there was an article about break dancing, and I remember that being kind of my first interaction with hip hop culture.
Which artists, DJs, or records have had the biggest influence on you over the years?
Here's a couple tidbits I would say that A Tribe Called Quest is pivotal in my life, their music, and everything, especially the Low End Theory album. When that came out, when the Check the Rhyme video came out. I would say the Kenny Dope Nervous Mix tape, that blending of classic records on the nervous label was super important.
What's been your evolution musically with equipment? What did you start on and what are you using now?
So I'm an old computer nerd. I started out on Cool Edit, shout out to Peter Quistgard. I did own an MPC 2000, like 20 something years ago. It was great, but it didn't let me make beats in quite the way I wanted to. And so I've stuck with Reason, a couple different MIDI controllers and the latest version of Cool Edit, which is now Adobe Audition. So that's how I make all my beats if I'm not using some live instruments now and then.
Your first hip hop beat that you made, that made you feel like this is something you want to keep doing.
This question makes me think of a very early beat I made in college where I took the drums from Ohio Players, I think it's Payne, and looped them over a slowed down sample from this Star Wars Ewok 45. And there was a classic freestyle session in my dorm room with Omega Jackson and Subtext rhyming over that beat, over that loop. And that was, I think, an important moment of early beat making for me.
You and Verbal Math created some legendary recordings with your group Dabin. How did you guys meet and how's the work ethic between you?
So I met Verb through fellow friend and MC Subtext, who is also featured on the Brooklyn Nostalgia EP. And we kind of immediately formed a friendship around not just hip hop, but records, collecting records, digging for records. And so that's why we kind of came up with Dabin as a group name and kind of as a central focus. And yeah, we did a lot of music back in the two thousands. And then life happened. And we are still good friends. Try and see each other once or twice a year, and I'd say I spend a lot more time digging for records and talking politics these days than recording music. But maybe there'll be something new in the future, hopefully.
How do you feel about AI generated beats and samples being spotted from AI generated bots?
I think AI is really scary and generally trash. I think that the idea of using a mastering new technology in ways that are creative is pretty fundamental to hip hop itself, but I don't think AI is really in that realm because it's really just copying styles and things that other people have done. And so that's not really new or creative. If it's just mimicking and copying things that other people have already done, that's not the same as sampling, like taking a sample and doing something new with it. That's just taking a style and mimicking it and then having people take credit for that as if it's something original. So yeah, and then these really rich guys are getting lots richer by selling us and pushing AI. So not a fan of AI at all.
Can you give us three random hip hop albums that you can listen to all the way through without skipping a track?
That's a crazy question. Without skipping one track is hard. Here are three: Digable Planets Blowout Comb, De La Soul Stakes is High, and I would say the first Blackalicious EP, not a full album, but it's classic.
You've lived in New York, Portland, and California. Is there a preferred area for community digging and hip hop artistry?
I don't have a preferred city or area. I think there's amazing community and artists everywhere in every city. I also lived in Philly for a year back in the day as well. So I don't have a preferred area. There's amazing people, amazing records all over the place. But I would definitely shout out Portland for having some of the best record stores out there in my experience.
What are you digging into musically at the moment?
I mostly listen to jazz these days. I'm trying to grab all the Masaru Imada albums I can afford. I love Joe Bonner and there is some amazing new artists, Cosmic Tones Research Trio out of Portland is incredible. Go pick all their stuff up.
Could you put us up on or shout out any artists who you think are putting out some great music but deserve more eyeballs?
So I definitely would urge everyone to support Albina Music Trust. It's not just a record label, but it's doing amazing things in support of the black community out in Portland where I grew up. I would also say go pick up anything Sly Fifth Ave does. DJ Center I mentioned before, and his label Push the Fader. Raffi Bushman put out some amazing albums, digital and vinyl. There's a duo out here in LA called Ohma, OHMA, and then I'm always checking for anything my friend and record mentor, Jumbo, the Garbage Man does.
Check out DJ Ian Head's latest EP, Brooklyn Nostalgia, now available to stream in full on your preferred streaming platform, or to download digitally from our Bandcamp store.
