Rob Pursey – Hip Hop Karaoke/Southern Hospitality
Can you tell us a bit about your background, and how you got started in music and DJing, and putting on your own events?
I really got started in events just by virtue of having more records than most people, being a total music obsessive and working as a music journalist for Hip Hop Connection and a few other magazines. I then got a few DJ gigs with a few friends who were doing cool hip hop stuff like DJ Yoda, Dan Greenpeace etc, and then I was in the game! My love for Southern rap in particular led to me putting on my first events with Rich Firth (DJ Superix) and Tom Hickey in the old days of Shoreditch where we did an event called ‘Crunk!’ (GREAT party) and then shortly after began my brand Southern Hospitality with Superix and Davey Boy Smith. Then starting Hip Hop Karaoke was really what made me become a promoter almost overnight as it was super successful and having a weekly event (thats still running now) I could then take the leap of faith, leave my job, and do this thing properly and do more club events, run new music showcases with Davey Boy Smith at SXSW, take Hip Hop Karaoke to festivals and larger venues.
Which way round was it – DJing that led to putting on parties, or putting on parties led to getting on the decks? How does your experience of doing both change the way you do each of the roles?
I was definitely a DJ/music person first, and an accidental promoter! Having the experience of being a promoter 100% improved my DJing as you have much more invested in the event, and you think about everyone’s fulfilment in a way that you don’t so much when you may just be turning up and DJing for an hour. In fact for years we didn’t had any guest DJs as we had a specific vibe at the events whether it was a Southern Hospitality club event or Hip Hop Karaoke, and the crowd came for that particular inclusive, happy vibe – so we knew we had to control that. When I’m DJing my own events I always have one eye on everything and the mood, taking them on the cliched ‘journey’ lol.
How did you get into radio DJing? How do you find that vs club DJing?
I’ve always dabbled with radio and often used to be a guest on Dan (Greenpeace) and Zane Lowe‘s rap show on XFM back in the day – but in recent years being able to work with people like Soho Radio is a true blessing as they fully support great music and the autonomy to do what you want, so I absolutely love presenting right now. Over the years club DJing has been the most amazing experience at times – especially in the days of early Players Ball – when we were pretty much the only DJs in London playing new regional rap music before everything got lumped in as ‘trap’ and watching that excitement in the club as we broke the new records was priceless. In recent years I’ve enjoyed festival stages more and any opportunity to use the mic and interact with crowd is now my favourite kind of DJing – so radio with the combination of more talk and the music I really want to play is awesome.
You spent some time as a writer over the years, and these days are very active on hip-hop Twitter – do you think its important for DJs to get involved in those sorts of conversations, or at least read up on their scene, as well as hone their DJ skills?
You know what…I think you will always be able to tell a DJ who has lived the music in real life and that counts for the most for me. It’s good banter to have conversations about the music and the culture but as long as someone’s experiencing the music as it should be experienced then I don’t think they necessarily have to be part of the conversation. You gotta have a pretty thick skin to put your opinions out on Twitter these days lets be honest! I just ask that people respect the music – and don’t just be a voyeur or someone who only uses it to get cheap laughs or quick money etc. I love people who have passion and enthusiasm most of all and thats who I try and follow and engage with.
How did Hip Hop Karaoke come about? And can you tell us a bit about your various nights, and how you differentiate them to avoid them clashing with each other?
Hip Hop Karaoke was one of those things I just thought of and unlike a million other ideas I’ve had I just actually did it and here I am over 10 years later! As well as HHK which I host weekly at Queen Of Hoxton and also Boxpark twice a month, as well as events at the Tate Modern etc. I also run an events called Players Ball, Remedy and Rated R. Each one is really a different facet of music i love to hear in clubs. Players Ball is largely a pure rap music playlist with the emphasis on energy and bounce and the rawest records there are, whereas Rated R is an event I host at The Book Club and indulges my own and all our crowds love for R&B where we’re more likely to be two-stepping than turning up all night! Remedy is a newer event with residents like Rae Dee and SmallsTheDJ, alongside myself, and is an all out house party in a club – we go all over the place with that one with the emphasis on fun, sing-alongs and just good vibes.
You have a depth of music knowledge that few do – what are your main methods of digging for new/old stuff?
Thank you. To be honest I just pay attention and when you really love something the knowledge seems to stick. So following good people on Twitter, using the streaming services, visiting record shops, going down YouTube rabbit holes every night, talking to people, digging through discographies on Discogs and also just experiencing it every day like I mentioned earlier. Really there’s no substitute for just being involved in music – like in the same way people who are fashionable (I am not one of them) can pick a dope outfit out where the average person can’t because they just live for it.
How do you cope with the stresses and pressures of a quite unpredictable industry – both in general during normal times, and also at exceptional moments like right now?
Exercise definitely helps and I play tennis as much as I can, and the competitive nature of it switches me off from what I may be stressed about with work. I definitely experience bouts of anxiety due to the nature of the business, but I have some great people to talk to who always give me good advice or may offer a different perspective. Right now It’s definitely an unsure time, but I’m also making the most of spending amazing time with my children which I know will never come back as they’re only getting older – so gotta enjoy that and place that at the centre of everything I’m doing. Also playing great music helps – ha!
What impact do you see the lockdown having on the music people are playing in online sets, and seeming to listen to? Do you think that will make a difference when clubs re-open?
I’d love to think it will make a difference to clubbing in the sense that in recent years the scope of people’s desires of what they want to hear have been limiting, so you never know maybe people will be more open-minded again when they return? I definitely think for all those rap/R&B/afrobeats DJs who’ve been moaning about having to play the same 10 songs each week, they should be using this opportunity to let the world know what really defines them musically. If I see someone mixing Mo Bamba into Sicko Mode into The Box on IG Live I’m definitely logging out ha ha!
What advice would you give a young DJ looking to start a long-term career in music today?
I think it depends what your motivation is. If it’s just to make a ton of money, then I could give a load of cynical advice that I certainly haven’t listened to all the time. However, if it’s to have a long sustainable career, and have an impact and a strong legacy (on either a small or large scale) I think just keep music, and your love for that, at the centre of everything. People will always respect the music people, and I think if you make decisions based on that you will always have good peace of mind if nothing else.
Anything else you want to tell our readers about?
Just that we’ll hopefully be back soon with Hip Hop Karaoke, Players Ball and all our other events – however, in the meantime people can join us on IG Live Every Thursday for our weekly Hip Hop Karaoke ‘Quaraoke’!!! And please check out our radio show The Regulator Show on Soho Radio – it really is for people who love deep dives into Rap and R&B!
Heavy Hits
Rob Pursey’s Lockdown List