J-Million...A Turntable Animator with a Million Dollar Personality and Talent Galore!!!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Artwork by Akuse (J-Million)
It is with great pleasure that we bring to you our next feature artist, J-Million! After working with so many individuals and artists in the music industry, one comes to appreciate the broad spectrum of personalities that exist in the world of music. From Rockstars to Bombshells, to Voyeurs to Promoters...every kind of soul exists and thrives in this microcosm of the Globe. As a reporter and author, I have the privilege of getting to know these DJ's as we collaborate together to bring you their story. It is through this interactive process, in addition to Bios and Survey Data, that a picture is painted of the music soul to be featured. Multiple facets of J-Million's (J-Mill for short) personality rose to the surface as we interacted and they truly beg to be noted in this reflection.
J-Mill is a flexible individual who rides the waves much like a surfer tackles a wave or a climber ascends a summit and he can work the turntable with equal skill and finesse. He tends to take the obstacles as they come and he doesn't appear to get bent out of shape. His waters run deep and it appears as if his inner peace is found through self expression both in music and in visual art. We are thrilled to highlight this wonderful additional visual attribute in J-Mill, which makes him stand out from other DJ's. His artistic ability is well-rounded and not only can he create painterly mixes and mash-ups on the turntable for a frenzied audience, but J-Mill can also master his way through drafting up an animation or characiture for marketing or personal satisfaction. His visual style originates from doodling and sketching, which eventually evolved into some amazing graphic artwork.
Artwork by Akuse (J-Million)
A rather deep and heavy feel emanates from some of his artwork and yet he also has some delightful anime as well. Such diversity is also the case in his mixing. J-Mill is a lively soul behind the decks according to his own personal testimony. He likes to refer to his extra enthusiasm as Hyphy! This innate energy appears to spill forth when he deejays and it's a positive vibe that influences the club patrons who come to be entertained and entertained they are! J-Mill's got a natural sense when it comes to blending sounds, making transitions and pairing music. The interest in music came to this artist from a very early age and has remained with him his whole life. When self expression and the joy of creativity are discovered, it rarely departs from the individual. This is true of J-Mill and he claims that he is full of creative ideas and it is this burgeoning of fruitfulness that stimulates him to self-express. In terms of pegging any one musical genre that J-Mill tends to favor, again he's a painterly DJ who delves into everything! "At home I am always messing around with different off the wall stuff because I love to play rock mixes influenced by new artists that you may or may not have heard of yet." (J-Million, Buzz Exclusive Survey). True artists don't like to limit themselves and this individual definitely falls into that category.
He is versatile over the decks and he likes to be in sync with the mood of the crowd. Just as an image evolves on a sketchpad, so too do J-Mill's sets. "In general I just play from my head to the crowds reaction....It's a mood thing I guess. What are you in the mood for tonight? " asks J-Mill! (J-Million, Buzz Exclusive Survey). This heightened sensitivity to his environment, in combination with a proclaimed drive to be busy, lends itself perfectly to the DJ lifestyle! He is on the go all of the time and he has his creative fingers on the pulse of the club life in San Fran. Having origins in Serbia, J-Mill also possesses some global DJ experience which can be read about in his Bio noted below. This international exposure does appear to give these artists an extra edge when they have worked in multiple countries and continents. They possess a broader perspective of club vibes, patron chemistry, trends and new methods of delivering mixes! It seems appropriate at this time to let you get a glimpse of this multi-talented DJ through reading his responses in The Buzz Exclusive DJ Survey and appreciating J-Million's own words reflected in his Bio.
J-Million's Personal and Reflective Bio
J-Million as a child...feeling the beats young!
At a very young age, J-Million's love for all types of music inspired him to pick up some vinyl and give Dj'ing a try. Years later, he is a premier mixer in the Bay Area, spinning bangin' tunes for packed dancefloors. The art of Dj'ing has taken him all around the Bay Area and West Coast as well as LA, Hawaii, New York, Europe, and many places in between.
DJ J-Million at a Memorial Day Weekend Gig
His intoxicating style of mixing incorporates unique re-mixes laced with Hip-Hop beats, 80's and up-tempo Electro and Dance beats designed to rock any dance floor. (cited from http://www.j-million.com/
Rendering by Akuse (J-Million)
Quoted directly from J-Million: "Just call me J-Mill. I love to do alot of things...maybe too much stuff! My favorite things in life are skating, snowboarding, and looking out at a sea of heads all moving to a beat. Nothing is better than those things. (also see interests) I also love to be around people who keep things interesting and fun. I like to party and you can usually find me with out with my friends getting crazy, handing out flyers, or just gettin' the down low.
You can find me at all the parties rockin' the decks with the coolest crowd. It's either that or MIA so don't be surprised if you don't see me for a while. Oh yeah and I rep. Serbia to the fullest! I can't stand not doing anything(see "Hyphy"). That doesn't mean that I can't sit back and chill, but in terms of forward movement with life and making things happen, you can't just sit around and wait for it to hit you. If you don't do it then maybe no-one will and it will never happen. Or someone else will do it and you will say "Hey that's my idea!" I work like crazy. I have tons of ideas and creativity.
The life I live may be a fast-paced life, but you can't waste the time you have here...or as some say "sleep when you die" As far as where I do my business and live: I live in San Francisco and claim A-town for life. You just wouldn't understand..."
Designed by Akuse (J-Million)
J-Mill's Exclusive Buzz DJ Survey
J-Million - Its a hybrid of my real name Justin Miller, and a friend of my used to call me J-Millionaire so it got shortened for the DJ name.
2. What kind of music do you like to spin?
This question has gotten harder and harder for me as time goes by. I love to play Hard House and Breakbeats, and I guess thats where I really got started playing out. My friend Rigo G pulled me on to this tiny little weekly tuesday about 5 years ago and got me hooked on dropping Hyphy Hip-Hop beats and remixes and I love that too. Lately the mainstream club scene has gotten me hooked on 110 bpm+ dance/mash tracks which is what you will mostly hear me playing (catch the crowd reaction) if you catch one of my live sets. At home I am always messing around with different off the wall stuff because I love to play Rock mixes influenced by new artists that you may or may not have heard of yet. It's a mood thing I guess. What are you in the mood for tonight?
3. What and who are some of your major influences (artists, djs, etc.)?
Adam Freeland, Plump DJ's, Dirty Bird Crew, DJ D-FIB, locally Atimatik, Mei-Lwun, Mario Dubbz, and Sleazemore and alot of bands in the local Indie Rock scene in San Francisco have influenced my taste.
4. Biggest reward about being a DJ?
Making someones night with your music. There is also this buzz you get after a really good night that can't be replaced by any other feeling.
5. Biggest pet peeve about being a DJ?
Drunken requests are really up there...but if you want real talk there are some aspects of the DJ scene that bug me alot. Relationship problems with friends and loved ones and drama that can come out of the scene.
6. What is the best party you have ever spun at?
Boogie Frights 5 - Napa Valley most amazing vibe I have seen in a long time. Packed from the start of the night to the end and it was the product of 5 years of hard work.
7. If you could mix at a club or party anywhere, where would it be and with whom?
Dragonfly, Ontario Canada has been on my wish list for a while. The list is too long for who I would like to play there with, but I guess a few on the top of the list would be Adam Freeland, Evil Nine, MSTRKRFT, or Daft Punk in the Electronic scene. A super big headliner would always be cool. Hmmm...others would include DJ Cobra, Steve Aoki, A-trak, Q-bert...like I said the list is long.
8. In what cities have you spun? Are you a resident DJ at any clubs right now?
I have played in San Francisco, Los Angeles and the IE, NYC, Napa Valley, South Lake Tahoe, Maui, Italy, Germany, and Croatia. Residencies in 2007 - SBC, Annas, Horizon Ultra Lounge.
9. What is the hottest club you have ever been to, either as a DJ or a patron?
Club Best - Croatia. Really good times there, a ton of beautiful girls, cheap drinks and its big but not too huge. Plus the Boat House afterhours near there blew my mind. They were just random as hell and packed!
10. Do you plan out your sets or do you play to the crowd's reactions?
In general I just play from my head to the crowds reaction. Serato has made it really easy to go in with a ton of tracks and just do your thing. To be honest, this year I threw together my first full length "set" that I have been throwing down hybrids of for the past few months.
11. If you could design a club, name three important aspects of it's layout.
1. Great Audio/Visual Systems. I really appreciate good lighting and sound and I think that lighting and mood setting can make an OK set seem epic.
2. A real chill room thats not VIP and is seperate from the main area with some nooks and crannies. (Think back to old school rave days when a chill room meant something...)
3. Friendly and attentive Staff
12. Techno/Trance or Mash-up/Hip Hop
That's not a fair question! Can I answer Techno/Rock/Disco?
13. East Coast or West Coast?
Depends on for what, but I live on the West Coast and the more time I spend on the East Coast the more I appreciate the West Coast weather!
I love PC's, but I use a Mac for mixing and music
15. Top favorite 3 tracks of all time.
Pumpin - Novy and Eniac, Around the World - Daft Punk, Atliens - Outkast!
J-Million!!
DJ J-Million Gittin' Hyphy!!!
CONTACT INFO ETC...
Link to Demo Quick Mix for DJ's to download!!! Check it!:
(Thanxs J-Mill for sharin' your work with your fellow colleagues!!)
Keeping the beat,
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