Profile DJ RB-NYC

RB-NYC is an artist whose armed with a distinctive mix of urban music from penetrating hard house anthems, to behind-the-back turntablist hip-hop throwdowns, to sexy dancehall riddims as well as a roots based dose of his own ethnic vibes. His explosive, live sets have been heard in major nightclubs across the US from The Century Club in Los Angeles to Club Bleu in Detroit to the legendary Club Roxy in New York City.

As a founding member of The Dhol Collective, a New York based group of musicians and producers who merge the traditional sounds of Punjab - with western percussion, electronics, and turntablism, RB-NYC always strives for originality and pure creativity in everything he does. Having shared the stage with T.O.K, Kevin Lyttle, Wayne Wonder, DJ Skribble, and Bikram Singh, a live set from RB-NYC is truly unforgettable experience.

FUNDAMENTAL
WHAT TYPES OF MUSIC AND ARTISTS INFLUENCED YOU WHILE YOU WERE GROWING UP?

RB-NYC
I was heavy into Tribe Called Quest/Brand Nubian/Cypress Hill/Wu-TangClan/Naughty By Nature and some of the other groups from the 90s hip-hop movement, such as Black Moon. I was also and still am a very big fan of house music from the Masters at Work, Armand Van Helden, Victor Calderone and my favorite producer/dj of all time, Roger Sanchez.

FUNDAMENTAL
I HEAR THAT YOU ALSO PLAY INSTRUMENTS. WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY?

RB-NYC
I play an indian drum called the "Dhol", which is a two sided drum, consisting of a bass and treble. The drum is played with sticks and can be heard alot in the music that comes from Northern India.

FUNDAMENTAL
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF MUSIC AND THE ARTISTS, DJ'S, AND MC'S THAT ARE OUT THERE.

RB-NYC
At least for the hip-hop industry, I think the music right now is less conscious of the social issues that are surrounding us today and is more about clubbing and dancing and just having fun. There are very few artists that actually have a message in their music but I'm sure that will change soon because people can't keep shakin their asses forever. There used to be more of a balance before, but now it's a bit more one-sided and people are still talking about the same things they were 5 years ago. Music in any shape or form, has to evolve and move forward and hip-hop for one, has been pretty stagnant lately. On another note, I notice that music itself, no matter what genre, has been blending alot lately where other cultures and languages are entering the world of "mainstream" music which is cool for me at least, being of Indian origin. It was very cool to hear a traditional Panjabi(North Indian) song being played on mainstream radio.

FUNDAMENTAL
DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE AS A DJ/PRODUCER AND YOUR STYLE WHEN IT COMES TO FASHION.

RB-NYC
My style as a live DJ is to bring just raw energy to the dancefloor, cuz ultimately no matter what anyone says, a DJ's gotta make the crowd bounce.

When I'm not spinning live, I like to work on my scratching techniques and I also like experimenting with different styles of music, blending worlds together to further the message that music has no boundries. My style as a producer is a bit more laid-back and less geared for the dancefloors. Most music that's made for the club is very straightforward and loud, and I want the music that I produce and create to be appreciated while you're actually listening to it, rather than just moving to a loud beat with some catchy hooks in an overcrowd, sex-driven nightclub. My style when it comes to fashion is FUNDAMENTAL, simple as that. Keeping the raw, honest vibe is close to my heart in everything I do and FUNDAMENTAL is what it's all about. I love your clothing line and everything you guys stand for.

FUNDAMENTAL
YOU ARE TALENTED IN THAT YOU ARE NOT ONLY A DJ BUT ALSO A PRODUCER... TELL ME ABOUT ANY PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN OR ANY PROJECTS THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

RB-NYC
I haven't quite established myself as a producer yet, but I'm currently working on my debut album which will consist of alot of different tracks. The project is literally going to be a combination of everything in music that has influenced me from the day I was born. I'm working with a few up and coming MCs from New Jersey and hope to re-create some of the raw hip-hop sound that I grew up on.

FUNDAMENTAL
WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE FOR RB-NYC

RB-NYC
I don't know. Let's wait and see what happens. Hopefully, I'll be at my album release party in early 2006, rockin some new fundamental gear, sippin on single malt scotch, while people bop their heads and appreciate the RB-NYC experience.