According to every spy movie I’ve seen, those with a routine are easiest to follow. If that holds true then it’s safe to assume they’d have a hard time locking down on DJ Craze. The Nicaragua-born and Miami-bred DJ first made a splash sweeping turntablism competitions around the world, then took his skills to the dancefloor and turned the international drum n bass scene on its head. Now he’s gone and made a mix for Fabric with tracks representing the old, the new and the not so drum n bass. What’s he gonna do next? Leave Miami? Actually, he is. Our informants across the pond let us strap him down and give him the third degree about that and more…like his mix, which hits stores in the US March 11, 2008.

Speaking of mixes, here’s his Fabriclive Radio Mix.

Track list:
01. Beanie Sigel - You Ain’t Ready for Me - Rocafella
02. Swizz Beats - Money in the Bank - Full Surface
03. Khaled - Holla At Me (Instrumental) - Terror Squad/Kosh
04. Freeway - Lights Get Low - Rocafella
05. Lil Wayne - M.I.A. - Terror Squad/Kosh
06. Breakwater - Release The Beast - Phantom Sounds & Vision
07. Gaz - Sing Sing - Salsoul Records
08. Pitbull - Go Girl - TVT Records
09. Connie - Funky Little Beat - Sunnyview Records
10. Freez - I.O.U. - Streetwise
11. Freez - I.O.U. (Dyce Freestyle’s Death Remix) - Streetwise
12. Shannon - Give Me Tonight - Emergency Records
13. Siedah Garrett - Do you Want It Right Now - Island
14. Armand Van Helden - I Want Your Soul (Crookers Remix) - Southern Fried
15. Sexual Eruption - Sounds Better With You - Geffen/Virgin
16. One More Rainforest….
17. Treasure Fingers - Come True Tonight - n/a
18. M.I.A. - Come Around (ELI Remix) - Interscope
19. The Get Funky Crew - Shake Them Titties - Vision Records
20. Blaqstarr - Shake To The Ground (Claude Vonstroke Remix) - Mad Decent
21. Shala - The Great Chicago Winter (Zebo Remix) - n/a
22. Basement Jaxx - Nifty - Atlantic
23. Craze - Roc Bass 30:50 - 32:04
24. ? - Danca Potranca 32:04 - 32:34
25. Timmy T - Time After Time 32:34 - 34:34
26. Chromeo - Needy Girl (Boy 8-Bit’s Talk Box Dub) 34:34 - 36:33
27. Blaqstarr - All The Girls Around The World (KLEVER SO SO DEATH Remix) 36:33 - 38:47
28. Ocelot - This is Our Time (Treasure Fingers Remix) 38:47 - 40:31
29. Usher - Dat Girl Right There (instrumental) 40:31 - 42:00
30. Timbaland - Bounce (Let Me See Them Titties Craze dub 42:00 - 44:12
31. Green Velvet - Shake and Pop (Hydroz Remix) 44:12 - 45:10
32. Magic Mike - Drop That Bass 45:10 - 47:40
33. MC Shy D - Tearin It Up 47:40 - 49:23
34. Cool Kids - Miami Beach 49:23 - 52:26
35. KP & Envyi - Shorty Swing My Way 52:26 - 54:44
36. A1 Bassline - Girl Thing 54:44 - 57:01
37. Chris Brown - Kiss Kiss (Eli Escobar + Doug Grayson Remix) feat. Wale 57:01 - 60:00

Craze - FabricLive38 Radio Mix

Ok, now onto the interview!

Waxyjax: So listening to the mix–you do what you do best, which is mixing hi level turntablism with danceloor sensibility and genre mixing. I just wanted to know what process you went through in crafting this particular mix.

Craze: With this mix i just wanted to do something different from what I’m known for. I’ve been known for the hip hop/turntablism/drum n bass thing for a while and last year I put out this mix CD through A-Track and Disque Primeur. It was a Miami Bass mix and that went really well so when Fabric and my people got together and asked if I wanted to do a CD I said hell yeah and Fabric said I had complete freedom to do whatever I wanted to do and I submitted a couple tracks…and boom, I did the mix!

W: It’s good to have complete freedom for something that’s gonna be released commercially. Did you guys run into any issues with licensing of any songs? Was that even on your brain at all?

C: yeah, that’s like with any mix CD that comes out on this level. I gave maybe two or three tracklists of what I wanted and some didn’t get cleared and the ones that did get cleared made it. That took a little time, but the tracks that made it I’m really feelin.

W: You did mention that you wanted to want to do something a bit different from drum n bass and hip hop since that’s what kinda built up your reputation back in the day. I did notice Armanni Reign is MCing on it, I also know he [works with] drum n bass djs. Do you plan on collaborating with other drum n bass artists for future projects regardless of what genre it’s gonna be for?

C: Yeah well actually a lot of the drum n bass heads that were making noise in US drum n bass are actually moving onto the whole electro thing right now….like Treasure Fingers used to be apart of Evol Intent, and Ewun now goes by Kill the Noise and they’re making noise now in the electro scene. We’re planning on doing some stuff. Treasure Fingers just got signed to Fool’s Gold. So yeah, I plan on doing stuff with them. Armanni’s a dope lyricist so I’m still gonna be working with him in the future on some different stuff–not drum n bass stuff.

W: Everything seems to be cyclical. What do you think is gonna be the next sound that people are gonna gravitate towards?

C: It’s been electro for a minute. I don’t know what the next thing is, honestly. There’s always something new poppin up. I think people right now are A.D.D. about music. Like something’s dope for a year and then they move on to another thing the next year. I don’t know what’s next, but it’s all moving to the dancefloor, which I like.

W: I like that too. Of some of the genres that got trendy over the past few years. Which ones were you most skeptical about?

C: I knew electro was gonna kill it just from going to a couple parties in the beginning I was like, “Oh man, this stuff is crazy!” The one that I kinda wasn’t into, but now I’m starting to see differently is dubstep.

W: I know Juju [is involved in dubstep]–Was he the one that turned you onto it?

C: He was the actually the first person that schooled me to it. The first time i heard dubstep was at some party in New York about 2 or 3 years ago. It was in a side room and they were going off to it. I was like, what is this? Ya know, I love bass, I love heavy heavy bass. I was at the bar, posted up listening to the music and was like, “Yo, this is like some slowed down drum n bass!”

W: Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. I didn’t pick any up in the current mix. But is dubstep something you might wanna be throwing in any sets in the future?

C: Maybe in the future. I always switch up. That’s part of me. I always like finding new things to get into. But i don’t know, right now it’s not part of my future, but who knows. I like it. Like the stuff that Juju’s doing, I like. So who knows.

W: You mentioned in your press release that you’re gonna be working in the studio with Klever, Killa Kela and Mayday! Is that sound gonna be closer to hip hop or are you gonna mix in some electro and other things?

C: The stuff with Klev, it’s gonna be a mix of what I like. Like the club stuff and a bit of Miami Bass influence, combined with his whole electro crazy madness. The stuff with Mayday is gonna be more hip hop, but [Mayday!'s sound is] hip hop. It’s not golden era it’s more musical. We’re gonna try and make something new. I’m actually working with Bernie, the vocalist, on some freestyle kind of music. Some old school Miami kind of freestyle 2008 kinda vibes.

W: Killa Kella?

C: Yeah, he sent me a track that he wants me to do something over before I came to the UK and I haven’t gone to the studio yet, but yeah. Homeboy is dope! He’s a dope vocalist, he’s not just a beatboxer and that’s what made me wanna work with him. I was like, yo I heard his songs and he got a crazy voice and he got a crazy stage presence. I think he’s gonna be a rockstar one day. Girls go crazy for him.

W: That’s always fun. Do you feel you have to bounce other girls when they’re trying to talk to him?

C: Girls don’t even look at me when I’m around him. I’m like…not there. When he’s in the states I think it’s the whole British thing. He makes girls melt.

W: Yeah, those accents

C: Ha

W: Are you in a relationship or are you free to enjoy your rockstar status when you’re traveling the world?

C: I’m not a rockstar at all! I”m in a relationship. Yeah, I’ve been with my girl for like ten years. I’m on lock!

W: Nice, well congratulations. I know it’s tough when you’re touring to maintain a relationship.

C: Yeah ya know. I lock her up when I leave. I put her on her chain, give her some food.

W: Chastity belt, that sort of thing…

C: Ha. No, I’m just kidding. No, she’s cool. She’s cool.

W: How’s London been treating you?

C: London is great. It’s a little cold but it’s great. The weather ain’t that bad right now actually, it’s dope.

W: How do you like the food and crossing the street?

C: Oh my god, the food is rubbish! Ha! No, I eat anything. I’ve been traveling for a minute. Sometimes I eat for survival, but the food out here is dope. They got all kinds of food!

W: Yeah, they got good international food. I actually kinda like English breakfast.

C: ah I love the beans! I’m all about the beans!

W: Coming from a Nicaraguan background, I’m sure!

C: Yeah! For sure. Rice n beans!

W: Where are some of your other favorite places to tour?

C: I like touring everywhere actually. Everywhere has a little vibe to its own little city. I like L.A., I like Taipei. I like Australia a lot. Australia is really poppin’ right now. I like coming to the UK cuz I feel like I have freedom out here to do just whatever I want to do. Like some places in the States, if you try to get a little creative people are just looking at you like you’re crazy. But out here–well, I mean Europe in general–I have freedom to whatever I want to do.

W: I know that you live in Miami, but is there another city you that would live in if you had the opportunity, or if you got booted out of Miami?

C: I AM getting booted out of Miami! Ha. Well, I’m moving to Atlanta soon… I’ve been living in Miami my whole life and right now Miami is getting crazy with a lot of the insurance things going on and all the crooked politicians out there. So, I’m movin. It’s getting really expensive to live in Miami where it’s never been like that until the last two years.

W: I’ve noticed they’ve been developing a lot of stuff down there and I’ve noticed it’s become a little more saturated with vacationers and Eurotrash.

C: They’re not even vacationing no more, they’re just movin’! Everybody’s moving to Miami. There are buildings all over downtown and it’s getting crazy.

W: So what is it about Atlanta that’s drawing you over there?

C: For what I’m paying in Miami I’m gonna be ballin’ in Atlanta, ha. So that was part of it. Another thing is that Klever’s there, Treasure Fingers is there and those are some of the people I wanna work with. Klever’s been my dog since ‘96, ‘97 and I don’t really have that many people that I want to work with in Miami like that…so I need a new city.

W: Need a little change, that’s cool.

C: Yeah, I need a little change…I’m getting tired of the Cubans!

W: Ha

C: I take that one back.

W: Yeah, you gotta take that one back. Miami’s gonna get mad at you.

C: My girl’s Cuban!

W: Have you been down to Cuba?

C: I have not been to Cuba. I’m scared…I’m scared to show the American passport, ya know what I mean? Ha, naw naw–I’ll go there one day.

W: I definitely know they got a bit of a hip hop scene down there, which might be kinda cool

C: Oh yeah they do. They have a very strong Latino hip hop scene.

W: Would you consider doing some stuff a little closer to the Latino roots as far as using the Spanish language a bit more, or just using more traditional sounds?

C: Yeah, the kind of Miami Bassish kind of freestylish stuff I’m making right now is definitely gonna have a Latin feel to it cuz that’s what I grew up on. I always try to incorporate all kinds of sounds when I’m making beats–so yeah.

W: What kind of sound is your dream sound that…you’re finding to be a bit challenging at the moment.

C: I like the production in Merengue, cuz it has really dope sub bass and horns and congas and all that stuff. The instrumentation in Merengue is dope. I would like to rent out some of those players and tell them to go crazy on my beats. I love it. The basslines in Merengue and Salsa are crazy.

W: you did mention that you grew up listening to Merengue and Salsa from your parents. How do they like the music that you’re playing?

C: Well, my mom. She’s kinda older. I remember listening to 2 Live Crew when I was in middle school in her car…and she would just bug out. She knew English…I mean “Pop that Pussy” would come on she would just look at me like, “Uh uh–you gotta turn that shit off!’ and I was just like, “Oh, woops.” They really didn’t understand when I was into the whole drum n bass thing. They were like, “What is this? Are you on drugs? What’s wrong with you?”

W: I guess they just respect what you do, but aren’t quite jumping around like all the kids are on the dancefloor.

C: Yeah, they’re not really up on it. They’re old school.

W: I know you also mentioned that you were influenced by your older brother. Do you bounce any ideas off him when you’re making music?

C: Not now, he’s into the real estate game…He gave up music a long time ago.

W: So he’s responsible for making Miami more expensive then.

C: That’s him! He’s responsible for my house. He told me everything was gonna be all good and everything went up! I’m makin him sell my house and I’m makin’ him buy my new house…well I mean finding it and taking care of all the contracts and all that.

W: With Atlanta as a base, are you going find yourself trying to fly down to Miami more often or are you still gonna try to focus on spreading yourself out internationally once you’re over there?

C: I’m always on the road and I’m always traveling. I’m pretty sure when I move to Atlanta I’m gonna have a residency in Miami. I started a residency right now twice a month. I’m doing a 90s party.

W: A 90s party? Oh, that’s awesome.

C: Yeah, more RNBish–ya know what I mean? That kind of vibe. Not just golden era hip hop stuff.

W: What would be an example playlist from your 90s party?

C: Anything like SWV, Total, Xscape. Things like that. En Vogue, RNBish kinda vibes!

W: Oh dude, that’s like some of my favorite music.

C: Ha. Well, ya gotta fly down to the party!

W: Ok, give me all the details! What club? What day?

C: White Room on Wednesdays. It’s gonna be nice.

W: Alright, I’m making a mental note right now so…

C: Whenever. You’re invited. Just come check us out.

W: I do have one random question. I know you were in the Allies, which [was] just a really great DJ crew. If a network were to approach you to make a reality show competition to find a new Ally, how would you want to set up that show?

C: That would be an awesome show…cuz we’re a bunch of nutcases.

W: Do you have any inkling to enter any sort of turntablist contest at this point in your career?

C: Yeah, somebody asked me about that. I think if the money was right. Like if Tony Prince came out [with] a 40 grand purse I’d definitely do it. I still got the love for it and I still got the ideas, it’s just the time won’t allow me to do it cuz I’m trying to work on music and turntablism, when it comes to battling, it takes ALL your time. When I was battling I’d wake up and think of things I would do, I’d practice like a monster. It’s like anything, like runnin’ or whatever sport your into–you gotta dedicate a lot of time to it and I don’t have that time anymore. Cuz back then I used to live with mommy. I didn’t have to pay mortgage, I didn’t have to do bills and all that stuff.

W: So now when you wake up what’s the first thing that you think about?

C: Bills! Ha. Naw…I wake up, I take my daughter to school, come back, do a little bit of bills, get on the Internet, around 11ish/12ish I get into the studio and vibe out and just try to get creative.

W: Right now you’re working in a studio in Miami, I’m assuming?

C: Yeah

W: And then when you’re up in Atlanta, you got a little place set up already?

C: My studio is gonna be in my house. I built a little studio at my crib so when I move to Atlanta I’m gonna make sure they have an extra room for a studio

W: I guess for all the production nerds out there–what kind of setup do you have in your studio?

C: I use Logic, I’m still on 7.9. I have a bunch of outboard gear that I don’t even use. When I first started getting my studio built in 2000 I was just like, “I want that, I want that, I want that, I want that” but I didn’t know how to use anything. And then I figured out later on that everything is in the computer and I didn’t need all those keyboards and I didn’t need all this other stuff. So yeah, just Logic 7–that’s all I use.

W: Do you try to incorporate any live instrumentation into what you’re doing right now?

C: I will, it’s just that I don’t know that many musicians in Miami and I’m not really good on the keys, I don’t play guitar or nothing like that. I can bang on the drums–but that’s about it.

W: What sort of process do you and Klever go through when you’re making music?

C: Just vibe. There’s no “this is what we’re gonna do, this is what we’re gonna aim for” it’s just “let’s do it, let’s go, let’s go in, let’s try to make it happen.”

W: Are you guys in the same room, or do you guys IM each other with tracks and go back and forth?

C: Well, we just started workin’ on some stuff right now. I went in first. I laid down a beat. He heard it and he’s about to do something on it hopefully today or tomorrow. We worked on music before, but that was more like a scratch thing. We made all the beats for this CD called Scratch Nerds and it was the same kinda thing. He would wake up at my crib, bang out some beats, I’d go in and throw a bassline and that was a rap.

W: Are there any producers you’d like to work with in the future? Any dream producers?

C: Dangerhands, Timbaland, I’m not feelin’ Neptunes no more. Ha. Sorry, just not. I ain’t dissin’ Neptunes! I think A-track’s killin it right now. His production is steppin’ up to a whole nother level. I could make that happen! Maybe Quincy Jones one day! I mean, all the people I wanna work with are my boys so I’m blessed in that.

W: Have you been approached by some other artists, and have you bitten with any of their proposals? Or are you just trying to keep it within your smaller circle of friends and collaborators?

C: Well, I haven’t really been known for production so not that many people have approached. I’ve been approached to try to collaborate on stuff, but not [for] production production.

W: Do you mind if I ask you some random questions?

C: Go ahead–I love random questions!

W: Who do you want to become president for the next election?

C: I’ve been watching crazy movies so I feel like it doesn’t matter. But I would love Obama to win. He doesn’t have the experience, but homeboy just talks really well! I hear him talk and I see him speak and he makes me believe in whatever he’s saying and I like that cuz we’ve had an idiot for 8 years. I just want somebody who can talk and make me feel like, “Sure you might mess up the world, but you look good talking.”

W: Well, there’s something to be said about an inspirational person leading the country.

C: Yeah, for sure. Especially for us. We look bad. Everywhere I go we look bad. It’s like, they look at our president and think that’s how we are.

W: Do you find yourself having to be a bit of an ambassador to the States when you’re in other countries, trying to set an example?

C: No, I mean when people start dissin’ Bush I’m right there with them like “Fuck that fool, he’s an idiot!” I’m not gonna apologize for him, he sucks.

W: Let’s talk about the CD. You’re crossing all genres. If you wanna say one thing that’s gonna get people to buy the CD and send it to their grandmother–

C: Their grandmother? Ha–

W: –What would you wanna say?

C: If you give it to your grandmother, she’s gonna party her ass off. Hopefully she won’t pass out and I think she’ll have a great time listening to this CD. It’s a good listen!

W: Yeah, I definitely agree. I’ll definitely come down to the White Room on Wednesday sometime and I’ll sing along to every song.

C: Awwwwwwwwwww yeeeeeeeeeah! You can make requests, too. It’s all good!

FABRICLIVE 38: Craze

Track list:
01. Craze – Intro Ft. Armanni Reign - Craze
02. N.O.R.E. – Set It Off Ft. Swizz Beatz and J. Ru$$ - Babygrande
03. Cool Kids – I Rock – Chocolate Industries
04. Cool Kids – Black Mags – Chocolate Industries
05. Bangers and Cash – Loose – Downtown
06. Tuff Crew – My Part Of Town - Warlock
07. Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme - Universal
08. Miami Jam Crew – Pretty Girls – Midtown
**. DJ Blaqstarr – Shake It To The Ground Ft. Rye Rye (Acapella) – Mad Decent
09. Lushus – Ho Fo Sho - Craze
10. The Beat Club – Security - Warners
11. Chromeo – Bonafied Lovin’ (Eli Escobar Remix Ft. Pase Rock) – Back Yard
12. Treasure Fingers – Cross The Dancefloor – Treasure Fingers
13. DJ Blaqstarr – Supastarr – Mad Decent
14. Coldcut – True Skool Ft. Roots Manuva (Switch Remix) – Ninja Tune
15. Earth, Wind and Fire – Brazilian Rhyme - Sony
16. Armand Van Helden – I Want Your Soul – Ministry Of Sound
17. Debbie Deb – When I Hear Music – Pandisc
18. Magic Mike – Magic Mike Cutz The Record – Cheetah
19. Quadrant Six – Body Mechanic - Atlantic
20. DJ Laz – Red Alert – Pandisc
21. Fresh Celeste and M4 Sers – Give It All To Me – JR Records
22. Bangers And Cash – Shake That - Downtown
23. The Pase Rock – Lindsay Lohan’s Revenge (Klever Remix) – Fully Fitted
24. Kazey & Bulldog – Big Truck – Dress-2-Sweat
25. The Chemical Brothers – Get Yourself High (Switches Rely On Rub) – EMI
26. Kid Sister – Pro Nails Remix feat. Kanye West – Fools Gold
27. DJ Assault – Pushin’ (Deekline, Wizard & Freq Nasty Mix) - Rat