J*9: how did you get into DJing?
Jay Diamond: I started on Pirate Radio station called Unity in Manchester and it developed after that. I started to buy more vinyl, go in the studio practice and play out the occasional night. The show really blew up and I started writing for UK Hip-hop and British Hip-hop. Now here I am in London, with my own show on Rinse.
J*9: Are there any moments that stood out for you when you were at Unity?
Jay Diamond: When Top Cat came through it was amazing, he is an old school artist and is very well respected. Each show is different and met loads of different artists passing through.
J*9: You won a bursary from BBC Urban Music Fund, how has the fund supported you?
Jay Diamond: That was for my music, radio, and journalism. Last year, I took myself to New York and filmed this documentary about hip-hop over there. I came back and decided to move to London and I did loads of promos, I got in touch with Rinse Fm, They gave me a demo show and now I do their Breakfast show on a Saturday morning.
J*9: How do you prepare for your shows at Rinse?
Jay Diamond: Oh god! A lot of the preparation is about finding out about new music and what is good. I am not down with listening to other people’s show and listening to what music they are playing. I like to do things different but it gets me into trouble sometimes. What is a nightmare is organising the music, remembering where I got it from and putting it into different sections. I don’t sit at home practising set for hours; I just get on with it.
J*9: How is your show different from the other DJs?
Jay Diamond: I’m from Manchester it might sound basic, but I feel it makes a huge difference. My approach and sense of humour, the way in which I take the piss and so constantly, people are like you can’t say that. Also, I am not caught up in my ego, I just want to have a laugh; I’m just about playing good music you either like it or you don’t.
J*9: What is the difference between playing on the radio and playing out?
Jay Diamond: There is a massive difference! If people don’t like it they will just walk off the dance floor its in your face like that, they expect to be entertained. I playing according to what they [ravers] are feeling, but that does not mean I don’t play music I don’t like. But on the radio I have more freedom, I can play a hard ass track that you can’t really dance to but sounds top. People are listening for music sake maybe to hear something new or interesting.
J*9: Which is easier to do?
Jay Diamond: Playing out is a lot more exciting, you look in one corner and people are feeling it and look you somewhere else people bopping along. Even if it is the type of atmosphere where people are not going to boogie but are nodding along, that is a job well done for me. But I don’t get to be very experimental. The radio is great I get too interact with listeners on a personal level they can text in, msn and emails. You get to have daft debates about what your favourite sweet was when you were young. Rinse is especially about UK music so it is a good showcasing for up and coming artists.
J*9: Tell me about the documentary you made.
Jay Diamond: Well I wanted to develop my Music Journalism and I had this idea about going to New York and I could not stop thinking about it everyday on the way too work. So I bought my tickets and I went. I ended up in Bedsty, my peeps that were staying in Atlanta was like what the fuck are you doing in Bedsty! I spent a month there and met the most amazing people I went to Chuck D house, met Johnny Juice, Om’mas Keith. In New York I could go to places on my own and gravitate to people to hang with. I thought it would be like that in London, but people are so cold here. New York is much more hardcore than London in many ways. In New York people are interested in because you are something different; but in London something new is a threat.
J*9: How else did the bursary support you?
Jay Diamond: I also used it for my music, I am currently about to release my EP and tracks that had been played on 1Extra which is my soulful stuff. I had some A&R people interested in my Electro material. My aim is to put my music out, some of that money was put aside for production, studio time.
J*9: How hard is to get break in Music Industry.
Jay Diamond: There is music that you love and the there is the Music Industry. If I was strictly Music Industry, I would be playing all commercial music and through that way I would get a gig every night. I am bit daft so I don’t.
J*9: I think it is so important to have that level of integrity.
Jay Diamond: Of course. I can’t remember the last time I played song and I thought I fucking hate it. But I guess that is me being passionate about music. But with some people they are passionate being famous because they are a DJ. With the hip-hop that I play I know there is a place for it and then there are people with no concept and want me to play 50 Cent.
J*9: To wrap up, are there any forthcoming projects that you are allowed to talk about?
Jay Diamond: I am working on some projects around my Electro sound. On the Soulful side, I have a nice response to my song ‘Touch’ and I will be working on my EP. I also want to develop my radio show, I want to start getting guests in and getting some good new music. I am going to do some poetry work, I haven’t written poetry in a while. Just like to keep myself creative.
Images Courtesy of Ben Yacobi
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