24 December 2009If you haven’t tried out The Ultimate Disco Experience at Roxy’s, you must be stuck in a retro funk, according to Dubai’s own ‘soul man’, DJ Shaft.
Bringing back the best of 70s disco, Shaft is on a mission to inject a bit of flavour to this town, and he’s got the afro, bell bottom flares and platform shoes to prove it. Check out our psychedelic interview with the man who is all about the love, the ladies and the feel good music of our youth
What compelled you to emulate the legendary Shaft?
I am the legendary Shaft: the long lost love child of Richard Roundtree, the pimp daddy of all big screen detectives and the coolest cat to walk on platforms. Check my birth certificate and you’ll see. My afro looks smaller in that photo though, otherwise we couldn’t fit it all in and I look like a fuzzy box! When you meet me, feel the quality. I am the real deal. The ladies love me, the fellas wanna be me and the bad guys don’t mess with me. Dubai folks will remember eight years ago when I arrived in a blaze of leopard skin. Boogie Nights at Planetarium (now Plan B) was Dubai’s coolest club night for two years. We played one New Years Eve to over 3,500 people. It was very groovy and I got a lot of love. I still do.
How did you get into this business and what would it take for you to walk away from it all?
I was born to a beat. No explanation needed. Dubai is my kind of town. For a while it became greedy and shallow and had no soul. Now the funk is back. People want to boogie again. The disco era is the source of all modernity. People like to party and so this is perfect. Plus the roots of R&B, house, rap and rock are all based in the 70s and so many samples are reused from that era. Every single boy band or wannabe pop idol turns to the 70s first to find their perfect pop song. I have been DJing for more years than I can remember but this music is so infectious, it works on any audience anywhere. As for walking away – I would never really do it. The music brings me bouncing right back atcha. DJ Shaft has a mission – to be on a mission. No one can keep a good man down. Except Mrs. Shaft – my mum.
Do you see yourself infusing soul back into Dubai’s music scene?
Dubai needs me. I’ve been away, but now I’m back. I’ve left my people alone far too long without any ‘Good Times’. We’ve had greed and money at the heart of everything for such a long time, it’s about time we rediscovered love. Letting your hair down and dressing funky is a major part of this. It works perfectly for Batman, so why not? My music is a combination of perfect three minutes pop songs that make you feel good. What’s not to love about that?
Tell us about the Ultimate Disco Experience at Waxy’s. Is it like stepping back in time?
Waxy’s is about giving it to the people. We road tested it for Shaft’s music and they loved it. Tuesdays at Waxy’s is about dressing up in flares, big wigs and getting down to Abba, the Bee Gees and Michael Jackson. It is the perfect ladies night. They love a guy who’s not afraid to show his manhood.
Can you tell us about the latest project you’re working on?
I have been talking about doing a disco compilation for some time now so that should be fun. I am also working on a concept album which involves lots of women. I haven’t finalised the concept, but I’ve already picked the women!
Give us your definition of ‘keeping it funky’.
Keeping it funky is about being as real as you can to your inner child. As long as that inner child has a huge afro, bell bottoms and a medallion as big as a manhole cover.
So do you have a day job?
I’m 100 per cent pure Jamaican rum baby. What you see is what you get. Day job? This IS my day job. Like vampires I sleep all day at the beach buffing up my tan or go for a massage, six hours at a time!
What’s the best part about what you do?
Listening to the cheers when my people go mad for YMCA, I Feel Good or I Want You Back. Each song is like a family reunion and is so infectious, it’s delicious. Oh and the ladies. I love the ladies.
Any advice for young DJ hopefuls out there who want to get into the business?
Get some platforms, loud shirts and big hair and then come on down. The dance floor is lovely.
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