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Friday, January 4, 2019

93-Year-Old DJ Art Laboe Spins Oldies to Connect Inmates and Family

Art Laboe

Art Laboe
Art Laboe in his Palm Springs, California studio. (Credit: AP)

After 75 years on the air, legendary radio DJ Art Laboe still resonates with listeners. The 93-year-old currently hosts a syndicated oldies show on 93.5 KDAY in Los Angeles.

According to NBC Southern California, Laboe “credits one group of listeners for keeping him on the air after 75 years: family members who want to send messages to loved ones in prison.”

Every Sunday on The Art Laboe Connection Show, the Palm Springs-based DJ asks family members to call in to make dedications to inmates in California, Arizona or Nevada.

“I don’t judge,” Laboe told The Associated Press. “I like people.”

Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake City, Laboe grew in an Armenian American family during the Great Depression. He attended Stanford University and served during World War II. Eventually, he got a job as a radio announcer at KSAN in San Francisco.

However, it Laboe’s tenure as a DJ at KXLA in Los Angeles that gained him fame. NBC writes that “Laboe was one of the first DJs to play R&B and rock ‘n’ roll in California and is credited by scholars for helping integrate dance halls among Latinos, blacks, Asian Americans and whites …” His show became the city’s top radio program.

Laboe has maintained a fan base over the decades, especially among Mexican Americans. In the 1990s, he started getting calls from inmates’ family members. Current and former gang members are some of his most loyal listeners.

In 2015, iHeartMedia’s KHHT-FM (92.3) canceled Laboe’s show after the station switched to a hip-hop format, sparking protest. Laboe later returned to the airwaves on KDAY.

Related: This 82-Year-Old Dumpling Maker Is Now a Professional DJ

| DJ Culture
Art Laboe, Radio,
Friday, January 4, 2019

Must-Play Tracks for the Weekend: Jan. 4


2DLQTZ. (Credit: Karlo X.)

Future – Crushed Up
The first single off the Atlanta rapper’s forthcoming album.

Major Lazer & The Partysquad – Original Don – 2DLQTZ Baile Funk Remix
The group’s timeless anthem gets transformed into a baile funk heater.

O.T. Genasis – Bae – Serg Sniper Hype Intro
An exclusive edit that samples Saweetie and London On Da Track’s “Up Now.”

Ashanti – Happy – Kris Kross Amsterdam Remix
The R&B singer’s 2002 hit receives the moombahton treatment. (DJcity exclusive)

Featured on DJcity earlier this week:

– Ricky Martin – Maria – DJ Silence Remix

DJcity’s weekly picks are selected by Kidd Spin. To receive them via email, click here.

Related: Must-Play Tracks for the Weekend: Dec. 21

| Tracks
New and Notable Tracks,
Thursday, January 3, 2019

Consejos y Trucos: Review del Controlador XDJ-RX2 de Pioneer DJ

Pioneer XDJ-RX2

Luis Martínez revisa el controlador todo en uno XDJ-RX2 de Pioneer DJ. Lanzado en el otoño de 2017, el RX2 hereda una serie de funciones del controlador NXS2 de la compañía y es la versión recargada del sistema independiente XDJ-RX. Miralo arriba en el episodio de esta semana de Consejos y Trucos de DJcity Latino.

English translation (traducción en inglés):

Luis Martinez reviews Pioneer DJ’s XDJ-RX2 all-in-one controller. Released in Fall 2017, the RX2 inherits a number of features from the company’s NXS2 controller and is the follow-up to their standalone XDJ-RX DJ system. Watch his review above on this week’s episode of DJcity Latino‘s Consejos y Trucos.

Related: Consejos y Trucos: Cableado Para DJs Neo de Oyaide Serie d+ Review

| Videos
Consejos y Trucos, DJcity Latino, El Arte de Ser DJ, Pioneer DJ,
Thursday, January 3, 2019

Ricky Martin’s ‘Maria’ Remixed by DJ Silence: DJcity Exclusive

dj silence

dj silence
DJ Silence (Source: Facebook)

Dutch DJ/producer Silence has delivered an upbeat, Latin house remix of Ricky Martin‘s 1995 hit single, “María.” His version maintains some of the original vocals while adding a tribal and Dutch house-influenced drop.

“María” appeared on Ricky Martin’s third studio album, A Medio Vivir. The track peaked at No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and made the top 10 in over a dozen other countries.

Silence’s version follows his remix of the Fugees‘ “Ready Or Not,” which was one of the most downloaded tracks of November on DJcity.

Preview the track below and download it exclusively on DJcity.

Follow DJ Silence on Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, and Twitter.

Related: Le Boeuf Remixes Ashanti’s ‘Rock Wit U’: DJcity Exclusive

| Tracks
DJ Silence, DJcity Exclusive, DJcity Latino, Remix, Ricky Martin,
Thursday, January 3, 2019

Watch Chris Villa’s ‘Trends Mix’ for January 2019

Chris Villa

After taking time off to prepare for the Red Bull Music 3Style IX U.S. Finals, DJcity’s Arizona representative Chris Villa is back with a new Trends Mix. He performs a routine using three tracks from DJcity Trends, two throwbacks, and one classic TV theme song.

Tracklist:

1. Too Short – Blow The Whistle – Acapella
2. Andy Griffith – The Andy Griffith Theme
3. John Hartt ft. Too Short – Whistle – Instrumental
4. DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Cardi B, & Ozuna – Taki Taki – Acapella
5. DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Cardi B, & Ozuna – Taki Taki
6. N.O.R.E. ft. Nina Sky & Tego Calderon – Oye Mi Canto – Acapella
7. J Balvin – Reggaeton – Da Phonk Re-Drum

Follow Chris Villa on Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, and Twitter.

DJcity Trends is a monthly collection of tracks intended to help DJs discover new and buzzing club tracks. The songs are hand-picked by influential DJs from around the world.

Related: Watch: Chris Villa Drops Routine for Serato

| DJcityTV, Mixes, Turntablism, Videos
Chris Villa, Trends Mix,
Thursday, January 3, 2019

DJcity UK’s Most Downloaded Tracks of Dec. 2018

Below is a list of the most-downloaded tracks on DJcity UK during December 2018. This list contains many deep house, UK funky, house, and hiphop tracks that may not be on other DJcity charts. To receive these updates via email, click here.

 
Related: DJcity UK Top 20 – Nov. 2018

| Charts
DJcity UK Top 20,

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