wordplay: DJ Elroy

Colorado nightlife is a constant ebb and flux of names and places. Trends come and trends go; DJs are a dime a dozen, most club nights are a flash in the pan, and a new generation of punters has reached that tender age in which clubbing becomes a near religious obsession. In the past, the only certainty was that drinks were overpriced and women were trouble (or was it the other way around?) My bar tab and the handprint on my cheek are both stinging reminders that some things never change.

In early 2007, however, the gods deemed it time to break the shackles of inconsistency and cast together two of Denver's most intense jocks – DMX and Diabolic. As D.Unit, they are Denver's deadliest deejay duo, each with enough history to impress even the most jaded clubbers. Both veterans of the Mile High City's underground music culture, they've seen plenty of action in the trenches and have recently united to create an unstoppable musical dynamo.
 DJ DMX (not to be confused with the hip-hopster) is the 303 Collective’s original bad-boy. He has been representing Denver for over two decades, twice placing among the top 3 in the annual USA Nightclub & Bar Spinoff, winning Faderwars in 2000, and most notably being on the only DJ crew from the region to represent at San Fran’s “Love Parade 2004.”  His partner in crime, DJ Diabolic, lives by the philosophy that deejaying is more than just “spinning records.” He comes armed with hip-hop infused breaks and bangin' house as well as a veritable arsenal of turntablist tricks and scratching.

Their mission is simple – to usher in a new era of deejaying by increasing interest in the craft as well as breathing new life into the music and more energy into live sets. By shaking off the “human jukebox” misnomer/stigma and giving new meaning to the term performer, D.Unit is waging war on the currently accepted pop-culture drive-thru DJs.

I dropped by the basement of Bruise Clothing for a training session and got to see just what all the hype is about. After my eyes adjusted to the insanely orange walls I sized up their workstation and found an eclectic mix of old and new: Turntables side-by-side with CDJs, multiple mixers with FX, and of course crates of music. They got right down to business, kickin' the set off with some funk and old-school B-boy cuts and droppin' right into the mix with some bangin' breaks and house...

Afterwards we talked a bit about the scene and where things are headed.

IMAGE: Describe the Unit in one word:
DMX: Real. We ARE the real deal.
DIABOLIC: Fun. We're all about having fun and enjoying ourselves on stage so you can enjoy yourself on the dance floor... And when we see people having a good time we can feed off that energy and put it back into our music. It's like the Circle of Life or something...
IMAGE: What is it that makes D.Unit stand apart from other DJ teams?
DMX: For starters, we're more than just “the man behind the curtain” so to speak...
DIABOLIC: We really try to bring new things to the tables. I don't DJ – I perform. It's great when people say they love our music, but it's even better when they tell us how much they love watching our sets!
DMX: After our show you'll know what the term “mannequin DJ killer” really means!
IMAGE: And as a whole, is the scene getting better or worse?
DMX: Depends how you look at it. If you can 'bring the funk' then keep it going...But there are so many kids nowadays who pick up a “DJ in a Box” kit and think they are superstars... Most don't have the motivation or patience to hone their skills and it's a big part of why a lot of people see DJs as “tools of the music” and not the other way around.
DIABOLIC: Well the music has definitely improved! As for the scene itself, electronic music is all about pushing the limits and trying new things... exposing different elements. Kids aren't willing to put themselves out there like that anymore...
IMAGE: Any parting shots for the masses?
DMX: If you are in the scene for the right reason - namely Music - then we're with you all the way. If you're in it solely to take [drugs] and not give back [to the vibe] you may need to rethink your priorities.
DIABOLIC: Whatever you do, do it safely - we'll see you on the dancefloor!

June 16th @ Solar Fest

myspace.com/DUnit303