By Shamora Evans
DJ RHIS: Well, my name is Khris Allen aka "DJ Rhis" aka "Rhis" aka "Well, you know"!
SM: THERE WE HAVE IT! (LAUGHS) HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A DJ, AND WHAT MADE YOU GET INTO DJING?
DJ RHIS: Well, it's been about 13 years...My older cousin started DJing, and I love music, so I guess it was just my calling! I mean, music is my passion, and when you find a passion in life, you should stick with it and go all of the way.
SM: NOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE A DJ, YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA ABOUT WHAT KIND OF MUSIC AND SONGS PEOPLE WANNA HEAR. WHAT THREE SONGS DO YOU GET THE MOST REQUESTS FOR RIGHT NOW WHENYOU'RE DOING A SET?
DJ RHIS: Well, I don't really get requests because I keep the hottest sets around!! (Laughs) But, if you must know, I would have to say "Charlie Boy"-- "I Look Good", "Timberland" featuring "Drake" -- "Say Something", and, for the ladies, it's "Soulja Boy", "Donk".
SM: COOL...HAVE YOU HOSTED, OR APPEARED ON, ANY MIX-TAPES OR ALBUMS AND, IF SO, TELL US ABOUT IT.
DJ RHIS: I have hosted four mix-tapes, and I'm working on my own album that's coming in the mid-summer of 2010.
SM: WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A DJ, I'M SURE YOU'VE LEARNED HOW TO READ THE CROWD. WHAT'S YOUR CUE (BESIDES THEM ASKING YOU TO CHANGE THE SONG! LAUGHS) THAT IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO SWITCH THE TRACK?
DJ RHIS: Well, the style that I have is that I never let a song play all the way out...UNLESS it's one of the hottest tracks that's out right now! I really have a good ear and eye for the crowd. A lot of people think that it's just playing music, or putting records or CDs on the turntables, but it's, actually, a lot more than that!
SM: ALRIGHT...MOST DJS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT STICK TO THE ORIGINAL DJ FORMAT, KNOW HOW TO USE TURNTABLES, AND YOU'RE NO EXCEPTION. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST DIFFICULT
PART ABOUT LEARNING TO DJ?
DJ RHIS: The most difficult part is having the energy! I mean, if you don't have the ambition, you will not make it in this game. It's a lot more than just playing music...You have to put in the footwork for shows, have meetings with club owners, schedule dates, take road trips...It gets hectic, but you have to have the energy for it, and you also have to have an ear for music because timing is everything! (Laughs)
SM: WOW! I'M SURE IT'S A LOT TO LEARN BECAUSE THEY LOOK COMPLICATED TO ME...(LAUGHS) NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO RECORD SPINS, WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS 'WINNING' RIGHT NOW?
DJ RHIS: I would have to say it's between "Gucci Mane" and "Drake".
SM: OKAY, SO IT'S BEEN SAID THAT 'TRUE DJING IS BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST'. DO YOU AGREE THAT IT'S BECOMING MORE IRRELEVANT, OR DO YOU THINK THAT THERE'S STILL A PLACE FOR DJS IN THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
DJ RHIS: Well, you know, as time progresses, so do people...DJing will never leave us!! People have just took it from records to computers now. But, I believe that we will always be around! It's two things in this world people need...#1 is a haircut, and #2 is a DJ for their wedding!! (Laughs)
SM: (Laughs) RIGHT, RIGHT...AND YOU ALREADY KNOW I'VE GOTTA ASK YOU ABOUT ARTISTS THE YOU'VE MET OR WORKED WITH, SO LET'S HEAR IT! (Laughs)
DJ RHIS: Okay, okay...It starts with "DJ Juice", DVD Mix-tape Jockey (New Jersey), "P-Cutta" 'Street Wars' mix-tape (New York/D.C area) disc jockey, "DJ Reef" from 'Sound Assassins' (New Jersey), "Mullyman" (rapper, Major League Records) in Baltimore, and I have also did a lot of work with the locals around here.
SM: OH, COOL, COOL...SO, HOW CAN YOUR FANS AND FELLOW 'CLUB-GOERS' KEEP IN CONTACT WITH YOU AND WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON?
DJ RHIS: Check me out at Myspace.com/DJRhis and MySpace.com/DJRhis1. I'm also a part of Facebook. You can find me under "Khris Allen", and I have a Twitter account! For
parties and more info, hit me at (302) 393-1186, or Rhis28@aol.com.
