Davey D is a Hip-Hop historian, journalist, deejay, and community activist. Originally from NYC Davey D moved to Oakland where he was instrumental in helping lay out the prototype for the often copied all hip hop and r&b format stations like NYC's Hot97. Davey D is a graduate of UC Berkeley and has been putting his journalism skills to use for the San Jose Mercury News. Davey D also hosts a weekly Hip Hop/Political TV talk show on Oakland's Soul Beat television. You may have seen him featured in documentaries, magazines, newspapers, videos and TV news shows like; Rap City, Rhapsody, CNN's Talk Back Live, ABC's Nightline, BET Television, VH1 Television, Soul Beat TV, KRON TV, KTVU TV, Bay TV, KPIX TV, KBHK TV, The Tavis Smiley Show, 2Pac'sThug Angel documentary, Straight From The Streets documentary, Oakland Tribune, USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle, Vibe Magazine, Stress Magazine and the list goes on. You may not have even known it was him because you have become accustomed to seeing his famous caricature icon, instead of his real face. Recently he laid off the humble trip and allowed The Source Magazine to feature him as being one of the Top 10 most Influential people in the country when it comes to dealing with Hip Hop and politics.
When I told my colleague, Bitter B who is a wife and mother, that I had interviewed Davey D she informed me that she used to listen to his radio show when she was "growing up" in California. Since she is all grown up now, you might be wondering is Davey D an old dude by hip-hop standards? On the contrary, my conversations with him revealed that he is the optimum age to have witnessed the ebb and flow of hip-hop. The perfect age to chronologically and accurately document the "growth" of this billion dollar cultural phenomena. Most people don't realize it but the "brand " of radio that stations like HOT97 in New York City and others have become famous for and copied, is a format that he and his bay area cohorts had first. The college radio DJ scene of yesteryear is basically what you have now at the dominant brand radio stations of today. An idea that could not be copy written but could be copied without acknowledgement. Despite the innovation that he was part of Davey D remains humble and continues to do the work he loves. Despite his bi-costal upbringing, Davey D realizes that Hip-Hop is everywhere and not just on the 2 major coasts. That is why he can be found everywhere in between, each time we spoke he was doing ground work in some other state. This ground work, Davey believes, requires him to physically be present on the scene, even if that scene is 350 miles away. This sort of dedication is rare in any industry. His passion has carried over from radio, to the web (website DaveyD), to print (SAN Jose Mercury News). And, it doesn't stop with Hip-Hop. Davey D is a political activist which makes him very unique as far as hip hop DJ's go. - Bruce Banter
Davey D and Bruce Banter, just kicking it.
Banter: What's up Davey? Before we start what's up with the Davey D cartoon icon. I like it, but give us the history on that cartoon which has come to symbolize you?
Davey D: Seven years ago a caricature was done of me by a Vallejo cartoonist from the Herald. they didn't do photographs, so he inked me I liked the cartoon so I shrunk it down.
Banter: You have been on the web reporting on Hip Hop for about 8 years. Do you ever grow tired of it? Ever want to quit?
Davey D: Never want to quit but I wish the spectrum would change by that I mean the level of conversation would change. So I leave the gossipy stuff to others. Stuff like who did DMX battle, etc. Their will always be a good portion of people headed to sites that focus on that and looking for those scoops and that's fine but I want to deal with the politics of the business. It works to everybody's benefit in the long run.
Banter: In the new millennium there are a lot of websites pushing out material and news for the hip-hop faithful. Some of them doing an excellent job. Do you ever feel like the hip-hop Internet market place is as saturated as the industry?
Davey D: No because it's not about competition and I don't think you can really change the dynamics of a person by your website. Certain people are looking for specific things only, they browse for certain things, depending on who they are. Where they are at as a person. My boys at Allhiphop.com are doing a good job attracting a faithful market and there are others but its about everybody doing their best to reflect the culture and that can work for everybody.
Banter: I think that people respect what you do because your website is really about content. I am not sure what your I.T. or web-authoring background is, but you seem to avoid all that fancy stuff like "Flash" and glitz. Is that intentional?
Davey D: Actually I just recently added some Macromedia to my site but yes my intent is to focus on content, the significant events of rap and hip hop, so I try to keep it relatively simple.
Banter: Do you manage and update your website by yourself each time because it is constantly evolving, adding new features and experimenting?
Davey D: Yes, it's just me holding it down by myself, doing all the updates for my newsletter and my website.
Banter: That's a lot of work and typing. How has it affected your time?
Davey D: After 8 years it's more like habit but I have developed some Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (ailment of the wrist) from all the typing and writing. And its what I do "so to say how has it affected my time" - well it's what I spend my time doing, so I cant really say its affected my time
Banter: Outside of the Internet and personal contacts, how else do you get information on hip-hop? Do you subscribe to magazines, if so what are they and what magazines do you read?
Davey D: NOT really, a lot of magazines come to me and usually once a month I get a call from one of them because they are trying to get a hold on to somebody.
Banter: They reach you via the radio or via email?
Davey D: Usually email.
Banter: What about your radio audience?
Davey D: That's kind of separate, Personally I never even plug my site when I am on the air. I don't ever want a conflict of interest. I don't use my site to focus on me. I make connections by doing ground work. Ground work is important. Many people don't realize that. The importance of it, it's like a DJ never going to the record store to make the contact. At the height of the dot.com expansion when everybody was surfing and on the net. I was still doing grunt work. By that I mean going to meet people. Going to the under ground hip hop spots. Making the face to face contact even if that means I am driving a few miles to do it.
Banter: Yeah when I first got at you, you were in New York covering the Turn off the Radio campaign, then I tried to finish up with you but you were in D.C covering Anti-war protest and then when I got a free second to holla back you were in Seattle w/Chuck D covering FCC Hearings regarding radio consolidation and the politics behind airplay. Considering that you live in Oakland now, I assume you cover a lot of rap related events events, especially those that involve activism.
Davey D: I drive a lot now. But its all important ground work for me, sometimes I can't simply read about it. It's better for me to be there a lot to do a accurate report.
Banter: So I guess that is the Original recipe or like the KFC formula to your success. Is that the advice that you give to young aspiring DJ's or Hip Hop Journalist or do you simply do that because you are also an activist?
Davey D: Probably a little bit of both
Banter: You said that when you are on the air at the radio station you never plug ( make mention of) your website Daveyd.com. After nearly a decade of reporting your website has kind of turned into a virtual Encyclopedia of Hip Hop history to many, so why would you not mention it on air? Aren't you doing Hip Hop a disservice by trying to be overly humble when corporate rap Disc Jockey's are screwing the industry emphasizing materialism and a lot of self destructive attitudes?
Davey D: If its appropriate I do but when I was coming up I did not because I didn't want it to be a conflict of interest and if I did that I know I wouldn't have done the groundwork but at this stage of the game I will plug my site because it survives outside of the radio station but in the beginning I wanted to maintain my independence- the internet is about communication its not about getting hits about getting the information out to people who need and want to use it. Getting a card from Michael Dyson or somebody is making a connection then when you need an expert in an area you can .... getting the cards from people in person - build around that as a goal.
Banter: How hard is it to maintain friendships in the industry or is it all
business friendships. I recall one time you ran a headline that said
Funkmaster Flex took 35k in payola from KRS1 and played his record only 1
time. Although it was what KRS-1 told you. That is major because it establishes
one face to payola and then it shows its more insidious nature by saying he got 1 spin for 35k. The industry itself is shy about naming who the people
are, that sabotage the music with these sort of tactics. So when a artist implies it or says it that is major (witness the Nas media frenzy,
outburst and then retraction).
Davey D: Well let me say this Payola is often considered B to B (Business to Business) so actually at times it's the label getting extorted for money from the radio station directly to get air play for an artist. The label then jerks the artist so its payola is usually indirect, that's kind of like B to C. (Business to Consumer) which is a more personal relationship and thus less likely to be discussed openly.
Banter: The thing about your personality is that you have a sincere sense of community well being. Real quickly off the top of your head name at least 3 other radio people that you believe also fit that mold of positive hosting and tell it like it is?
Davey D: Dominick Dupree and Steve Harvey's gang.
Banter: Tell us about Oct. 1, 2001. Recently Jeff Chang reported in is his (Can't Stop Won't Stop) newsletter that Clear Channel radio station said they downsized you because your ratings were down but most of us strongly believe it was because of your anti-war posture. You had invited on rapper Boots Riley from The Coup and Congresswoman Barbara Lee who were both extremely controversial at the time. Station KMEL said you had an estimated 562,000 listeners in Fall of 2001, how many did you have in fall of 2000? You never seem to discuss your position on this whole controversy?
Davey D: It was never a ratings thing, it was a suspicious dismissal I can say that much I never coached Barbara Lee into saying this or that and I always had on a guest with an opposing viewpoint. so when it happened so abruptly things surprised me after 11 years .. I went home home dazed.
Banter: What do you think is the case for your dismissal and would you ever work for them again - when I say "them" I am talking about Clear Channel?
Davey D:
Well, I can only say it was suspicious. As far as working for "them"
again. It would depend on factors ex. My Goal Vs their goal - but I wouldn't work
back @ KMEL. To think that after 11 years of service that its just over no good bye, just bye. However, I would work at a Clear Channel owned station
again.
Banter: Now that the Emmis Broadcasting and Clear Channel corporate type stations have taken over radio, due to their ownership of thousands of stations in American cities. It seems that many local artist can't get their music played on air even in their respective areas or regions. This has really hurt California based rappers. In your opinion is there such thing as a national type of "playlist"?
Davey D:
The stations don't list their play-list on the websites anymore but they used to. The evidence used to be there. In Detroit and Chicago you had the stuff
surface first. All the rappers who get played are coming from the same labels like Arista,
etc. Yes there is a play-list but it is hard to now prove that there exist a "national
play-list".
Davey D:
No, actually it works for me. I Synthesize all of the stuff from radio, print and the
website and try to make sure that I can use things in more than 1 plane and use them in different ways. I don't want to try to re-invent the wheel when
I don't have to.
Davey D: No, I am honored but I don't do any of this for recognition or pats on
the back. I am thankful for recognition of positive hip hop reporting but Hip-Hop reporting is what I do.
Banter: Chuck D is a friend of yours and he also seems to be into technology more than most rappers or artist - but isn't he also a business partner of sorts. I was under the impression that Rapstation.com and Daveyd.com are extensions of one another. Can you explain the relationship you two have?
Davey D:
Chuck is like an older brother, a good friend, sort of like a mentor. I was the managing
editor for rap station although Chuck and I are friends, and it was something Chuck paid me for.
"Media Assassin" Harry Allen introduced me to Chuck
D. We were part of a business group that I worked with.
Banter: I travel a lot and I notice all the stations have been consolidated, they
all sound the same all over. On any given night in any given city the biggest stations are all playing the same thing. I am personally convinced
of a national play-list. It seems like the only difference is the shock
jock type of personality that all of them are moving to. In Philly, NY and L.A. they all play the
same tracks by the same artist 50-Cent, J -Lo, Eminem, Ashanti, Ja-Rule, LL Cool J, and P. Diddy,
etc tracks that are playing across the country. Maybe the south is an exception ..but are the radio stations
locking artist out, starving them?
Davey D: I know of groups that sell out shows, 3,000 seat venues but get no acclaim can't get any radio play. I don't know what the justification for holding the artist back is .. I can't understand how that helps anybody. If you are not on a major label it doesn't matter how nice you are?
Banter:
In my opinion rap music in general is in trouble artistically and it is hurting
Hip-Hop but where do you think the industry will be in 5-10 years and where will
Davey D be in 5-10 years?
Davey D: I plan to still be involved in hip hop 10
years from now ... probably in a different capacity but still involved. I have made a commitment to this. I have matured over the years and so has my
relationship with the industry, don't expect that to stop.
