Today we’d like to introduce you to Dj Comp 1.
Dj Comp 1, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a little kid, I would remember waking up in the morning to some good smelling food and the sounds of congas and horns playing as I walked down the stairs. I was raised on Salsa Music and my mom making me dance with her as she cooked breakfast. My parents always emphasized music and art without them even knowing, I think. I went to Woodrow Wilson Elementary School which was located in the Montrose. I was in the music and dance after school program. I was in Choir and also played the xylophone. I remember learning dance routines for school shows and outside performances. Learning dance moved of the time which was 83 and even the square dance. I was trained in piano at an early age, my father bought an organ for me. I would practice all the time. My cousin Hamid was really good at piano and would show me some new tracks he learned.
My family enrolled me in Karate basic YMCA, also played baseball, football and in the swim team during my middle school years. I remember causing trouble with neighborhood friends and a couple of girls chasing me around the playground at school 🙂 Other than that, I had a pretty normal childhood.
In my late teens, I met a guy by the name of Eric, he showed me a couple of DMC Videos. After that, I would practice anytime I could. When summer came around, I would practice all day. Just hanging out with Eric, he introduced and showed me a lot.
I was on the Deep Phat scene at first and met a lot of cat along the way. The crew was forming and Deep Phat was ending. The crew was called Space Crew, the members where Bristle, Ceeplus, Sest, Witness, Me( Comp 1 ) and Caps One. The Crew consisted of Graffiti writers and DJ’s when Deep Phat was over Ceeplus (Eric) started Reprogram. The event moved to a couple of places before we found a home at Zelda’s (Fitzgeralds downstairs). While this was happening Bristle was opening a Hip Hop Store called Still Diggin with Witness helping. I was a Still Digging daily helping and practicing. Sest went to LA for a min and would come back and show us some the sick cutz… And with the help of the crew, I was beginning to sprout.
I eventually entered Mars Dj Competition, the competitors where Baby Jay, Klean Cut, and Me. I came with a heater Method Man Routine and took first place. Soon after that the Mathmatech DJ’s formed. This consisted of Me, Ceeplus, Wintess, and Action Kid. We were cleaning up shop. You could basically compare us the Scratch Pickels or the Executioners of the South. Making Music with all scratches four turntables and four djs.
Before I knew it Reprogram, Space Crew, Still Diggin and Mathmatics were coming to a close. Maybe 1999, Reprogram turned into a promotions company and Reprogram started doing stuff at the place called the Waxx. Man, those were the days. While this was happening Roxanne Looney came into the picture. She was my High School Sweetheart and she would go everywhere with me, help with shows and work the door. In 1997, I through my own show called Project One. I made over $2000, I went straight to guitar center and bought an ASR X. This is where music production came into play. I turned into a beat-making machine. Somehow I got hooked up with this guy named Stress. He was killer with the lyrics and he has a group called Affiliated Intelligence with other Lyricist called Manik and their man Dj Steel. With them, on my beats it just came together. We rocked a couple of shows and had a nice following. The crew performed for a couple of months, mad fun.
At the at time Reprogram was bringing every Hip Hop group that came into Houston. So Mathmatech Dj’s was opening up. You name it Common, De La Soul, Boot Camp Click, I was apart of it. I remember the Executioners were coming down and I was in charge of picking them up from the Hotel. What was funny was that the only ride I has was my Dad’s old school Jeep Cherokee. When the Executioners saw the ride, they were like Wooh… The thought it was nicest ride. So dope, I felt pretty fresh… I really looked up to them because they did what I did, turntablism. But they did not know that this comes into play later. I did not open up for them. But I did open up for plenty of others. Such as Qbert, Mix Master Mike, Dj Swamp and others. I entered a couple of other battles such as Smoking Grooves Tour Battle. I took 1st and got to open up for Cypress Hill at the Relient Center. There was one on Westeimer me Baby Jay, Cosmos. I took the scratch battle. There was another at the Engine Room in December 2001, the Executioners where judging. I took first $2000 and my son was born that night…
Traveling as a kid. My father took us to both Disney’s driving. So I have been all down the coast. I have family in LA, Orange Cove. When I got there, my cousins were breakdancing and everything, so it was cool. As I grew older. They would take me to visit family in Mexico. I had fam in Larado, Monterrey and Mexico City. Las Lomas, Tampico. So I got around. When I got older, I got a job with Mountain Dew. It was basically a FedEx truck that was turned into a mobile party with dj equipment, sound and Mountain Dew… I hit Wisconsin and Chicago. I got married in 2000 and had my son in 2001. In 2005 I started traveling the world with Havikoro. The first country I hit was Azerbaijan (Former Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia, India, Turkey, and Turkmenistan.
Has it been a smooth road?
Must have been in June 2007. Wednesday night. I wen to TOC got lit. Then went to another club. I do not remember the name but they were giving away free shots. After that I do not remember. From what I was told, I hit a barricade in my brand new Volxwagon Passat. I just got it and detailed before the accident. I must have been driving a little fast because I hit the front stairs first and that caused the car to flip forward on to some stars. This caused the roof of the car to be smashed down to the handlebars. This caused head trauma and my right shoulder muscled to be torn. Ended up at Ben Taub in ICU for three days. They had to drill a hole in my head to release blood pressure from my skull. They sent me to Quinton Mease. I was there for a month rehabilitation, I do not remember the first two weeks, but they had to show me how to walk again and work on my memory skills. I know a lot of friends came to see me and or tried. I really do not remember but I did find a notebook where friends signed in. Thank you so much…
While at Quinton Mease, my friends would tell me that I would act so childish. I guess it was the medicine and the drill to the head. My parents would tell me that I wanted to leave so bad. I could not even much get up and I would say I’m leaving. I would blame Colcutz for the bad hair cut the game me… lol. While I am in my room, I keep hearing music and pool balls getting hit. So one day I got up and when to ask the front desk if there was somewhere nearby where I could get a drink and chill out. She looked at me crazy. Then one day, one of the nurses pissed me off and I was like if y’all are not going to let me leave, I am going to get my homeboys to break me out. The day after that, they started giving me sleeping pills.
While I was in the hospital, my mom brought me my laptop with a singular wireless card so I had internet the whole time. It was amazing how much love I was receiving. Houston Hip Hop, I was just in awe when I checked it, people from Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas where all responding. I never knew I had so much impact on Texas. All of social media was overwhelming. As I started writing my thoughts, people would respond true. Houston Press did a write up that involved a lot of quotes from close friends and name from the Houston Hip Hop Scene. All the attention really kept me goin in the Hospital, to try harder and to make it out on top.
After I got out, I had to spend 2 for one in county… (15 days for DWI #2)
I have cleaned up since then, living a healthier, smarter life…
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Moved to California for four years, found a nice job, bought a condo in Anaheim, and landed a radio show on Dash Radio for Delicious Vinyl Radio. M – F / 6 to 8pm CST. I moved back to Houston in 2018, got a banging job. Living the life with 7000 sqft of land and some timeshare access.
Recently I have brought back a previous event me and Craig Long started back when:
THE BENCH @ CATBIRDS EVERY THIRD SAT @ 10PM – https://www.facebook.com/bench.cru.67
https://www.mixcloud.com/comp1/
https://soundcloud.com/comp1
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Like: People
Dislike: Traffic
Contact Info:
- Website: www.djcomp1.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscomp1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djcomp1
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itscomp1
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