2023 MUSIC M*A*S*H CHALLENGE - DJ Monopoli

• OFFICIAL RULES
Students must compose a 6 minute "party rocking" set that features at least 6 songs from multiple genres. Using a scale from 1 to 10, judges Rob Swift and DJ Mike C will evaluate each competitor's ability to connect their playlist in a way that's seamless, creative, fun to listen to and constructed with the following techniques - Dropping, Mixing & Scratching.

Rob Swift
Seamless 10
Creative 9.5
Fun 10
Total: 29.5
Comments: With regards to SEAMLESSNESS, let's start with the intro. Monopoli drops my voice (which he ripped from one of my tutorials) and adds in words from a YouTube interview of mine courtesy of MASH-UP AMERICANS to give a cohesive explanation of what he's about to do without ever talking into a mic. It was Chuck D that coined the phrase "DJs speak with their hands," and Monopoli did exactly that. What's more, he could have easily edited the dialogue in the intro in a way that allowed him to just stand in front of the set and mouth the words we hear, but he's actively pressing cue pads, manipulating the Control Records, etc., to enhance the rhythm of what we hear being said. Monopoli even times his launch of the "Soul Sister, Brown Sugar" horns on a "3", to my voice which is void of a drum beat he can follow, so that the "1" drops right after we hear me say, "LET'S GET TO IT!" That's a level of meticulousness that the average person wouldn't appreciate unless it's laid out for them the way I'm doing here. Then, to transition into the testosterone filled "Ante Up" beat only to mash it up with a girly Britney Spears is the epitome of Yin and Yang. Seconds later Monopoli is mixing the Rock spirit of Disturbed with the R&B/Soul energy of Stevie Wonder. It's this kind of boundary pushing CREATIVITY that characterizes Monopoli's set from start to finish! Lastly, watching Monopoli is super FUN. Not just because of his showmanship, but because he's active on the turntables. We constantly see him making micro adjustments on the vinyl and macro adjustments on the Turntable's pitch control so it keeps the tension (in a good way) flowing between what he's doing and how we're monitoring it all go down.

Mike C
Seamless: 9
Creative: 9
Fun: 9
Total: 27
Comments: Monopoli put together a really well composed set, and kept it moving at just the right pace. He showed that he could bust some cuts and juggles, but sprinkled in just the right amount instead of overdoing it. And of course he played a bunch of fun joints that'll make people smile. Britney over "Ante Up" had me laughing right away. Good set!

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