We had a chance to catch up with DJ LEAD and DJ ENUFF of HOT 97 during their promotion in Japan for the big launch of the brand event in Tokyo this year.
HOT 97 SUMMER JAM for the first time ever will cross borders out of America and launch their first ever global event in Tokyo at Zepp Tokyo in July 29th (Fri), 2016.
We put the spotlight on the two to ask their thoughts about this big moment based on their several perspectives.
Before getting into HOT 97 SUMMER JAM TOKYO, we need to talk about the mother event in New York. What has changed over its history of 23 years and what hasn't?
DJ LEAD: I haven't seen the whole history so I'm going to talk about my first encounter with HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. I remember going there for the first time in 2007. It was the first big music festival I ever went to in my life. I remember going there by car, and when the stadium entered my sight I was just outdone by its scale. The stadium fits 60,000-70,000 people and the energy was just insane. But one of the most memorable moments about HOT 97 SUMMER JAM was that the DJ time was not seen as a transition to pass time but as the glue to hype the crowd more between sets.
And to actually be on that same stage by making my HOT 97 SUMMER JAM debut in 2007 was an unforgettable moment. I never thought the day would come that I would actually be the one standing on the main stage. It'll be my third time this year and I'm really excited.
DJ ENUFF: For me HOT 97 SUMMER JAM, it’s changed in the sense we way look at artists because of the internet and our phones. Intitally when it first started, artists lived literally in the backyard of New York City but as time changed when the music moved it doesn’t make a difference cause the one thing that didn’t move and stood still was the excitement. Not even knowing who’s gonna be built on HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. People would be buying tickets not based on who was gonna be there but just because of the HOT 97 SUMMER JAM name. That was amazing.
And in terms of change, something that has changed for the better is the outside festivals portion of the concert. It wasn't always the outside. The last few years have been incredible because the acts outside have just been as good on the inside, sometimes they say even better. But overall I think it’s a great balance. It reminds me of individual DJ and artists who fight to get on that HOT 97 SUMMER JAM main stage. Me and DJ Lead discussed this matter about how last year Travis Scott and Fetty Wap were on the mainstage and fast forward a year, they are now superstars. It’s all so amazing.
Do you think HOT 97 SUMMER JAM is a career moment for artists?
DJ ENUFF: I don't want to say this to be braggadocious but there is something about New York when it comes to the radio stations, people and the industry. This has also been proven in history.
As I said before, I hate to be braggadocious but that's how it feels. Say for instance, MC hammer was the biggest artist in the world and he was No.1 everywhere else except New York and I remember him being addresed in an interview like “Whatcha gonna do Hammer now, they say you not bumpin in New York” , and you know i think it's still that same thing.
But artists blow up whether its New York, California or Phili but it’s Hip-hop at the end of the day and the excitement is supposed to be for the consumers, those who go to the concert. I think that factor that exciting factor the element of surprise of hoping to see if your favorite artist feature is going to be displayed on this show to night is the most important. There are a whole bunch of features such as Chris Brown with this, Rihanna with this person, Drake with this person but a lot of the times the artists are not there but at HOT 97 SUMMER JAM they are always there. Almost 99% of the time I would say they show up. That excitement probably only happens at the Grammys get that if that. But even that if it's watered down it's not HOT 97 SUMMER JAM.
What's so special about HOT 97 SUMMER JAM amongst all the worldwide festivals?
DJ ENUFF: There’s so many festivals. But in HOT 97 SUMMER JAM the energy and vibe is on whole new level. There’s people who co-tail outside the stadium and they cook and party. It’s just parties outside. It becomes this yearly event. Even the people taking the train to HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. They have parties regardless of the place, on the car, on the bus and they just jam it out like it’s crazy. It’s so hard to explain.
DJ LEAD: I remember even if you hire taxis you never get back with your mates. That's how crazy it gets.
Also another thing I remember is the difference of energy when you compare HOT 97 SUMMER JAM to usual concerts. Concerts usually start off with catchy and mellow tracks but not at HOT 97 SUMMER JAM.
I remember ENUFF telling me to play dirty tracks right from the beginning during my 10 minute DJ Time and the crowd actually turnt up.
Why did you decide Japan as the location for the first launch event outside of the United States?
DJ ENUFF: I think first and foremost the perception is that people here love western culture to a certain degree. Throughout the years of hip-hop, DJs coming to this country, the foundation and the base of it was always pure and honest. And I think our relationship between the Heavy Hitters, DJ LEAD, and Japan so it was almost a no brainer for us. Out of all the countries why not Japan.
Do you feel the popularity of the hip-hop scene amongst young people here in Japan?
DJ ENUFF: I think for us we are starting to feel it through social media now that involves a lot of engagement. Small examples would be that I have more Japanese followers now who might be LEAD’s friends or people I met in Tokyo or Osaka clubs. The point is that I see a bunch of DJs and artists and I see their timeline and it’s like we family.
Initially as big as it might be, I want to make sure we can send the message over to young kids how important it is to us. With the way information comes in so fast today we just don’t want them to take it in and get rid of it and out.
How did you think of the reaction of the Japanese crowd from the countdown parties in different prefectures?
DJ ENUFF: I think the promotion was good branding through selling t-shirts and seeing happy faces of fans taking pictures and photos. This is just a taste of what’s coming because once the artists comes and other DJs from HOT 97, when we all get together it’s gonna be massive and great. I think we gonna make history.
DJ LEAD: I think it was a great success. I got to work with people I hadn't worked with before because the scale was so big for this project. It's not just a party. The build of excitement shows how much effort each person puts into the work.
Can you share with us any lineups? (The 1st Phase lineup has been announces on June 17th as PUSHA-T & Fabolous)
DJ ENUFF: Its always we don’t share that part. It’s honest. Always been a secret that sometimes we don’t even know although god knows how long I’ve been there for. I don’t want it to be spoiled becuse they want to cotninue with the element of surprise. It can happen within 5 minutes of someone going on stage. But no matter who it is, it’s gonna be a beautiful start and an amazing foundation so it can just get bigger.
DJ LEAD: This year is only a kick off event so the venue is quite small. 3000 people capacity. So it won't be as big scale as the one in New York but I think we will be having some big artists that are more worthy than a 3000 people capacity.
Do you view any overlap between the motto of Heavy Hitters and HOT 97 SUMMER JAM making its launch in Tokyo in terms of spreading new talent and brands?
DJ ENUFF: Hmm that’s a good question. I think for me it’s like the way I carry myself with my DJ crew and the way I carry myself with my job is two different things. But they can work side to side with each other.
For me and DJ LEAD my advice for him is to remain true to himself cause I think he is responsible as a gatekeeper. He doesn't represent not only Heavy Hitters, but also Japan and also HOT 97. So when you bring all those brands together under one umbrella it’s like oh my god he’s on the major radio station in New York, he’s part of HOT 97 SUMMER JAM in New Yotk and now in Tokyo and also he’s part of a DJ collective that means a lot.
Heavy Hitters was more of a brotherhood, a connection. It was like how do I connect the dots between New York, Tokyo, Osaka, Chicago, LA, Bangkok, London, Paris, Puerto Rico and so on. My old ways of thinking was before we had smartphones so it was all based on relationships. It was like thinking what my brothers and sisters do in these countries so when I come in your town let me know what’s happening, give me education, let me know what artist is making noise, let me know what songs doing best, let me know is there any way I can cooperate your music with mine, let me know if some of your fashion is going to cross over with mine and we do that interaction collectively as a unit. So say for instance, I might look at him and be like what shoes are you wearing?
What is this t-shirt? I know it may sound silly but when you have family and friends, you can be like DJ LEAD shops there etc.
But back to the concert and the brand, it’s important for a person like LEAD to actually take the lead cause he knows the country and he knows the brand. But I think honestly there’s some real responsibility behind it. There needs to be a little bit of protocol because a lot of work that we put in, we want to make protection.
What were some of those challenges of bringing HOT 97 SUMMER JAM to Japan?
DJ ENUFF: Venues, like where to actually hold it. And also how popular hip-hop is compared to pop culture, like as if it is still considered underground or if it is it big enough.
What's your perspective of the hip-hop scene in Japan?
DJ ENUFF: I think it’s good but it needs more cross brid. What i mean about that is for things to make sense. Like you look at the greatest collabs in history and you look at all the different kinds of artists and as long as it feels honest and true, it transcends into the audience. That is what the scene is supposed to be about.
Now this is the hard part because DJ LEAD has to pick the right music for his country, for hip hop and for HOT 97. How does he do it all in one without turning down the people in New York, anybody in HOT 97 radio? So he has a challenge. He has to be able to balance. If he plays a Japanese song people might be, I don’t understand Japanese, what is this? In other words, sonically he might have a challenge in front of him.
Not an easy task but fun with the way the world is moving today because people are open to him.
How do you view that specific challenge that ENUFF just mentioned?
DJ LEAD: In my image, I've had experience playing at Harlem Saturdays and Feria that both attract very different crowds. For instance, Harlem Saturdays had lots of black people so I knew instantly they would love my HOT 97 New York style so I would merge them with club style tracks. On the other hand, Feria had lots of foriegners so I would link the hip hop tracks with EDM tracks.
So I've had this base of coping with different audiences prior to HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. Plus it's been eight years since I've been part of Heavy Hitters and so I've had the luxury to learn a lot from ENUFF by just pure observation and I've inputted that in me. I've also showcased my sets on mixclounds and soundcloud so I guess the experience and base I've built has also worked on my confidence. I just think I have to do what I always do and everything will be just fine. It's just the scale that will be bigger. The core doesn't change.
We recently had Public Labo Block Party with YG and Skepta in Tokyo as a hip-hop esque party. What do you think SUMMER JAM TOKYO will have compared to this?
DJ LEAD: SUMMER JAM is all about that New York feel so we hope to encorporate that as much as possible but with a tint of Japanese-ness. Public Labo Block Party I actually had the chance to go to and the DJs were great, the sun was shining and the location was awesome too. But you can't really compare the two because HOT 97 SUMMER JAM is different. It's a festival from New York. So we hope to bring the staff from New York and make sure the launch event reaches to the foreigners who live in Japan so we have a true diverse crowd. We are putting a lot of effort in promotion too.
DJ ENUFF: DJs are gonna help with it for sure. Maybe some of the way the festival stage will be set up. I think Carl Freed, who owns Summer Jam, I think he’s smart enough to know how to put his show on. I think the order and the way you mariante it is important. It’s not rocket science at the same time, so it’s just our formula. I think the DJs and small acts in between are the glue to it all.
What DJs should we be on the look out for?
DJ ENUFF: Good question. DJs on HOT 97 or in general?
Let's say HOT 97 DJs.
DJ LEAD: Me?
DJ ENUFF: Yeah you of course. You don’t count cause you right here. (laughs)
He’s popping now. He’s on his way. It’s all about his style. He’s white, he’s Russian but he has major respect from the Black and Spanish guys. He’s going to be on l Love & Hip Hop and he does Jersey and New York clubs too. He DJs on night and talks during the day. Guys, watch out for Drewski.
What about artists in general?
My son likes Made In Tokyo. There’s just so many young artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Migos so many people making songs. But for us we have to play the most commercially successful songs and sometimes the Internet and people don't like it but it’s the radio business.
Look at our biggest artists. It’s always gonna be Future, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, Young Thug, Fetty Wap, Beyonce. So anybody that comes is really up against them. So for instance now Rick Ross comes, he has to have a good record. It’s all about owning as much real estate as possible based on per song.
Which song is better than that like is Rihanna’s ‘Work’ better than Beyonce ‘Hold Up’ record, or is Future’s ‘Wicked’ record better than Drake’s ‘On A Wave’ record. That’s just how the game plays so it has nothing to do with us personally. It’s based on what the people vote. That’s not Summer Jam or Heavy Hitters business so we have to separate the two. The radio business and between that DJ Lead could sneak in a Japanese artist and I could sneak in a brand new record but then when I’m done I need to go back playing the hits. That’s just how it is, its politics.
So that's a wrap to our interview with the two biggest influencers of HOT 97: DJ LEAD and DJ ENUFF!
We thank the two for sharing their time with us and we can't wait for the first big launch of the event in Tokyo! Cast your eyes below for more event info and ticket info!
Also exclusive special message video by PUSHA-T and Fabolous for the fans out in Japan!
Ticket Sales End at June 21st 23:59 sharp!
Ticket info - English
https://t.livepocket.jp/e/summerjamtokyo
Official Website
http://hot97summerjamtokyo.jp/index.php
HOT 97 SUMMER JAM for the first time ever will cross borders out of America and launch their first ever global event in Tokyo at Zepp Tokyo in July 29th (Fri), 2016.
We put the spotlight on the two to ask their thoughts about this big moment based on their several perspectives.
Before getting into HOT 97 SUMMER JAM TOKYO, we need to talk about the mother event in New York. What has changed over its history of 23 years and what hasn't?
DJ LEAD: I haven't seen the whole history so I'm going to talk about my first encounter with HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. I remember going there for the first time in 2007. It was the first big music festival I ever went to in my life. I remember going there by car, and when the stadium entered my sight I was just outdone by its scale. The stadium fits 60,000-70,000 people and the energy was just insane. But one of the most memorable moments about HOT 97 SUMMER JAM was that the DJ time was not seen as a transition to pass time but as the glue to hype the crowd more between sets.
I'll never forget that moment of how the 10 minutes of a DJ time could pump up a crowd so much.
And to actually be on that same stage by making my HOT 97 SUMMER JAM debut in 2007 was an unforgettable moment. I never thought the day would come that I would actually be the one standing on the main stage. It'll be my third time this year and I'm really excited.
DJ ENUFF: For me HOT 97 SUMMER JAM, it’s changed in the sense we way look at artists because of the internet and our phones. Intitally when it first started, artists lived literally in the backyard of New York City but as time changed when the music moved it doesn’t make a difference cause the one thing that didn’t move and stood still was the excitement. Not even knowing who’s gonna be built on HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. People would be buying tickets not based on who was gonna be there but just because of the HOT 97 SUMMER JAM name. That was amazing.
And in terms of change, something that has changed for the better is the outside festivals portion of the concert. It wasn't always the outside. The last few years have been incredible because the acts outside have just been as good on the inside, sometimes they say even better. But overall I think it’s a great balance. It reminds me of individual DJ and artists who fight to get on that HOT 97 SUMMER JAM main stage. Me and DJ Lead discussed this matter about how last year Travis Scott and Fetty Wap were on the mainstage and fast forward a year, they are now superstars. It’s all so amazing.
Do you think HOT 97 SUMMER JAM is a career moment for artists?
DJ ENUFF: I don't want to say this to be braggadocious but there is something about New York when it comes to the radio stations, people and the industry. This has also been proven in history.
It’s like when you haven’t been co-signed by new york it doesn’t mean anything.
As I said before, I hate to be braggadocious but that's how it feels. Say for instance, MC hammer was the biggest artist in the world and he was No.1 everywhere else except New York and I remember him being addresed in an interview like “Whatcha gonna do Hammer now, they say you not bumpin in New York” , and you know i think it's still that same thing.
But artists blow up whether its New York, California or Phili but it’s Hip-hop at the end of the day and the excitement is supposed to be for the consumers, those who go to the concert. I think that factor that exciting factor the element of surprise of hoping to see if your favorite artist feature is going to be displayed on this show to night is the most important. There are a whole bunch of features such as Chris Brown with this, Rihanna with this person, Drake with this person but a lot of the times the artists are not there but at HOT 97 SUMMER JAM they are always there. Almost 99% of the time I would say they show up. That excitement probably only happens at the Grammys get that if that. But even that if it's watered down it's not HOT 97 SUMMER JAM.
What's so special about HOT 97 SUMMER JAM amongst all the worldwide festivals?
DJ ENUFF: There’s so many festivals. But in HOT 97 SUMMER JAM the energy and vibe is on whole new level. There’s people who co-tail outside the stadium and they cook and party. It’s just parties outside. It becomes this yearly event. Even the people taking the train to HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. They have parties regardless of the place, on the car, on the bus and they just jam it out like it’s crazy. It’s so hard to explain.
DJ LEAD: I remember even if you hire taxis you never get back with your mates. That's how crazy it gets.
Also another thing I remember is the difference of energy when you compare HOT 97 SUMMER JAM to usual concerts. Concerts usually start off with catchy and mellow tracks but not at HOT 97 SUMMER JAM.
I remember ENUFF telling me to play dirty tracks right from the beginning during my 10 minute DJ Time and the crowd actually turnt up.
You can tell how true Hip-hop lovers unite at HOT 97 SUMMER JAM.
Why did you decide Japan as the location for the first launch event outside of the United States?
DJ ENUFF: I think first and foremost the perception is that people here love western culture to a certain degree. Throughout the years of hip-hop, DJs coming to this country, the foundation and the base of it was always pure and honest. And I think our relationship between the Heavy Hitters, DJ LEAD, and Japan so it was almost a no brainer for us. Out of all the countries why not Japan.
You guys are great people, you guys are polite, and on top of it I think you guys respect the honesty of it the pure integrity of it and you guys know what’s real. So why not here.
Do you feel the popularity of the hip-hop scene amongst young people here in Japan?
DJ ENUFF: I think for us we are starting to feel it through social media now that involves a lot of engagement. Small examples would be that I have more Japanese followers now who might be LEAD’s friends or people I met in Tokyo or Osaka clubs. The point is that I see a bunch of DJs and artists and I see their timeline and it’s like we family.
Initially as big as it might be, I want to make sure we can send the message over to young kids how important it is to us. With the way information comes in so fast today we just don’t want them to take it in and get rid of it and out.
That’s because with this particular brand of hip-hop we hope they could take it in live with it and understand it and throw it out and take it in again. Because it’s so much legacy in it. We don’t want for you to just look at it for 2 seconds and forget about it. That’s just my thought process.
How did you think of the reaction of the Japanese crowd from the countdown parties in different prefectures?
DJ ENUFF: I think the promotion was good branding through selling t-shirts and seeing happy faces of fans taking pictures and photos. This is just a taste of what’s coming because once the artists comes and other DJs from HOT 97, when we all get together it’s gonna be massive and great. I think we gonna make history.
DJ LEAD: I think it was a great success. I got to work with people I hadn't worked with before because the scale was so big for this project. It's not just a party. The build of excitement shows how much effort each person puts into the work.
Can you share with us any lineups? (The 1st Phase lineup has been announces on June 17th as PUSHA-T & Fabolous)
DJ ENUFF: Its always we don’t share that part. It’s honest. Always been a secret that sometimes we don’t even know although god knows how long I’ve been there for. I don’t want it to be spoiled becuse they want to cotninue with the element of surprise. It can happen within 5 minutes of someone going on stage. But no matter who it is, it’s gonna be a beautiful start and an amazing foundation so it can just get bigger.
DJ LEAD: This year is only a kick off event so the venue is quite small. 3000 people capacity. So it won't be as big scale as the one in New York but I think we will be having some big artists that are more worthy than a 3000 people capacity.
Do you view any overlap between the motto of Heavy Hitters and HOT 97 SUMMER JAM making its launch in Tokyo in terms of spreading new talent and brands?
DJ ENUFF: Hmm that’s a good question. I think for me it’s like the way I carry myself with my DJ crew and the way I carry myself with my job is two different things. But they can work side to side with each other.
For me and DJ LEAD my advice for him is to remain true to himself cause I think he is responsible as a gatekeeper. He doesn't represent not only Heavy Hitters, but also Japan and also HOT 97. So when you bring all those brands together under one umbrella it’s like oh my god he’s on the major radio station in New York, he’s part of HOT 97 SUMMER JAM in New Yotk and now in Tokyo and also he’s part of a DJ collective that means a lot.
Heavy Hitters was more of a brotherhood, a connection. It was like how do I connect the dots between New York, Tokyo, Osaka, Chicago, LA, Bangkok, London, Paris, Puerto Rico and so on. My old ways of thinking was before we had smartphones so it was all based on relationships. It was like thinking what my brothers and sisters do in these countries so when I come in your town let me know what’s happening, give me education, let me know what artist is making noise, let me know what songs doing best, let me know is there any way I can cooperate your music with mine, let me know if some of your fashion is going to cross over with mine and we do that interaction collectively as a unit. So say for instance, I might look at him and be like what shoes are you wearing?
What is this t-shirt? I know it may sound silly but when you have family and friends, you can be like DJ LEAD shops there etc.
But back to the concert and the brand, it’s important for a person like LEAD to actually take the lead cause he knows the country and he knows the brand. But I think honestly there’s some real responsibility behind it. There needs to be a little bit of protocol because a lot of work that we put in, we want to make protection.
What were some of those challenges of bringing HOT 97 SUMMER JAM to Japan?
DJ ENUFF: Venues, like where to actually hold it. And also how popular hip-hop is compared to pop culture, like as if it is still considered underground or if it is it big enough.
What's your perspective of the hip-hop scene in Japan?
DJ ENUFF: I think it’s good but it needs more cross brid. What i mean about that is for things to make sense. Like you look at the greatest collabs in history and you look at all the different kinds of artists and as long as it feels honest and true, it transcends into the audience. That is what the scene is supposed to be about.
Now this is the hard part because DJ LEAD has to pick the right music for his country, for hip hop and for HOT 97. How does he do it all in one without turning down the people in New York, anybody in HOT 97 radio? So he has a challenge. He has to be able to balance. If he plays a Japanese song people might be, I don’t understand Japanese, what is this? In other words, sonically he might have a challenge in front of him.
Not an easy task but fun with the way the world is moving today because people are open to him.
How do you view that specific challenge that ENUFF just mentioned?
DJ LEAD: In my image, I've had experience playing at Harlem Saturdays and Feria that both attract very different crowds. For instance, Harlem Saturdays had lots of black people so I knew instantly they would love my HOT 97 New York style so I would merge them with club style tracks. On the other hand, Feria had lots of foriegners so I would link the hip hop tracks with EDM tracks.
So I've had this base of coping with different audiences prior to HOT 97 SUMMER JAM. Plus it's been eight years since I've been part of Heavy Hitters and so I've had the luxury to learn a lot from ENUFF by just pure observation and I've inputted that in me. I've also showcased my sets on mixclounds and soundcloud so I guess the experience and base I've built has also worked on my confidence. I just think I have to do what I always do and everything will be just fine. It's just the scale that will be bigger. The core doesn't change.
We recently had Public Labo Block Party with YG and Skepta in Tokyo as a hip-hop esque party. What do you think SUMMER JAM TOKYO will have compared to this?
DJ LEAD: SUMMER JAM is all about that New York feel so we hope to encorporate that as much as possible but with a tint of Japanese-ness. Public Labo Block Party I actually had the chance to go to and the DJs were great, the sun was shining and the location was awesome too. But you can't really compare the two because HOT 97 SUMMER JAM is different. It's a festival from New York. So we hope to bring the staff from New York and make sure the launch event reaches to the foreigners who live in Japan so we have a true diverse crowd. We are putting a lot of effort in promotion too.
DJ ENUFF: DJs are gonna help with it for sure. Maybe some of the way the festival stage will be set up. I think Carl Freed, who owns Summer Jam, I think he’s smart enough to know how to put his show on. I think the order and the way you mariante it is important. It’s not rocket science at the same time, so it’s just our formula. I think the DJs and small acts in between are the glue to it all.
What DJs should we be on the look out for?
DJ ENUFF: Good question. DJs on HOT 97 or in general?
Let's say HOT 97 DJs.
DJ LEAD: Me?
DJ ENUFF: Yeah you of course. You don’t count cause you right here. (laughs)
DJ Drewski- watch out for him, he’s making a lot of new music.
He’s popping now. He’s on his way. It’s all about his style. He’s white, he’s Russian but he has major respect from the Black and Spanish guys. He’s going to be on l Love & Hip Hop and he does Jersey and New York clubs too. He DJs on night and talks during the day. Guys, watch out for Drewski.
What about artists in general?
My son likes Made In Tokyo. There’s just so many young artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Migos so many people making songs. But for us we have to play the most commercially successful songs and sometimes the Internet and people don't like it but it’s the radio business.
Look at our biggest artists. It’s always gonna be Future, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, Young Thug, Fetty Wap, Beyonce. So anybody that comes is really up against them. So for instance now Rick Ross comes, he has to have a good record. It’s all about owning as much real estate as possible based on per song.
Which song is better than that like is Rihanna’s ‘Work’ better than Beyonce ‘Hold Up’ record, or is Future’s ‘Wicked’ record better than Drake’s ‘On A Wave’ record. That’s just how the game plays so it has nothing to do with us personally. It’s based on what the people vote. That’s not Summer Jam or Heavy Hitters business so we have to separate the two. The radio business and between that DJ Lead could sneak in a Japanese artist and I could sneak in a brand new record but then when I’m done I need to go back playing the hits. That’s just how it is, its politics.
So that's a wrap to our interview with the two biggest influencers of HOT 97: DJ LEAD and DJ ENUFF!
We thank the two for sharing their time with us and we can't wait for the first big launch of the event in Tokyo! Cast your eyes below for more event info and ticket info!
Also exclusive special message video by PUSHA-T and Fabolous for the fans out in Japan!
Ticket Sales End at June 21st 23:59 sharp!
Ticket info - English
https://t.livepocket.jp/e/summerjamtokyo
Official Website
http://hot97summerjamtokyo.jp/index.php
