Not every individual who enters hip-hop music will leave a lasting impression or even have a small impact.

This brother has.

Starting out catching attention in the early 90's, Clue? trumped and outlasted the competition and rose to top. In the process, he created roles for himself and other DJs on the corporate side of the music business wearing many hats with Rocafella, Def Jam, MTV and NYC radio. From piracy to full legitimacy and credibility, Clue? has gone from his tapes being the hottest item @ the corner bodega to helping make the call in the boardroom.

On the brink of releasing his new album, The Professional, Part 3, we sat down with Clue? to discuss his past, present and the future.

Words By Cam Bulgari

DJ Clue: What up?

TSS: Clue. Ay, what it do man?

Clue: Chillin, what’s good?

TSS: Cool, cool. You got a lot of interviews today?

Clue: Forget about it.

TSS: So “The Professional” right—does that come from the movie about the hitman?

Clue: Yeah, you know that.

TSS: So how does that relate to what you do, what you bring to the game, as far as you being a professional in this music industry?

Clue: I mean, I think personally that that’s just the way I am. I’m a professional, you now what I’m sayin? I’m the same kinda way. I move real cautious. And I think my actions out real clearly before I do them, you know what I’m sayin? Especially when it comes to approaching like, you know what I’m saying, putting myself around whether it’s production or radio or doing mixtapes. I’m the same exact way. And that’s how he was when he was planning out what he had to do. He ain’t trust too many people, you namean?

TSS: Okay. You been doing anything behind the scenes these past few years that maybe we don’t know about?

Clue: Just production I mean. Production, MTV…

TSS: They been treating you real good?

Clue: Who?

TSS: MTV.

Clue: Oh nah I’m not on MTV no more. I was though for a couple of years.

TSS: Okay. What kind of look was that for you to make the segue from radio to being a television personality?

Clue: I mean it was definitely a good thing, namean?

TSS: Was that something that you had planned or would you have been happy doing the mixtape thing, or just the radio thing? What I’m trying to figure out is TV--are we gonna see you on TV again? Was that part of your mission?

Clue: Um, it came up and it was a good opportunity so I took it you know. I took advantage of it.

TSS: How does you being the cat that you are in the game, how do you keep—cause like for instance I know on the new mixtape, on the new album you got coming out, you got Cam and some Dipset members on there, but you’re signed to Def Jam. How does a DJ stay neutral when there’s like, you know, obvious beef—you know the Game, 50 Cent, things like that. Is that something you got to think about?

Clue: I don’t think there’s real beef like that you know what I mean? So I don’t look at it as such.

TSS: So you don’t look at is as such? What is it that sparks your ear first when you decide you’re gonna--?

Clue: I mean I don’t think there’s really beef like that, you know what I mean.

TSS: What do you think about it? Can you speak a little bit on that. Is it competition?

Clue: Yeah I think it’s more of a competition than anything you know what I mean. I don’t think it’s real beef like that. I don’t think no one—real beef is someone layin in your bushes. It ain’t like that.

TSS: Right. Okay. What do you think about Buck getting banned from ATL like that? What do you think about the DJ’s role in that situation?

Clue: Of course I think the DJ’s role is definitely important but I mean hey what you going to do? That’s the way them DJ’s feel. But at the same time, I don’t think Buck really did anything to ‘em. But they saying that—why should they wait till yesterday you namean? They trying to put their foot down and set a precedence with that, you namean? I can’t make them dudes spin records. They need to get at Buck.

TSS: Say it again.

Clue: Nah I’m sayin they took a stance on what they believe in, know what I’m saying? I think that Will and Buck will work it out between themselves but you know obviously other DJ’s don’t feel like that.

TSS: Okay. You’ve seen the mixtape game from such an early perspective man. Anything in this day like has it surprised you at all where the mixtape game has come since you got started?

Clue: Mmmmm. Yeah it’s definitely come a long way.

TSS: I see things,like, did they have DJ collabos before? I see three DJ’s collabo'n on like one mixtape things like that. North, South, West Coast DJ’s doing one mixtape. Is that something that used to exist before? You had one with DJ Skee and some other cats.

Clue: Oh nah, I was supposed to just do some shit with Game and I just got put in the middle of that. I didn’t know what the whole mixtape was about. The Game wanted me to vocal some songs for him for some mixtape he was doing. I ain’t know no one was gonna be on the mixtape or what it was about or nothing like that.

TSS: What’s the process though for something like that? What’s the process like for you man when you step in to make a mixtape like a straight to the streets type of deal?

Clue: I get some songs together and I put what I’m feeling on there you know what I mean. I orchestrate different freestyles and stuff like that. It depends.

TSS: You gonna stay heavy in the mixtape game? You still gonna keep putting stuff out? Cause it seems like you took a little break or just focused on other things.

Clue: I was just trying to get the album done you know what I mean. That was my main focus so I was just doing that for awhile.

TSS: Is it hard at all to get all those names on there?

Clue: Of course. Mmhmm.

TSS: Getting the time for them. You in the studio with all of them when they doing their thing?

Clue: Most of the time yeah.

TSS: So Fab is pretty much holding down the Desert Storm kinda strong. You got anybody else in the wings waiting to come out?

Clue: My man Ransom who used to be down with the A-Team. We have this new kid named Killa. He outta H-Town.

TSS: Okay so you going to other regions now.

Clue: Yeah no doubt.

TSS: What do you think about that man? Bout hip hop getting so big now and everybody getting their shine, paying attention to all the different parts of the country?

Clue: I think it could definitely be a good thing you know what I mean. Definitely be a good thing.

TSS: Is it something you saw comin? What do you think about this whole ‘hip hop is dead, kill the DJ’ type of thing?

Clue: (Laughs) I mean everyone is entitled to their own opinion you know, so. You can’t get mad at that man for his opinion.

TSS: You see any truth in that? What’s your stance on that?

Clue: It definitely needs some revamping.

TSS: Any suggestions? I mean the Grammy’s didn’t have not one--they didn’t have no hip hop nominations this year.

Clue: Oh and you wonder why.

TSS: No, tell me why.

Clue: I think everyone needs to step their game up.

TSS: Step their game up?

Clue: Step their game up, baby.

TSS: So what was your favorite era of rap music?

Clue: Probably like about when everyone was doing shit together. Biggie, Jay, Lox, you know everybody, DMX, you know what I mean? And then Jay was doing shit with Bun B and them, you know what I’m saying. It was dope…Jermaine Dupri. They was all doing shit together.

TSS: And so you think everybody just went their own way? You think it’s an industry thing or the record companies? Why you think things are different now?

Clue: It’s a different time man, know what I’m saying? People ain’t going as hard as they used to. People just settlin for, you know.

TSS: Where you rest at? You still in Queens? You still in New York?

Clue: Jersey.

TSS: You in Jersey now? Alright. That’s where I’m from. Why all the hip hop stars love Jersey?

Clue: It’s a little more quieter than New York, you know what I mean?

TSS: Yeah that’s true. You spin in any clubs on the low?

Clue: On the low!?? Nah ain't nothin on the low. I be out in Miami alot. New York. Vegas. L.A.. Everything. I do stuff all year round, all around the country.

TSS: Because I was having this discussion with somebody. You're pretty much at the top of the food chain, for like, celebrity DJs. How much it cost to get you to spin at a party?

Clue: Ten grand for two hours.

TSS: Oh yeah? Aiight aiight...and what's like your favorite clubs to do?

Clue: The Forge in Miami. Nocturnal in Miami. Up here, Marquee...Butter.

TSS: These are New York spots?

Clue: Yeah...in L.A...you know, in L.A., I do mostly private parties in L.A., you know what I'm saying. Like I did a couple of Zini parties, nahmean.

TSS: Who?

Clue: Zini. It's like some private shit that they was doin out there.

TSS: Oh yeah yeah...it's that invite only stuff.

Clue: I did one of those for Stephon Marbury that was nuts!

TSS: Oh yeah?

Clue: Vegas, you know what I'm saying, I did Tao, Tryst, Tangerine, Rain, Ghostbar...you know what I mean, I be floating around thru different spots, you know what I mean.

TSS: Yeah, I feel you. Okay, you got the private jet yet?

Clue: Nahhhh

TSS: Whatchu pushin now?

Clue: What car-wise? I got a couple of cars - Bentley GT, supercharged Range Rover, you know what I'm saying, I got a couple of cars here and there.

TSS: I always think back to the first Professional. When Puff did that intro...

Clue: Right...

TSS:...saying you was one of the first cats to get a Benz offa mixtapes...

Clue: Aiight, no doubt.

TSS: ...and that's true? You was cakin like that just off mixtapes?

Clue: Yessir.

TSS: What would you say...when did it start to really like pop like for mixtape DJs?

Clue: (pauses)...probably like '94. Actually, like, '93 actually.

TSS: '93? That early?

Brief pause - Clue was fielding several ohter calls during the course of the interview.

TSS: So what do you think about this whole Carl Blaze incident?

Clue: I think it's unfortunate man; I think it's crazy man. I mean I dunno what people be thinkin about sometimes. But he ain't even like that..on it like that, you know what I mean...so I don't know.

TSS: What's the last you heard?

Clue: I heard he was fightin man so I don't know. I heard he was fightin for his..you know what I'm sayin...so I don't know.

TSS: That's the station you on right now right?

Clue: Yep.

TSS: 105...what was the reason for that switch, from 97?

Clue: Just a different opportunity, you know what I'm sayin. I'd been over there for a while just mixing so the opportunity came up, you know.

TSS: What's your format now because I don't really get to check your show from out here?

Clue: Check it online.

TSS: Oh yeah, it's online?

Clue: Mmhhmm...

TSS: What's the details on that?

Clue: You in L.A.?

TSS: Yeah I'm in L.A.

Clue: Then I'll be on from, your time, 3p.m. to 7p.m., Monday through Friday. And then I mix at 6 o'clock and at 9 o'clock. It's www.Power1051fm.com.

TSS: Oh okay, cool cool. Yeah man because I grew up on that Monday night mixtape...

Clue: No doubt...

TSS: ...that was the jumpoff right there. That was your first shot at radio?

Clue: Yep.

TSS: Yeah you used to keep it real solid on there. I still got tapes from that.

Clue: Thank you dude.

TSS: So you still kickin it with all the famous celebs? All the singer celebs...

Clue: (Laughs) Ahhhh!

TSS: You still kick it with all them?

Clue: Those are my homies.

TSS: Yeah. Yo what's it like to go from...actually, before I get to that, what were some of your inspirations? I mean, like, you had Doo-Wop, Ron G, you know like, those are kinda like your predecessors. But whose tape stands out like the person who made you say "I'm gonna do this"?

Clue: Prolly dudes from around my way, you know, Queens. DoggTime, and Grandmaster Vic...Baby J...Ike Love. And of course, Jam Master Jay, he's from Queens too.

TSS: True, okay. So what's the difference between New York DJs and Philly DJs.

Clue: The difference? Why you say Philly out of all places?

TSS: Philly? Cause when I talk to cats like Drama and those guys, I mean they really from Philly. And then they were just saying how like, you know, Jazzy Jeff, it just seem like um because we in the same region, it just seem like, I think Drama said something like New York was more known for the rappers, and Philly was more known for the DJs. And they even got like a DJ Hall Of Fame out there...I just wanted your perspective.

Clue: Me, personally, I've never even heard of that...

TSS: Nah? They do got a DJ Hall Of Fame out there though...Cosmic Kev, those dudes...I guess we they got that DJ competition out there. You familiar with that DJ competion they have out there every year? The one that A-Trak won a couple of times or whatever...

Clue: Nahhh...I'm not really into all that, that battle stuff. I'm just trying to get money, you know what I mean. I was just trying to get money.

TSS: I feel you. So what was your first look into like DJ'ing? Was you doin like the high school thing?

Clue: I used to rap.

TSS: Oh okay. Was Clue your rap name?

Clue: MC Drama

TSS: So at what point were you like 'Nah I'm better at this.'
Clue: I just liked it more.

TSS: So you just like the turntables more. Can you call yourself a DJ, I'm not saying you specifically, but can somebody call themselves a DJ if they don't scratch and they just mix records?

Clue: Oh, so you think I don't scratch?

TSS: No, I'm saying in general, because you got so many DJs poppin up now callin themselves DJ's...

Clue: ...You don't really need any kind of certification to be a DJ though, you know what I mean. So, if you wanted to call yourself a DJ, you could be a DJ too.

TSS: What I gotta do?

Clue: Just call yourself...what's your name? What's your nickname?

TSS: Cam.

Clue: Cam? Okay, you're DJ Cam now...

TSS: Oh aiight..

Clue: What's stoppin you from sayin that?

TSS: Nah, nothing. But I'd want people to take me serious.

Clue: Okay, just work it. Now that you're DJ Cam, just, you know, work on it. Work on your cuttin, scratchin and blendin. You don't even gotta work on cuttin and scratchin. Work on blending your music together, get you a mixtape out. What's stoppin you?

TSS: Okay...do it like that?

Clue: Yessir...

TSS: What's the latest tape out? The last one I was rockin heavy was Fidel Cashflow. What's the latest one you got out right now?

Clue: The World Tour is out.

TSS: Aiight, yo, I appreciate it man.

Clue: No doubt nigga.

TSS: Aiight, be cool.

Clue: One.

The Professional, Part 3 will be in stores on December 19. Peep the video for it here.

For more info on DJ Clue, visit www.Rocafella.com

Be sure to check out our previous Smoking Sessions.