Rob Swift I was born and raised in Jackson Heights, Queens the son of Colombian immigrants. Thanks to my father, I grew up in a household full of music. My dad was a DJ. He would spin salsa and meringue records back in the day. All his friends would hire him to DJ at weddings, New Years Eve parties and other events. So he would ask my older brother and I to help him carry equipment to clubs and such. But he never took the time to teach us how to DJ because he was afraid wed break his equipment. So my older brother secretly taught himself when my Dad wasnt around. On our days off from school, my brother would wake up early in the morning and the minute my mom and dad left for work, he would invite his friends over to our house and they would make mix tapes using my fathers equipment. Thats how I got introduced to Hip-Hop. By literally sitting in my living room and watching my brother and his friends make music. After years and years of simply watching, I decided I was ready to learn. When I turned 12 I asked my brother to teach me. Once I learned my first scratch I was hooked. Something about the sounds that came through those speakers when I performed a scratched just tapped into a part of me that I didnt know existed. As time passed I became more and more devoted to mastering everything about the turntable. I lived for the art of Djing. In 1990 I met Dr. Butcher (former DJ for Kool G Rap), one of the best DJs in Queens at the time. Like my older brother, Butcher took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew about being a DJ. See, up until then I was aspiring to be like the DJs I heard on the radio. But Butcher taught me to strive to be better than the DJs I looked up to. So with Butchers guidance, I spent the next year of my life learning more about my own artistic potential. After a year of complete devotion to the turntable I entered the 1991 East Coast DMC. I placed third and although I was frustrated I didnt win, That night ended up being a pivotal turning point in my career. Steve D, inventor of beat juggling and winner of the 91 DMC battle I entered, asked me to become a member of his crew, The X-men, which later became The X-ecutioners. As a member of the X-ecutioners I became part of one of the most influential turntable bands in the world. I recorded full length LPs for major labels (Loud, Columbia), worked with multi-platinum bands like Linkin Park, made appearances on MTV, The David Letterman Show, and Last Call w/Carson Daly, just to touch the surface. However, the more success we achieved the more I began feeling limitations were being put on my creativity. I started feeling pressure to make music that would reach commercial success and as a result I realized I was forcing my creativity to make record companies happy. Luckily, opportunities arose for me to freely express my creativity on the side. I managed to record 2 solo albums (the Ablist and Sound Event) and I also collaborated with artist like Herbie Hancock and Bob James on other projects. Eventually, these outlets still couldnt deflect the creative stress I felt from dealing with the pressures of trying to record platinum X-ecutioner albums. So in September of 2004, I made one the most difficult decisions I ever made in my life. I chose to leave the X-ecutioners in hopes of regaining the creative freedom I missed so much. So now I start work on the next opus in my career-one that leaves me with more opportunity and risk than ever before. . No longer do I have anyones shoulders to lean on; Its just me now! |
 My next album, "War GamesÓ, will be my 3rd solo album. With this new creative freedom, my aim is to make a social statement this time around. A totally new concept in turntable music. I want to spark minds and challenge how we view the events going on in the world today. The album features Large Professor, Akinyele, Melo-D, DJ Quest, Ricci Rucker, Toadstyle, Bob James, Breez Evahflowin, Psycho Les (Beatnuts), and Dave McMurray. So here is to a new creative journey. The ride is free so hop on! Rob's official website is www.DJRobSwift.com |
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